As the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools embark on the first contract bargaining process open to the public, there is a historic opportunity to address the considerable needs of our school communities.
The first bargaining session focused on making schools green and healthy places without lead and asbestos, replacing toxins with solar panels and heat pumps, and supporting career pathway programs that allow our students to become engineers and skilled workers for the green energy transition.
Now, with electric buses on the way for the first time for CPS, free public transit for our public school families is overdue.
The majority of CPS students are low-income, Black, and Latine, and many depend on public transit to get to school. They often face the difficulties of living in and traversing high-poverty areas, violence, food deserts and areas with high levels of homelessness. These complex community challenges hinder student success — that’s part of why CTU bargaining goes beyond the classroom.
One of the CTU’s bargaining demands for student success, that we support, is straightforward: remove the cost barrier to getting to school with free public transit passes for CPS students. Research finds that transportation matters for academic success, but for many CPS students, public transit is a necessity and fares a barrier to attendance.
Some Chicago-area residents ride the train or bus without thinking about costs and may consider the Chicago Transit Authority student discount fare of 75 cents a bargain. Yet, even with the discounted student fare, families will spend over $260 annually per student just to get to school — a substantial cost for low-income households in a district with more than 70% very low-income students. Student passes do not discount trips outside of school hours or days for those over age 12, or at all during the summer.
Helping CPS students get to school and easing the financial burden on families is a win for equity. Not only would free transit passes help students attend school and ease household budgets, unrestricted free passes could also better connect students to a whole range of important opportunities from social services and seeing family to doctor’s appointments and even first jobs.
Investing in our youth through free public transit is not just the equitable thing to do, it’s a collective investment in the workforce, citizenry and future leaders. Plus, riding public transit earlier in life may encourage its use later on, which benefits everyone since more public transit riders means less polluted air and congestion.
There is more than one approach to free public transit for students. One of the authors of this piece, state Rep. Marcus C. Evans Jr., has filed bills to allow school districts to pay for transit passes. This would require more state dollars for CPS but could be met by fully addressing the state’s school funding formula. Another approach is to follow the state of Washington’s lead, where state dollars flow to transit agencies for universal free youth transit.
Free public transit still needs to be quality transit. Without frequent, efficient, safe and reliable service, students may be late or unable to depend on transit. Unfortunately, CTA service has not recovered to pre-pandemic conditions; improvements are critical.
Another crisis for transit is around the corner, with a projected $730 million operating funding gap in Chicagoland transit agency budgets for 2026. State legislation is critical to close this gap and maximize public transit service for students.
Investment in public transit also means collective environmental, economic, and equity benefits for riders and non-riders alike. As transit advocates, elected officials and others talk about saving transit — whether in Chicago, Springfield or DC — free fare for CPS students needs attention as an investment in closing economic gaps, fostering sustainable transportation, and ensuring an equitable future.
Kate Lowe is an associate professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago. State Rep. Marcus C. Evans Jr., D-Chicago, is the Illinois House assistant majority leader and represents the 33rd District.
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