Still waiting to finish driver’s ed? Wake has a plan to cut the backlog to 6 weeks.
Wake County high school students who’ve been waiting for months to complete their driver’s education course from the school system could be in for some relief.
The Wake County school board approved a plan Tuesday to reduce the backlog for behind-the-wheel training down to six weeks. Driver’s education classes experienced major backlogs during the COVID-19 pandemic when the behind-the-wheel portion was suspended for safety reasons.
“It allows the district to return to a position where we can offer all students equitable access to driver training and the opportunities that having their permit and their license offer,” said Drew Cook, assistant superintendent of academics.
Cook said the district will use savings to pay higher rates to driving schools for each student who completes their behind-the-wheel instruction.
Under North Carolina’s graduated licensing program, driver’s education is mandatory for anyone younger than 18 who applies to get a learner’s permit.
Students get 30 hours of classroom instruction and six hours behind the wheel before taking the test to get their permit.
COVID-19 backlog
State law requires school systems to offer driver’s education to students in public, private and home schools in their districts who want the program. Wake County charges $65 for students to begin the classroom instruction.
But when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the behind-the-wheel instruction and road tests from the state Division of Motor Vehicles were put on hold.
Wake resumed the behind-the-wheel portion earlier this school year with a lengthy backlog. Parents have bombarded school board members with when the backlog will be reduced.
“Trying to get into driver’s ed right now is like trying to win a radio call-in contest,” said school board vice chairman Chris Heagarty. “You wait for the word and you race, race, race and try to get in for one of those few seats, and they just aren’t there.”
Cook attributed the backlog to the pandemic as well as to how Jordan Driving School, which has Wake’s contract, has had a hard time finding enough instructors because those people can get paid more in other fields.
Equitable access to driver’s ed
On Tuesday, the board amended the driver’s ed contract with Jordan Driving School by reducing it by $500,000 based on how fewer students have been served. The board voted to use the savings to contract with Jordan and two other companies during the spring and summer to address the backlog.
Cook said the companies will get paid higher rates per student to address higher wages for instructors and higher fuel costs.
There will always be a gap between when students finish the classroom portion and start the behind-the-wheel portion, according to Cook. But he says they can get the backlog down to an “acceptable range” of six weeks.
During the backlog, some students have opted to pay out of their own pockets rather than wait. School leaders hope the new plan will address that equity issue.
“I really appreciate the attempts to make all of our students be able to have this opportunity within our schools and not have to go and pay several hundred dollars when many do not have that opportunity,” said board member Karen Carter.
This story was originally published April 20, 2022 at 4:32 PM with the headline "Still waiting to finish driver’s ed? Wake has a plan to cut the backlog to 6 weeks.."
