Bill may put brakes on drivers' ed classes

Drivers’ education at some school districts may come to a screeching halt if a controversial bill that stops subsidizing the program passes.

HB314, sponsored by Rep. Steve Thayn, R-Emmett, is expected to be heard by the House next week after passing the House Education Committee on a 14-3 vote. 

The AAA travel organization opposes the proposal, which directs money currently used for supervision, administration and public school reimbursements to a public school rainy day fund.

“AAA Idaho is astounded that (bill supporters) would trade access to a program that places a high priority on producing safe drivers for a $2.2 million public school income fund,” said AAA Idaho Spokesman Dave Carlson.

Most school districts currently charge between $125 and $150 for drivers’ education and the districts receive a $125 subsidy from the state per student to defray the costs.

“The important message is that the schools now serve 10,000 new drivers each year, many who could not afford to pay $250,” Carlson said, referring to the amount that districts would have to charge if the subsidy goes away. “Without the reimbursements, schools in many financially disadvantaged rural locations will simply close their doors (to drivers’ education).”

Fees for private training range from $350 to $500, which will make the education unattainable for students and families in the low-income bracket, Carlson said.

“This (bill) will not prevent teens from driving,” Carlson said. “It will simply create a huge population of teens not receiving any driver training, and then driving anyway.”

Legislative supporters of the proposal said all programs must be evaluated whether they are part of the core mission of public education.

“Two million dollars in tight budget times is a large amount of money that could be tapped for other education funding needs,” said Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene.

Another $100,000 would go to the Idaho Transportation Department. Along with that, an additional $1 million would be returned to the state’s general fund.

Goedde said whether drivers’ education is taken through schools or private vendors both are a good deal at the end of the day.

Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, said some legislators’ stance on education funding is to amend statutes to give local school districts as much control as possible.

“The use is a local decision — some or none may be used to subsidize drivers’ education. I favor this process as transparency and accountability are very high,” he said.

 Sherri Wood of the Idaho Education Association opposes the bill. She said all students should have access to affordable drivers’ education and “more importantly be trained appropriately, learning the skills necessary to drive safely.”

She said some parents in poverty will make the necessary decision to forego costlier driver training programs.

 The legislation doesn’t automatically cut programs, but in Washington the number of school districts offering driver training dropped from 400 to 80 when public funding was withdrawn.