Committee requests report on transportation costs for homeless students and long commutes

At the Jan. 21 Lowell School Committee meeting, school committee member Mister Bahu moved that the proper department report on transportation costs for homeless students attending Lowell Public Schools and other districts, and include how many students are transported more than 40 miles round trip.

Bahu said the motion stems from a Dec. 17 entry and that "we had about $250,000 in transportation costs for homeless students," and urged the committee to honor McKinney‑Vento obligations while seeking ways to reduce excessive transportation costs. "If a student is being transferred 20 miles, then ultimately they're missing an awful lot of time on learning," he added, citing attendance and weather-related disruptions as additional concerns.

The motion asked for two years of data and passed by roll call vote. Staff were asked to prepare a report with counts and cost breakdowns to inform potential policy or operational changes.