Schools

Parkland To Cut Behind-The-Wheel Driver's Training

In a budgetary move, students who want the instruction will have to receive it from the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21.

Citing budgetary concerns, the Parkland School District will stop providing behind-the-wheel driver training to its students beginning July 1.

Students will still receive classroom instruction in driver's theory, but if they want behind-the-wheel training, they will have to take the program through the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21, at a cost of $285, according to a two-page letter to parents that was posted on the district's website on Tuesday afternoon.

Parkland students have been paying $50 for the district instruction, spokeswoman Nicole McGalla  said.

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Superintendent Louise E. Donohue, in explaining the change in the letter to parents, said the cost to operate the program has risen sharply in recent years.

"Parkland values all the courses it offers to our school community, especially [behind-the-wheel] training because it promotes safe driving," she wrote. "However at the same time we remain committed to being financial stewards for the entire school community."

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Although the district increased students' fees to offset the program costs, she said, "the financial commitment remains too high for yearly budgetary consideration." If the district passed on the full cost of the program, it would be more costly for students than the intermediate unit program, she said.

The intermediate unit provides behind-the-wheel training for most of the schools in Lehigh County, according to Donohue.

She said the district is working with the intermediate unit to transition the course without major changes. She said students will hopefully be able to continue to meet their driver education instructor at the Parkland campus.

Through the intermediate unit program, "the educational value and importance of the [behind-the-wheel] course will still be available to our students, but the financial cost associated with the entire program: instructional, vehicle maintenance, vehicle purchases, and insurance will be removed," Donohue wrote.

Efforts will be made to ensure that Parkland students who are in the district program prior to July 1 are able to complete their six hours of behind-the-wheel training, the letter said. If not, students must pay $50 an hour for the additional instruction from the intermediate unit. But students who only need their driver’s test will not be charged, as long as they meet the qualifications to take the test.

According to the information in the letter, the intermediate unit's program:

* Provides six hours of behind-the-wheel training.

* Requires students to be 16 and have either learner's permit or driver's license.

* Tests students for a driver's license in their sixth hour of instruction.

* Allows students to purchase additional hours of instruction at $50 an hour. Possible benefit is a 10- to 20-percent reduction in insurance costs, depending on students' carriers.

The intermediate unit is working on providing an on-line registration for the instruction, the letter said. It provided the following contact information for the intermediate unit: 610-769-4111, Ext. 1299.

Like other districts across the state, Parkland is confronting state budget cuts that deeply hinder its budgeting for the 2011-2012 school year. Under Gov. Tom Corbett's proposed state budget, the district is losing $1.9 million in basic education and other subsidies, and it is facing a nearly $1 million budget gap. 

The district is not alone is examining its driver's education program. On Monday night, the Nazareth School Board approved $1.8 million in , eliminating its popular driver's education program, in addition to seven teacher positions and one other position.


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