Less Than Half of Head Start Centers Near Transit

A story by Jodi Fortino for KCUR highlights the link between public transit and access to early childhood education in Missouri, where less than 25 percent of Head Start centers are within easy reach of transit.

This finding is meaningful because, “According to a national survey of Head Start centers, lack of transportation is one of the top barriers preventing families from enrolling and keeping their kids in the early childhood program.” 

Nationwide, 42 percent of Head Start centers are within a quarter mile of a transit stop. Other challenges include unreliable bus service and unsafe routes or stops. “When families talk about not wanting to take the bus or considering themselves as not having access to buses, it's because of the time that it takes to either get through all the stops, or to change buses,” said Michelle Pendzimas, Head Start director for Kansas City Public Schools.