Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander introduced her bipartisan, bicameral legislation to expand access to education by improving public transportation options for students and families across the country. The Promoting Advancement Through Transit Help (PATH) to Education Act would authorize the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to facilitate partnerships between transit providers, higher education institutions, and Head Start centers to ensure students can reliably get to school. Companion legislation in the U.S. Senate is led by Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Dave McCormick (R-PA). Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) is co-leading in the House.
“No one in America should ever have to give up on a dream because they can’t find an affordable ride. But today in New Hampshire and across our country, too many students are facing obstacles and falling behind simply because they do not have a reliable, affordable way to get to school,” said Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander. “Our bipartisan PATH to Education Act will right this wrong and break down barriers by connecting students of all ages — from Head Start to our community college — with affordable and reliable transportation from home to school. This is about ensuring every student in America has a fair shot at success, no matter their zip code or how they get to class.”
“White Mountains Community College (WMCC) is the only Higher Education Institution that serves the Northern region of New Hampshire, which is known as the North Country. This rural region makes up a third of the area of the State of New Hampshire. Access to education and higher education is of the utmost importance to the advancement of the region and improving its economy and the residents’ quality of life. The Path to Education Act is vitally important for WMCC as it would allow students in an area that is deficient in public transportation to have access to transportation to the College’s two campuses in Berlin or Littleton. The area that WMCC serves is a rural mountainous region that does not have access to public transportation, such as buses or trains. Students living outside Berlin or Littleton will have transportation to the college’s campuses as an impediment to continuing their education. The driving distance of over an hour between the campus in Berlin or Littleton from areas far north, such as Pittsburg or Colebrook, means that other than the private mode of transportation, students cannot attend WMCC. To provide such public transport access would mean that any student wanting to progress and attend WMCC for either a degree or a Workforce Development program may do so without worrying about how they would be able to travel to and from the College. This would remove an important obstacle that impacts students’ access to higher education. As the President of WMCC, I am fully in support of this bill and would encourage all to support it for the advancement of education and the economy of our rural areas, such as the North Country of New Hampshire,” said President of White Mountains Community College (WMCC), Dr. Sarmad Saman.
“Reliable and accessible transit is essential for our students to reach their classes, their jobs, and the opportunities that shape their futures,” said River Valley Community College President Alfred Williams. “We applaud Congresswoman Goodlander’s leadership in pushing forward solutions that strengthen the connection between our campus and our community, remove barriers to success, and make higher education more accessible and equitable for all.”
The PATH to Education Act authorizes the Department of Transportation to support eligible educational institutions by allowing federal assistance to:
- Expand public transportation infrastructure, including physical stops, to extend existing routes to Head Start centers and eligible colleges;
- Better align transit schedules with class and program times; and
- Ensure public transportation costs are not a barrier to getting to class.
- Eligible institutions include Head Start programs, community colleges, area career and technical schools, Minority-Serving Institutions, and colleges with high numbers of Pell Grant-eligible students—targeting support to populations least likely to have access to a car.
The PATH to Education Act is endorsed by River Valley Community College, White Mountains Community College, the National Head Start Association, the Association of Community College Trustees, Today’s Students Coalition, the National College Attainment Network, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Student Veterans of America, and the Transport Workers Union of America.
The PATH to Education Act is cosponsored in the House by Reps. Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Tom Kean (R-NJ), and Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI).
Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander has dedicated her life to serving the people of New Hampshire, including our students and young families. Along with the Path to Education Act, she is leading bipartisan, bicameral legislation, the IDEA Full Funding Act, that will ensure all children with disabilities can access high-quality public education.
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