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Report: Road Conditions Contribute To Tribal Kids Missing School

The federal government has released a report critical of road conditions on tribal lands. Children often can't make it to school during bad weather.

The General Accounting Office conducted site visits at 10 different school districts and three reservations nationwide. They evaluated bus routes by riding with students to school.

Reservation routes are often earth or gravel roads that become muddy and impassible after heavy rain, wind or snow.

School officials say bad weather and roads are contributing factors to Native American kids missing school. The report, released Monday, highlights funding constraints, overlapping jurisdictions and rough weather as leading challenges.

Senior field correspondent Bridget Dowd has a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.