Monday, August 17, 2026

PUSD Kicks Off the 2026-27 School Year With Guidance on Free Transit, Free Meals and Expanded Learning

[File photo]

Free rides, no-cost breakfast and lunch, and after-school programs greet students in Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre as classes begin.

As students and families across Pasadena and Altadena head into the 2026-27 academic year on Monday, the Pasadena Unified School District is offering updated guidance to ensure a more successful start. The district serves Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre. 

To ensure punctuality and a smooth start to the day, the district recommends families carefully plan routes to school, whether walking, driving or using Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority public transit.

Free transit now a permanent program

For students who ride public transit, Metro continues to offer free rides through its Student GoPass program — no longer a temporary pilot. In April 2024, the Metro Board of Directors voted to make the Student GoPass program permanent, expanding on what had originally launched as the fareless system initiative referenced in years past.

All eligible K-12 and community college students across participating districts, including Pasadena Unified School District, can ride Metro buses and trains at no cost.

The program has since progressed into its sixth year of operation. According to Metro, the 2025-26 GoPass is valid through September 30, 2026, and the newly issued 2026-27, or Year 6, GoPass is valid  through September 30, 2027, including a three-month bridge period added at no extra cost to districts.

To activate free rides, families must obtain a GoPass TAP card and eligibility code from their school and register it online, via the TAP smartphone app or by phone. Registration can be completed at taptogo.net/gopass, by calling TAP at 866.TAPTOGO Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or by scanning a QR code provided by the school.

Families with questions can contact Pasadena Unified School District Transportation. Sandra Vaca has been listed as a district transportation contact for the GoPass program, reachable by email at vaca.sandra@pusd.us.

Free meals continue district-wide

A nutritious start to the day remains a district priority, with breakfast available at home or at school. For the 2026-27 school year, all Pasadena Unified School District students receive free breakfast and lunch through the federal Community Eligibility Provision, meaning no household income application is required for a student to eat at no cost, according to the district’s Food & Nutrition Services department.

Families are still encouraged to complete optional benefit forms, since qualifying may unlock additional resources, such as SUN Bucks summer grocery benefits worth up to $120 per child per summer, or $40 per month from June through August.

Supper is also available to students participating in after-school enrichment activities. The Food & Nutrition Services department, led by Director Jennifer Andraos, remains the point of contact for meal program questions. The department works alongside the district’s Health Programs office, led by Director Ana Maria “Ria” Apodaca, which oversees student health services and health education.

Registration and enrollment

Registration for the new school year continues to take place at district campuses. Families with registration questions can contact their school’s registrar or the Pasadena Unified School District Office of Enrollment at (626) 396-3639, or visit the district’s main office at 351 S. Hudson Ave., Pasadena.

Expanded learning now branded PasadenaLEARNs

The district’s expanded learning offerings now operate under the formal name PasadenaLEARNs, active at 20 school sites across the district, each staffed with a dedicated site coordinator. The program provides before-school, after-school and summer enrichment, combining academic support, enrichment classes, physical fitness activities and a nutritious supper from dismissal until at least 6 p.m. on regular school days, with some sites running until 6:30 p.m.

Priority enrollment is extended to English Learners, students in foster care, students experiencing homelessness and students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on family income. Enrollment generally operates on a first-come, first-served basis. Some sites — including Don Benito, and Sierra Madre Elementary and Middle schools — offer fee-based options alongside free programming, at a cost of $150 per month plus a $35 registration fee.

During the summer, the district’s Expanded Learning Opportunities Program serves students in grades K-8 district-wide, plus grades 9-12 at John Muir High School, running full days from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Applications for PasadenaLEARNs remain available through school offices or online at www.pusd.us/learns, as well as through the third-party portal www.6crickets.com.

Pasadena Unified School District, 351 S. Hudson Ave., Pasadena. For more call (626) 396-3600 or visit www.pusd.us. Office of Enrollment: (626) 396-3639.