How to? Driver's Ed program on transcript.

[historymatters]

How would I designate my son's driver's ed. program on his transcript? It is classroom time and driving time, over a period of 4 days.

 

Thx.

[learners4life]

I would not put it on the transcript.

[historymatters]

Really? I know I've seen it on samples.

[Kassia]

I wouldn't put it on either.  I have seen it on samples, too, but I'm not planning on doing it.

[historymatters]

Thank you. I can see reasons why it'd be unnecessary.

 

Anyone else who did? If so, how did you justify it?

 

I need to double check some local school's subject options for credit, too, to get an idea. I had a long list from one lying around here somewhere...

 

Thx

Edited March 8, 2017 by historymatters

[kiana]

In the state where I grew up, it was always taught in PS and so appeared on the transcript as 'driver education', 1/2cr, with a grade. If all your local PS do it, it wouldn't be wrong to put it on because it will be consistent with other students in your state. But it wouldn't be wrong to leave it off either, because they will be used to not seeing it on the transcript from out of state applicants where it is not taught in PS. In either case, I would make sure it is not one of the 'essential' credits for the year -- it should be an elective if on the transcript. 

[regentrude]

I do not put drivers ed on the transcript. My kids have enough real credits.

Some people do. If you choose to, put it under electives, give 0.25 or 0.5 cr, and make sure the student has enough academic credits so that it does not look like padding.

But you don't have to "justify" it. Your school, your rules. I cannot imagine it matters one way or the other, if the transcript is solid otherwise.

 

Edited March 8, 2017 by regentrude

[J-rap]

I didn't put it on my children's transcripts, nor do any PS kids in our town because it's done outside of school.  However, when I was growing up, it was an actual class at the high school and I was given credit.  So I think you could go either way.  But, I'd probably only give it .25 or .50 credit, and grade it P/F or S/U.  (I'm not sure what is used these days...  Pass/Fail or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.)

 

 

[Julie of KY]

I did not put it on my son's transcript.

[Guest]

I asked this same question a few years ago.

 

When I grew up in Pennsylvania, drivers ed was taught in the schools and was put on the transcript for 0.5 credit.

 

But here in Texas, drivers ed was taken OUT of the public school system several years (decade? more?) ago. Therefore, it does NOT show on any students' transcripts in Texas.

 

I decided not to put it on our transcripts because of this.

Edited March 8, 2017 by Kinsa

[Mom22ns]

I put it on one or both of my kids transcripts. The local public schools teach it as a .5 credit class and it is on their transcripts, so it is expected in this area. I'm sure colleges see many transcripts with it, and I can't imagine that they care if it is there or not. It doesn't check a box they are looking for, but there are so many districts still offering it that they see it all the time. No big deal either way. 

[klmama]

Is it really only 4 days of instruction? In that case, it doesn't belong on the academic transcript.  You could put it with his extracurricular activities.

 

ETA:  Did you mean it meets 4 days per week for a full semester?  If that's the case, you could count it for a half credit, listed under electives.  What do the schools in your area do?  FWIW, I didn't list it on my dc's transcripts, either. 

Edited March 8, 2017 by klmama

[SebastianCat]

My DS is taking an online Driver's Ed class from an accredited virtual school as a 0.5 credit course, so it will go on his transcript.    

 

My general rule of thumb for counting credits is to count the number of hours involved in a particular course, using 120 hours as a minimum for 1 credit.   If he put at least 60 hours of work into a course, it would be worth 0.5 credit.    

[Excelsior! Academy]

I agree with the previous posters.  Growing up it was a class offered by our high school and as such was listed on the transcript as a one semester course.  This is no longer the case.  We didn't list it, but there isn't any reason why you can't provided you have enough other credits. 

[Lori D.]

Hmmm, I don't see how 4 days of material, even if 8 hours a day (so, a total of 4x8=32 hours), is enough for more that 0.25 credit. You want your credits to be roughly similar in volume of work and hours spent on material:

 

. . . . . . . . . . . .lite* . . . average . . rigorous**

1.00 credit = 120 . . . 150 . . . 180  hours

0.75 credit =   90 . . . 110 . . . 135  hours

0.66 credit =   80 . . . 100 . . . 120  hours

0.50 credit =   60 . . . . 75 . . . . 90  hours

0.33 credit =   40 . . . . 50 . . . . 60  hours

0.25 credit =   30 . . . . 35 . . . . 45  hours

 

* = 120 hours = minimum, the Carnegie Credit, which is a minimum of 120 teacher contact hours -- and it is assumed that additional hours are put in outside of class/teacher contact

** = 180 hours = maximum, the traditional public school requirement of 1 hr/day x 5 days/week x 36 weeks/school year = 180 hours; actual class periods are more like 45-50 min/day, but homework is assumed to make up that time

 

So if most of your credits fall in the average range (135 to 165 hours), then an average 0.5 credit of Driver's Ed would need to be about 70-80 hours, and 0.25 credit would fall in the 32-38 hour range.

 

JMO: I think that Driver's Ed is far less frequently offered in high schools these days, so it is far less standard for a Driver's Ed credit to appear on transcripts. (Of course, YMMV depending on the choices of the school systems in your area.) As a result, I personally think Driver's Ed tends to be a "fluff" credit in the eyes of college admissions offices -- they don't mind it there, but they don't look for it. And it can look like "padding" if the student has oodles of credits, or, also if a student has barely enough credits to apply for college.

 

My personal preference is to not include it, but it's also not a problem to go ahead and include it. However, if you DO include it, make sure it's really worthy of the amount of credit you award to it.

 

So, an 8-hour, or 12-hour, or 20-hour course just isn't enough for a stand-alone credit. In that case, you might include it with several other little "time bundles" of topics (like, basic sewing, basic shopping and cooking, and personal finance), and label the whole thing as 0.5 credit or 1.0 credit Elective of Family & Consumer Science (the new name for Home Economics). ;)

 

Again, JMO, but the most helpful reason to do a Driver's Ed course is for the potential teen auto insurance discount that many companies offer for having completed a specific course. And in those cases, they just need the certificate, or the receipt of purchase, or other direct proof that the course was completed -- appearing on a transcript is not necessary.

 

BEST of luck, whatever you decide to do! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited March 8, 2017 by Lori D.

[katilac]

Another vote for not bothering to include it. 

[TKDmom]

I'm only going to include it because dd took it through our state's virtual school and got a grade and a semester credit from them. It took her about a month complete. I would not give credit for what you're describing.

[Excelsior! Academy]

Just went back and read the OP.  Is this not including significant hours of driving time?  Just the 4 days?  Agree with Lori D., it would need to be credit worthy to include on the transcript.  

Edited March 8, 2017 by Excelsior! Academy

[historymatters]

 

Is it really only 4 days of instruction? In that case, it doesn't belong on the academic transcript.  You could put it with his extracurricular activities.

 

ETA:  Did you mean it meets 4 days per week for a full semester?  If that's the case, you could count it for a half credit, listed under electives.  What do the schools in your area do?  FWIW, I didn't list it on my dc's transcripts, either. 

It's 4 days, 8 am - 4:30 pm each day at a local college. So, minus 30 min for lunch break, that's 32 hours. Class and driving instruction. It partially fulfills Joshua's Law in Ga. I still have to provide 40 hours of additional driving privately or 20 hours with an instructor (I don't know how they're going to break it down in class yet, so I'll work from where they end). I'm expecting him to get the 40 with me and his grandfather, not using another instructor, so that gets us over the .5 threshold.

He gets a discount on car insurance rates because of defensive driving instruction(that's beside the point)

 

So, with this class, plus what we would do afterwards of 40 hours, that's a .5 elective credit.I think, as long it meets time requirements that it is an important and just as real a credit as any other, just different and as an elective.

Like Home Ec.

 

When I was in the government high school, Driver's Ed. was an elective course, so, if that's still the norm, I could treat it as such, as long as he meets the hours, I guess. I will double check.

 

Thanks helping me get this clarified.

Edited March 8, 2017 by historymatters

[Lori D.]

It's 4 days, 8 am - 4:30 pm each day... that's 32 hours... I still have to provide 40 hours of additional driving privately ... so that gets us over the .5 threshold... So, with this class, plus what we would do afterwards of 40 hours, that's a .5 elective credit...

... He gets a discount on car insurance rates because of defensive driving instruction(that's beside the point)

 

 

Yes, that sounds like 0.5 credit Elective: Driver's Ed.

 

And, the defensive driving instruction is a GREAT thing to have teen drivers go through -- it's SO helpful for them to get actual experience in a controlled and safe environment of having to react to water, ice, going off the edge of the road, and how to recover from those situations. That sets good habits in their brains for reacting well if/when those situations really do crop up later in life. :) Our local police dept. offers a free 5 hour course on defensive driving, and our boys had a blast doing it.  :laugh:

[Peaceful Isle]

My daughter is home educated under a charter school here in CA. They give half a credit ( one semester) worth for drivers ed. The student must complete a driver's ed course, have six hours of drivers training with an instructor, and tons of behind the wheel practice with an adult. It takes about six months and by then they can take their drivers test.

[dirty ethel rackham]

In our area, although drivers' ed is offered in the schools, the reality is that about 50% of students take it privately due to then need for more flexibility than the school system lottery provides.  So, in our area, about half the students don't have it on their transcripts.  (And this is suburbia where driving is a necessity.) 

[historymatters]

 

Yes, that sounds like 0.5 credit Elective: Driver's Ed.
 
And, the defensive driving instruction is a GREAT thing to have teen drivers go through -- it's SO helpful for them to get actual experience in a controlled and safe environment of having to react to water, ice, going off the edge of the road, and how to recover from those situations. That sets good habits in their brains for reacting well if/when those situations really do crop up later in life. :) Our local police dept. offers a free 5 hour course on defensive driving, and our boys had a blast doing it.  :laugh:

 


Funny...ice in GA in March!! LOL! That's a rare event anyway; especially this year. Now, next year, hopefully, yes.
I've talked him through the realities of driving on ice (and rain), as we do get that more than snow and if we get snow, it's generally accompanied by ice and our mountain roads have nasty ice patches that stay for awhile. So, I talked to him and showed him earlier this winter what they look like and to be wary.

And as Bill Cosby said in a comedy skit on a famous comedic album I listened to ad nauseum growing up: "Turn in the direction of the skid!" Because in his hilarious story, he didn't; and it ended badly! That's stuck with me for decades...

We've been blessed to have received a scholarship via the state for this course.

Edited March 9, 2017 by historymatters

[historymatters]

 

. It takes about six months and by then they can take their drivers test.

 


Yes, he can't get his his next license (it's progressively given here now because of aforesaid Law), until mid- Sept. :driving: 

And I'm tired of driving, so he'll get lots of practice. Plus, driving aggravates a chronic neck and shoulder condition, so that's a relief and he's looking forward to taking some of the strain off of me, he said.  :hurray:

Edited March 9, 2017 by historymatters

[MerryAtHope]

In our area, it's a .5 credit class and they call it Driver Safety Education, so that's what I put on our transcripts. I would probably go by what's common in your area.

[cbollin]

I did not see this aspect discussed: Does your insurance company want to see it for granting "good student" discount.   Give them what they want.  (our insurance just needed to see "good grades" on report card, or ACT.  A formal driver's ed course is not required in our state for teens.  It's an option, so that's not how discounts are done. mileage will vary???)

 

Where I live the kind of class you describe is very common.  4 intensive days for the 30-32 classroom hours, followed by 6 hours one on one with professional instructor, and then at least 54 hours behind the wheel driving time.  counts as semester course, and in some districts it is offered only in summer.  Other districts either fall or spring or summer. 

[historymatters]

I did not see this aspect discussed: Does your insurance company want to see it for granting "good student" discount.   Give them what they want.  (our insurance just needed to see "good grades" on report card, or ACT.  A formal driver's ed course is not required in our state for teens.  It's an option, so that's not how discounts are done. mileage will vary???)

 

Where I live the kind of class you describe is very common.  4 intensive days for the 30-32 classroom hours, followed by 6 hours one on one with professional instructor, and then at least 54 hours behind the wheel driving time.  counts as semester course, and in some districts it is offered only in summer.  Other districts either fall or spring or summer. 

 

 Here, we gets insurance discounts for both a 3.0 minimum average as a student AND taking the defensive driving class.