INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Students with driving permit in hand will be able to study for their license after school starting next year, now that the Indian River County School District has approved a contract with a third-party to provide a driving school at Vero Beach and Sebastian River high schools.
“This is a long-awaited announcement,” Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Rendell said, leading off the discussion.
Though the classes will be held at the two traditional high schools, students who attend Indian River Charter High and who are home-schooled will be allowed to attend.
“We’re sure the seats will fill up pretty fast,” Dr. Rendell said.
There will be up to 120 seats available between the two high schools. Attendance is based on first come first served through an online registration process.
Though the schools will be providing classroom space and using certified driver education teachers from their respective schools, there is no cost to the District. The cost to the District is estimated at $46,650, which will be funded through the Dori Slosberg Fund.
“The community has spoken on this,” School Board member Shawn Frost said, noting that this is a rare government program in that it takes the funds from bad behavior – in this case, traffic citations – and funnels the money into educating future drivers.
The School District hired A Treasure Coast Driving School to conduct the 2-hour classes that will be held twice weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school hours. The program is 13 classes long.
Along with class instruction, students will receive hands-on training, including six hours of driving and observation, skill analysis, parking lot drills, and Florida Road Test practice.
Students interested in enrolling in the program are encouraged to contact their school for more information.
