When the state made public buses free during the pandemic, it was a lifeline for Sean Tomany’s high school students. They could get to school earlier, stay later, participate in extracurriculars, and meet with teachers. The free buses went away, as did the opportunities that so many of his students could access for a short while, helping make sure they did not join the one in five kids in Connecticut who have dropped out or are at risk of dropping out – otherwise known as disconnected youth.