Some Pa. schools are cutting off charter students’ access to yellow buses after court ruling
Two weeks before the start of classes at his all-boys charter school near Pittsburgh, founder Darryl Canady received an email from his local public school district saying it wouldn’t provide traditional bus rides to his students this year. Instead, Woodland Hills School District said it would supply each of the more than 140 students at LIFE Male STEAM Academy with Pittsburgh…
In Pennsylvania, charter school students are legally entitled to free transportation from their school to the district they are zoned to attend. However, some school districts have attempted to shift this responsibility to public transit services, as seen with the Woodland Hills School District near Pittsburgh. Before the start of the 2026-27 academic year, the district informed founder Darryl Canady of LIFE Male STEAM Academy that it would no longer provide traditional yellow school bus services for the 140+ students enrolled.
Instead, each student would receive a Pittsburgh Regional Transit card to be used for commuting to and from school. Canady expressed concern among parents about sending young children, aged 10 and 11, on public transit, particularly with the potential for multiple bus transfers. This change aligns with a recent January state Supreme Court ruling allowing districts to end bus service for charter school students, provided they offer alternative free transportation, such as the proposed transit cards.
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