Driver's Ed...ugh!

[Janeway]

It is that time. <gulp> <deer caught in the headlights look>.

 

 

What do you all do?

[bethben]

I found a place in our city that had an online learning component for the education section and included the required 6 hours behind the wheel instructor.  We have to have 50 hours of driving time behind the wheel.  I told DH that I have homeschooled now for going on my 12 year and he can teach the children how to drive.  Apparently, I make my ds nervous which means he makes mistakes which means he calmly pulls in front of cars that could hit us.  I only instruct him in my "calm mommy voice" to make a right turn, watch out for that car, etc.  Apparently "calm mommy voice" freaks him out.  Dh is the guy.

 

 

[Mandamom]

I called the local community college and signed her up. She got her learner's a few months ago and we started driving immediately. Within 2 months she's driven almost 40 hours; she needs 60 to get her license. She can't get her license until June of next year. I still need to schedule her last two BTW sessions. 

 

There are a few private places but the CC was convenient and the schedule worked for us. It was just expensive. I'm glad it is done though. I will do it again in two more years. 

[KarenNC]

We have two choices--go through our county's public school system ($65) or go private ($400). You can guess which one we picked! It took about 3 months from the time she got on the list to be called for the classroom part, then it was another 4 months after that before she was called to do the driving. She wasn't impressed with the teacher for the classroom part. The teacher called all of them by number instead of names, and there were kids sleeping, singing, and beat-boxing throughout the class. Now that she has her permit, my husband is the one that drives with her, as I make her nervous and am not a great passenger.

[MerryAtHope]

There's a really excellent private school that does the classroom teaching and the initial required driving hours with the student. We've found it's more than worthwhile to go through them, despite it costing a bit more. 

[Luckymama]

State law is that new drivers under the age of 18 (so not someone with a license from another state) are required to take both the classroom and road instruction through a state-certified teacher either at their public/private/charter school or in the summer at a designated school (for those in schooks with not enough sophomores, or those who had schedule issues, or those homeschooled) or through an approved class at a Y or an adult education program. There is no fee if the class is taken during sophomore year or the summer after. If the kid doesn't pass, the fee must be paid for the second attempt.

 

D was away this summer when she could have taken the class for free. We are scrambling to find her a class that does not conflict with her main extracurricular activity.

[JeanM]

We have two choices--go through our county's public school system ($65) or go private ($400). You can guess which one we picked! It took about 3 months from the time she got on the list to be called for the classroom part, then it was another 4 months after that before she was called to do the driving. She wasn't impressed with the teacher for the classroom part. The teacher called all of them by number instead of names, and there were kids sleeping, singing, and beat-boxing throughout the class. Now that she has her permit, my husband is the one that drives with her, as I make her nervous and am not a great passenger.

 

Wow, I wish we had your options. My younger ds is signing up through the public high school tomorrow for $450! Private driver's ed costs more (not sure of the exact amount). And it is required in our state, unless you are over 18.

 

[Shelly in the Country]

We went through our public high school.  The class cost $100.  We are kind of rural, so that was really our only option.  It was a good experience though.  The school was friendly and cooperative, and there were other homeschoolers in the class.  The high school does block scheduling so our dd had to be there every other day for 90 minutes.  That was the only annoying part.

[KarenNC]

Wow, I wish we had your options. My younger ds is signing up through the public high school tomorrow for $450! Private driver's ed costs more (not sure of the exact amount). And it is required in our state, unless you are over 18.

 

Ouch! It's required here, too. We may be in the same boat here soon. Up until 2011, the school driver's ed was free, but legislators decided to cut funding substantially and allow schools to charge students (it's now the $65 for all students, not just homeschoolers). Public funding continues to be at risk. My daughter got caught in the mess last year when the legislature wouldn't approve a budget until the early fall rather than for the July beginning of the fiscal year. One budget had funding for the program, one didn't, so many school systems suspended offering the class at all until a budget was approved (understandable), which caused a backlog.

[regentrude]

In our state, no formal course is required. DH put each of our kids through a very rigorous driving training.

 

Some homeschoolers in our town have their kids take drivers ed at the local public school over the summer.

[SkateLeft]

My third child will start driver's ed on Monday. Although my state gives homeschoolers the option of teaching the classroom portion ourselves, there are some hoops to jump through that aren't worth it to me.

 

My older kids all took driver's ed through a local company that teaches it at the public high school after school hours. I pay for the package deal which includes classroom and 9 hours of behind the wheel instruction. The classroom part is a two week course after school Monday through Friday, and it's worth it to me to just get that done so I can actually do the real practical instruction.

Edited September 7, 2016 by ghostwheel

[Tenaj]

Just to throw out another option.  My kids have all received their temps at about age 16 and then they drive and drive and drive with me or my dh as much as possible for at least two years.  When they turn 18, they can get their license without taking the formal class.  We've been very happy with our system that was happenstance with our oldest two and a bit more deliberate for the third.  Planning on starting next summer with number 4.  This may only work if you commonly drive in a variety of situations which we do.  We do a lot of interstate driving for sports as well as suburb and city driving throughout our normal course of life which has given the kids a lot of experience before they turn 18.

[cjzimmer1]

Since Driver's Ed classes will run anywhere from $400-$600 here and online classes are not accepted in our state we opted to wait until 18.  DS self studied to get his temps (which cost $32 no matter what age so that cost was the same), and I'm teaching him to drive.  It's been quite easy to be honest.

[Tess in the Burbs]

Our state requires a class that is $500+.  We are a 1 car family, currently shopping for DH a commuter car.  So financially we won't be buying a third car in a year for my boy.  It just won't happen.  He was fine waiting until 18 to avoid the class.  However, we have friends who have family that run one of the driving schools.  They get a discount.  Their Dd will be doing the class next summer when Ds is 15.5, so we are going to let him go through the process since I can get a good deal on it.  I hear it could help insurance costs.  DH and I talked about this last night and decided if he does get his license he can drive one of the cars we own.  We currently live within walking distance to part time job opportunities.  

 

If we lived farther out I would push it more.  But Ds has no interest, and no where to go LOL.  I expect our younger to want it, and need it due to her activities.  

[katilac]

   He was fine waiting until 18 to avoid the class.   

 

Ugh, we can't even avoid the class by waiting until 18. 

 

Cost ranges from $375 to $450, and there is a limited list of schools on the approved list. 

 

So, we didn't have much choice, we picked and paid for a class. They are both still on learner's permits, though - my car was in the shop forEVER this summer, on that airbag recall. dh drives a monstrosity of a truck that even I don't like to drive, so oldest went off to college with only a permit. Oh well. 

[Mom22ns]

No formal class required here either. My kids each did driversed.com which is accepted in many states that have requirements. It was short and sweet. Dh gave them introductory driving lessons and once they were ok on roads, I mostly took over.

 

We all survived. :)

 

[Erica in OR]

Went with a private driving school that operates through our community college. The quality of this particular instructor's course was well worth the several hundred dollar cost. 12 hours on the road (six behind the wheel, six observing a fellow student with specific activities to do as you ride), 36 hours in the classroom. This takes off 50 hours from the 100 hour drive time requirement, plus they don't have to do the road test, only the written. I went on the first drive with my dd (partner had a family emergency) and learned things that were helpful for my own driving as well. I'll sign up another child next year when she gets her permit.

 

Pretty much 1000% better than my driver ed experience in high school. I'm wondering if my instructor eventually got fired.

 

Erica in OR

 

ETA: Oldest now has her license. Total game changer. Such a blessing to have her able to drive her and a sibling to their various commitments in town.

Edited September 7, 2016 by Erica in OR

[Loowit]

DD went to a driving school in town that is run by a friend of DH's family.  We got a slight discount because of that, but it was still just over $300 for the course.  The fee includes the class room work, several drives, and the state written and driving exam.  Once she completes the course and gets in enough driving hours, she will have earned her driver's license but she can't actually have it until her birthday.  Drivers Ed used to be taught in schools, but it is all outsourced now.  DH is the one that does most of her driving time with her.  I get too nervous with her driving right now until she gets a bit better.  I am looking forward to her being able to drive herself and her brothers to activities in the not too distant future.

[lllll]

nm

Edited November 6, 2016 by cathey

[TKDmom]

We're in Florida, so I used FLVS for the driver's ed class.

 

For driving instruction... I take Xanax before and after.  :lol:  :mellow:   :scared:

I've only been doing this a week. I would fork out the money for someone else to do driver training if that were a viable option right now. Goodness, my heart rate is going up just thinking about taking dd out to practice driving.

[catz]

My son just did the classroom portion through community education this summer.  I thought it was a fantastic experience doing it live in our case.  He had a super diverse class in an urban setting which was different.  But more importantly, they covered a lot more info than just required for the test.  They had 5 guest lecturers - an insurance agent, someone came in to talk about organ donation, a parapalegic as a result of an accident, a state trooper.  I don't remember the 5th.  Anyway - I thought it was much better quality than what we would have covered online at home.  I'm pretty sure my kid could have passed the written class with a quick glance over the manual, but he got a lot more out of it. 

 

The classroom component includes behind the wheel.  We are also required to do 40-50 hours of practice.  So we should get on that.  We only have one!  He's just a busy kid and we need to start working it into our routine.  He's also super cautious and a bit nervous.

 

ETA - it was $330 through our urban school district's community ed for 30 hours classroom and behind the wheel 6 hours.  It must be subsidized because it's quite a bit more through private companies. 

Edited September 8, 2016 by WoolySocks

[dirty ethel rackham]

In our state, for anyone under 18, the requirement to obtain a permit is 30 hours of classroom instruction (no online options).  They must further receive at least 6 hours of behind the wheel instruction.  We only have two options.  The cheapest option is the local high school, costing $250 and having little or no say in when you get into a class ... if it is inconvenient ... oh well, go to the bottom of the waiting list.  The next option is a private, state-approved company ranging from $450-$600.   We had to pay the private option because the school option did not work for my kids' schedules.  There was absolutely no leeway on missing class.  If you missed more than 2, you failed.  No option to make them up.  The private class had make-up options. 

 

We live in the suburbs so driving is a necessity.  I wanted my kids to get their licenses as soon as possible so that they could have years of experience driving under our rules and supervision (if they show that they can't handle the freedom and responsibility, then we can impose further restrictions because it is our car)  before they went off on their own.  The last thing I wanted was for an 18 year old brand new driver with their own car and no accountability to us and no experience.