STLS Transportation Assistance | Chicago Public Schools

A student in a temporary living situation has the right to continue attending his/her school of origin, which is the school he/she attended when permanently housed or the school in which he/she was last enrolled. If parents, caregivers, or unaccompanied homeless youth choose to continue the student’s education in the school of origin, the Board of Education of the City of Chicago will provide transportation to and from the school of origin, and all school-related activities, as long as the student is in a temporary living situation, or if the student becomes permanently housed, until the end of the academic year.

The Students in Temporary Living Situations Department provides prompt transportation assistance to STLS-eligible students who qualify for STLS transportation either through public transportation fare cards or, in limited circumstances where a specific hardship is documented, yellow school bus. Eligible students receive CTA Ventra cards and adult caregivers of eligible students in grades PK-6 receive CTA Ventra cards to accompany the student to and from school. A parent is also eligible for transportation assistance to attend school related activities, such as, Report Card Pick-Up, Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings or graduation if his/her child is in 7th to 12th grade or is a younger child who rides a yellow school bus.

Students who temporarily reside outside of Chicago due to homelessness and attend their CPS school of origin receive transportation assistance as do students experiencing homelessness who live in the City of Chicago but attend a school of origin outside of CPS.

Transportation to School of Origin

Students in temporary living situations (STLS) have the right to continue attending their school of origin. The school of origin is defined as the school the student attended when permanently housed or the school in which they were last enrolled.

If parents, caregivers, or unaccompanied homeless youth choose to continue the student’s education in the school of origin, transportation will be provided to and from the school, as well as to all school-related activities, for as long as the student remains in a temporary living situation.

If a student becomes permanently housed, transportation assistance will continue to be provided until the end of the academic year.

Types of Transportation Assistance

CPS provides transportation assistance to STLS-eligible students through two main methods:

Public transportation tare cards (CTA Ventra cards)
Yellow school bus service in limited circumstances where a specific hardship is documented

CTA Ventra Cards

: CTA Ventra cards will be distributed to eligible students and caregivers no less frequently than once a week. Schools may establish a schedule for distribution of CTA Ventra cards which should be shared with the parents/ caregivers and students eligible for STLS transportation support. School staff may choose to distribute Ventra cards to students and/or caregivers on a daily, rather than weekly, basis. Parents or caregivers may contact the STLS Department for assistance at (773) 553-2242 or STLSInformation@cps.edu if they experience challenges related to the distribution of CTA Ventra cards at the school.

Parents or adult caregivers of students in grades PK-6 and the students in grades 7-12 are required to sign for each CTA Ventra card received. Parents or caregivers of students in grades PK-6 must be present at both pick-up and drop-off times daily for their student in order to continue to receive adult transportation assistance. One adult per family may receive the CTA Ventra card if at least one child in the family is in 6th grade or younger. If the parent/ caregiver is temporarily unable to accompany his/her child to and from school, accommodations will be made for an alternate adult to receive the adult CTA Ventra card. The parent/caregiver must provide the STLS Liaison in writing the name of the person to receive the CTA Ventra card on their behalf and the time period for the substitution.
: Transportation assistance is provided to students and caregivers for the educational purpose of transporting students to and from school and school activities. Additional Ventra cards will not be distributed to students or parents/caregivers who use CTA Ventra cards provided by the STLS Department during days of non-attendance. Parents or caregivers who do not accompany their student to and from school via public transportation on a daily basis may begin to receive single ride transportation cards only on the days that they accompany the student to and from school via public transportation.

Hardship Transportation - Yellow School Bus Service

Students in grades PK-6 who are eligible for transportation and whose caregiver is unable to accompany them on public transportation due to a hardship may apply for yellow school bus service by submitting documentation or affidavit of their inability to transport the student.

Students with Disabilities' Transportation

Students who receive transportation via his/her Individualized Education Program (IEP) will continue to receive that service unchanged. Students who have transportation services in their IEP will not receive CTA Ventra cards from the STLS Department.

Learn More

Other Transportation Offered to Students Who are Not Homeless

If students in a temporary living situation qualify for transportation through a magnet program, NCLB option program or other CPS school bus program, they will continue to receive this transportation service as long as they continue to meet the eligibility requirements for the program.

Learn More