Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 13, December 25, 2024
(1)
Course approval. Any
school district, area education agency, merged area school, other agency or
person planning to offer a driver education course must receive course
approval, which includes approval of all teachers and instructors listed on the
application, from the department prior to the beginning of the first class that
is offered and annually thereafter. The agency or institution or person shall
apply for course approval in a manner determined by the department. Course
approval must be renewed annually. The approval is valid for one calendar year
or a remaining calendar year and expires on December 31. The application for
course renewal shall be submitted to the department within 60 days of the
expiration date, unless otherwise approved by the department.
(2)
Course requirements.
Driver education courses provided by approved programs must comply with the
following:
a. Schools shall provide for each
student a minimum of 1800 minutes in classroom instruction, plus 360 minutes in
supervised laboratory instruction, exclusive of observation time, in a
dual-control motor vehicle.
b. Each
student shall be scheduled to receive classroom or laboratory instruction each
week of the course. Except upon showing of good cause, laboratory instruction
shall not conclude later than 45 days after classroom instruction has been
completed. When the driver education course provider determines there is good
cause, the laboratory instruction shall not conclude later than 90 days after
classroom instruction has been completed. For the purpose of this paragraph,
"good cause" means an unanticipated event causing a delay in the student's
ability to complete the laboratory instruction if the event is beyond the
student's control.
c.
Behind-the-wheel instruction shall be limited to a maximum of 30 minutes per
student per session and a maximum of 60 minutes in a single day.
d. Two or more students shall be scheduled
for all behind-the-wheel instruction to ensure that appropriate observation
time is experienced.
e. Routine
maintenance of motor vehicles to maximize energy efficiency and safety shall be
included in classroom instruction.
f. Operation of motor vehicles to maximize
energy efficiency and safety shall be included in classroom
instruction.
g. Each school
district shall provide students who are absent from instruction an opportunity
to make up a reasonable amount of time and coursework.
h. When driving simulators are used for part
of the behind-the-wheel driving experience, four hours of simulator experience
shall be considered equal to one hour of behind-the-wheel driving in the car.
However, in addition to simulator time, a minimum of three hours of on-street,
behind-the-wheel driving must be completed.
i. When driving ranges are used in driver
education courses, two hours of range experience shall be considered equal to
one hour of on-street, behind-the-wheel driving. However, in addition to range
time, a minimum of three hours of on-street, behind-the-wheel driving must be
completed.
j. Motor vehicles which
are designed primarily for carrying nine or fewer occupants, excluding
motorcycles and mopeds, are the only motor vehicles approved for use in driver
education courses, and each shall be equipped with a dual control. In addition,
all driver education vehicles shall have an inside rearview mirror and an
outside rearview mirror mounted on each side of the vehicle.
k. The driver education teacher or instructor
shall verify at the beginning of each course that each student possesses a
valid instruction permit or driver's license. Each student shall be responsible
for possessing an instruction permit or driver's license throughout all
laboratory instruction and report any suspension, revocation or cancellation of
the instruction permit or driver's license to the driver education teacher or
instructor prior to attending laboratory instruction.
(3)
Experimental program.
Approval of an experimental program may be granted by the department if based
on student or school district need for improved instruction. The maximum
duration of an experimental program shall be three years. Annual documentation
of the effectiveness of instruction is required and must be submitted to the
department subsequent to program completion.