Driver Education
Driver Education is a non-credit class offered in Pierre, approximately four (4) times per year. Our goal is to coach students to learn and retain the necessary skills to drive safely and take all steps possible to avoid any form of roadway trouble in the future.
Students must be at least fourteen (14) years of age at the time of the beginning of the class. Adults of any age are welcome. All practice driving will be scheduled with an instructor.
The next Driver Education class begins, March 2. Class instruction will run from March 2 - March 30. Driving sessions will occur after March 30. If your teen has a conflict attending class from 3:45pm-5:45pm on the following dates, please do not register for this Driver Education class and watch for an upcoming date.
Parent Meeting: February 28 at 7pm
Class instruction: March 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 20, 21, 23, 24, 27, 28, 30.
Additional classes will be posted online as soon as registration is available.
Certification Requirements
Drivers Ed students are required by state regulations to complete thirty (30) hours of classroom instruction, six (6) hours of behind-the-wheel observation and instruction, and one-hundred eighty (180) hours of adult/parent observation time. Students must pass test with at least 80% grade. Students do not need an Instructional Permit to take Drivers Education. Certificate is valid for one (1) year.
Course Fees
Drivers Education costs $400 which includes faculty salaries, car insurance, auto repair, gas, teaching supplies, support services, and student certificate processing. We retain the right to make modifications should program costs increase, although we intend to avoid additional charges unless absolutely necessary.
Scheduling
Our Pierre Driver Education classes are usually held in the spring and summer each year. Participants are encouraged to sign up early as the sessions fill up quickly. Dates are tentative and subject to change.
The driving schedule will be distributed in the first or second week of class. With so many schedules to manage, it's a complicated process so please sign up only if your child has an open schedule during the class timeframe.
Ft. Pierre students wanting to take session classes beginning at 3:30 pm during the school year will be accommodated. Instructors will work with those students after class to cover their late arrivals.
Financial Assistance
Some financial assistance may be available for individuals, when trying to reach their employment goals. This funding is available through the Department of Labor and Regulation.
This link is a good starting spot to find information.