tori@thehomefront Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 Our local school district (in IL) is very easygoing about driver's ed. They don't require a transcript, birth certificate, you don't have to be from this district or anything - they also seem to let any kid who can reach the pedals take the class. Two years ago, one of my boys took it with a couple kids who claimed to be middle schoolers. Anyway, my issue is that their flyer for summer driver's ed says in-district students pay $55 and out-of-district students pay $100. (This is for the classroom part, the driving practice part is done separately, later in the year.) So, we are in-district. But when I contact the school for more details, they say that homeschoolers have to pay $100 too, even though we are in-district. ???? Can they do that legally? Two years ago when we faced this, the guidance counselor was having some health issues (which we found out about after the fact) and wasn't very communicative, and I didn't fight it. I contacted HSLDA, and they said schools can charge whatever they want to charge, up to the state's maximum allowed fee, which also doesn't seem right to me, but I'm no expert. What would you do? Fight it? Or am I just wrong, lol? TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 Yeah, I think they can set the fees lower for their own students vs. non-public students. I'll bet they also charge private school kids the same. Here, for example, all public and public charter students get free subway and bus during before and after school hours. Private school and homeschooled kids only get free bus, not free subway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 It’s worth at least a phone call to the principal and/or the superintendent. If you kindly ask for clarificiation about the flyer’s prices for in district/out of district and ask whether in district homeschoolers qualify for the lower rate, you might be pleasantly surprised. In other words, you might find that one of them is willing to make the phone call on your behalf to get the in district price. We always went a step or two up to get a second opinion when we received a surprising answer. Most of the time it was easily resolved- hope yours is too! ‘About middle schoolers taking the classroom portion: in Illinois teens can take that part if they will be able to finish the driving part within a year. Some 8th graders here take the written part since they are already 14 and can get their permit for the driving part in plenty of time. If your school is letting younger kids take it, why are they doing that? Weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tori@thehomefront Posted May 5, 2018 Author Share Posted May 5, 2018 Ok, thanks, ladies. I will call the district office and see what I can find out next week. Probably, we’ll just end up biting the bullet and paying, regardless. Lol, it kind of makes me feel better to know that there are other situations of fee/opportunity imbalances, like I’m not being singled out. I have a tendency to be easily offended when it seems to me like I am being treated unfairly because of homeschooling. Thanks for the replies!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 $100 is a bargain. It's not offered in our schools--we pay $300 to go through the community college, and that's a discounted price for students between 15 and 18. We've seen higher fees for homeschoolers when programs are partially funded by student fees rather than just taxes, like middle school cross country and track. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 You are getting a bargain at $100. The price here varies by school, around $300-500. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 Even at $100, that's amazon. It is $550 here 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historically accurate Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 I'm also in IL. Our school no longer teaches it; it was free for me back when I took it in the 90s even though I was in-district but not enrolled as a student. Now, the school outsources it and it is $450 for students and non-students. Is it possible students pay a registration fee in Sept/Aug that covers part of driver's ed? But, honestly, I think they can charge anyone they like whatever they like up to the limit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 Yeah, $100 is a good price - like other posters said. My teens are taking parent-taught driver's ed and it's $20 for them to get some kind of weird download from the DPS + $100 for their tuition for the online course + $14 (or something like that) to get their actual learner's license + $75 each to take the driving portion of their test at a driving school. Driver's ed is expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tori@thehomefront Posted May 5, 2018 Author Share Posted May 5, 2018 Wow, I had no idea it was so expensive other places! It wasn’t so much the extra $45 that bothered me, but what seemed to me to be a double standard. I’m very glad the Hive helped me gain some perspective. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 12 hours ago, tori@thehomefront said: What would you do? Fight it? Or am I just wrong, lol? TIA It could be because simply enrolling a kid in school is a hassle with all the paperwork, and the extra $45 is to cover those expenses. If you're curious, I'd ask, but if this is the reason, I wouldn't bother fighting it, because even though you live in the district, you're kids aren't enrolled in district schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSmomof2 Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 Schools here don’t offer it anymore either....it’s all private businesses and it runs $500-$700. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuvToRead Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 What are they charging in-district students who are enrolled in other private schools. They must charge you the same as other private school students, but I am not sure if they are allowed you charge more than in-district just because you homeschool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippiemamato3 Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 Driver's Ed is $670 here, so either way you are getting a screaming deal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2squared Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 Middle schoolers commonly take driver's ed here. The farm kids get their permits at 15yo, so they take the class in 8th grade at 14yo. In our district, the first 8th grader turned 15yo in March. My 8th grader just turned 14yo a couple weeks ago, but he's definitely on the young side for the grade with an April birthday. A private company handles all the driver's ed requirements. The class cost $320. State licensing fees are additional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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