Metro GoPass helps reduce absenteeism at South Bay charter school

Getting to school is one less worry for students at Scholarship Prep South Bay in Wilmington.

Through Metro’s GoPass Program, every student gets a free pass that allows them to ride Metro and other participating transit agencies free at any time. Some students use it daily, while others use it occasionally.

“We provide a GoPass to all of our students,” said Kristen Crowe, Chief Community Officer at Scholarship Prep South Bay. “Some of our students rely on their pass every day, while others may only need it when their regular transportation falls through. Either way, knowing that option is always available removes a potential barrier before it becomes an absence.”

Scholarship Prep South Bay recently shared the benefits of the GoPass Program and other contributions in a September LA Times article. Read it here.

Crowe said transportation can be a major barrier to regular attendance, especially for students and families who are homeless or unhoused.

“Our work to reduce chronic absenteeism is really about identifying the barriers each student is facing and finding ways to remove them,” Crowe said. “The Go Pass has been an important part of that work, helping ensure transportation does not stand in the way of a student showing up, feeling connected, and receiving the education and support they deserve.”

She said the pass gives students a reliable way to get to and from school, “removing one more obstacle that could otherwise lead to missed days.”

Metro’s 2026 GoPass survey found that 76% of participating schools said the program improved student attendance. In addition, 92% of respondents to our survey also said it improved students’ well being and 74% said it reduced daily stress for students.

Crowe believes the program offers more than just transportation.

“The GoPass Program is so much more than transportation. It is access and opportunity for our students,” she said. “When a student doesn’t have to worry about how they are going to get to school, they can focus on simply being a student.”

She added that the pass lets students walk through the school’s doors each day and receive “the education, stability, relationships and support they deserve.”

“Every student deserves the opportunity to show up, feel connected, and learn, regardless of the challenges they may be facing outside of school,” Crowe said.

Metro launched the GoPass program in October 2021 to give students across Los Angeles County a free, reliable way to get where they need to go. Students at participating K-12 schools and community colleges can ride Metro buses and trains, as well as 19 additional participating transit agencies in the county at no cost. To date, more than 125 school districts, 1,700 schools and 650,000 students have participated in the program.

To learn more, visit metro.net/fares/gopass.