What types of transportation do you and your family use during an average week, and how has this shaped your view of transportation policy for schools?

My family and I drive to and from work daily. I use public transportation to navigate around downtown if needed. However, when I attended both Lincoln Park High School, while living on Chicago’s southwest side in the Ashburn community, I took a bus and two trains to get to school every day. My current transportation makes me appreciate the ability to reliably transport myself to and from work, or any place, without relying on the public transportation. Public transportation is sometimes infrequent and inconvenience regardless of if you adequately prepare to use public transportation.

What are some of the transportation challenges that families and students face in your district?

My district, the 9th District, is approximately 80% African American overall with approximately 76% of the 35,000 students in my district identifying as African American and working to middle class. Busing and alternative transportation is an issue in my district with many parents needing to reconfigure how they can take their students to school. Many parents rely on public transportation, such as CTA and Metra, for students to get to school. Additionally, parents report using Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare apps to supplement transportation needs. However, many parents express a level of discomfort with this as a reliable alternative and I agree the District needs to provide more for our students.

School pick up/drop off can be chaotic and at times unsafe. What are ways you think this could be improved?

I propose CPS creates a pilot program where schools and parents can schedule times by “pool” based on the students’ grades, ages, etc., which would allow for a more orderly pick- up protocol. Additionally, CPS schools could notify parents and teachers of the pickup times, per grade, on a schedule in advance.

Studies show that childhood independence is critical for individual development. How can Chicago Public Schools better empower families to allow their children to be able to navigate independently – and most importantly, safely – to and from school?

I propose CPS develop another pilot program expanding the Safe Passage program to include Safe Passage volunteers and workers occupy high frequency public transportation spots. This would increase adult supervision in areas of high traffic. The more presence Safe Passage has in these high public transportation areas, the better CPS, through Safe Passage, will establish off-site zones of safety for students beyond the current Safe Passage reach.

Most CPS students are offered driver's education when the time comes, but few are given the opportunity to learn about alternatives. What kind of educational opportunities around transportation do you think students should have?

As a product of CPS and a former “Driver’s Ed” student at Lincoln Park, via Lane Tech’s range and traZic course, I know the importance of Driver’s Education opportunities. I had to travel far from both my home on the southwest side of Chicago and my high school, Lincoln Park, in order to receive my driving instruction. I recommend CPS invest in private-public partnerships with the many driving schools throughout Chicago. Additionally, CPS’ Board can discuss possible business tax incentives for participating driving schools or similar business who provide additional driving instruction opportunities. I have experience crafting and forging both these private-public partnerships and drafting the accompanying legislation to effectuate such partnerships.

Increasingly, a lack of busing has become a serious burden for many families’ day-to-day lives as services continue to be cut. What are some short-term and long-term solutions that you think would address this?

I believe busing should be mandatory for students K-8 in all of CPS. Parents should have the option to opt out if they have alternative transportation or believe their children are old enough to walk to school. A short-term solution requires looking at the proposed budget for FY25 and see what expiring and/or bad contracts CPS can cancel or let lapse to free up much needed revenue to increase the transportation budget back to pre-pandemic levels. This would help address the shortage of bus drivers and busing options currently plaguing CPS. A long-term solution is to ensure CPS fixes its looming budgetary crisis and deficit allowing CPS to prudently invest in student transportation. CPS cannot adequately resource student transportation under the current specter of a $505M, and rising, budget deficit. I am the only 9th District candidate discussing plausible solutions to address this, specifically working with the State legislature to close several gaps in the Illinois Lottery law which defers money from the Common Education Fund to non-public education projects. This goes against the original intent of the purpose of the Illinois Lottery to invest in our public education. An increase in these funds will go a long way to funding transportation for CPS students and other critical funding needs in CPS.

For many years now, Chicago Public Schools has failed to meet federally mandated requirements for accessible transportation for students with disabilities. How do you envision ensuring that students with disabilities’ transportation needs are met?

I propose a two-pronged approach relative to securing the revenue needed to provide transportation for students with disabilities. Prong one would include my long-term recommendation and policy plan to work with the State to close Illinois Lottery loopholes syphoning money from the Common Education Fund. Additionally, I propose targeted federal lobbying, specifically to our Illinois congressional representatives and senators to increase CPS’ funding for students with disabilities under the Every Student Succeeds Act, the Individual’s with Disabilities Education Act, and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. CPS, with myself leading this initiative on the Board, can make good faith arguments for more funding under these federal acts as transportation, or lack of adequate transportation, for students with disabilities has a devastatingly negative impact on these students’ ability to learn and succeed.