Driver Education Program

The St. Vrain Valley School District has an established Driver Education Program. The District offers Driver Education classes, Driver Awareness classes, and a Partnering With Parents class. The courses provide professional instruction on how to operate a motor vehicle in addition to helping a parent/guardian gather an understanding of what Driver Education classes entail. They are available to all students who are of eligible age (and to parents/guardians of students in the case of the Partnering With Parents class).

Safety & Benefits

Safety of the District's drivers is one of the main reasons the Driver Education courses are offered. Currently, the number one killer of teenagers is automobile accidents. Statistics show that students who take a Driver Education course have a much greater chance of staying alive than students who do not. Statistics also show that teenagers who take a Driver Education course:

  • Get fewer tickets
  • Are more likely to wear their seatbelts
  • Are less likely to drink and drive

Driver Education classes also help the parents/guardians continue follow-up work as the student learns a difficult life skill. In addition to the known safety benefits of completing a Driver Education course, students who are enrolled in Driver Education classes can obtain a Learner's Permit as early as age 15 (instead of waiting until they are 16 years old). There are also financial benefits to completing the Driver Education course: eighty-five percent of the insurance companies operating in Colorado offer a reduction for students who have completed a driver education course.

Course Specifics

Instructors in the St. Vrain Valley Driver Education program have a teaching degree plus specific coursework for teaching in the Driver Education Program. There are two courses available for students and one for parents.

Partnering With Parents
Parent participation is a very important part of the Driver Education Program. It is requested that parents/guardians of students who are enrolled in Driver Education classes (or parents/guardians of students who are planning to enroll in Driver Education classes) attend one of the "Partnering with Parents" presentations. Each presentation contains a complete overview of the Driver Education classes, including teaching techniques and subject matter.

Driver Education
The Driver Education course includes individualized instruction and training in techniques such as perceptual skills, troubleshooting, and defensive driving (30 hours classroom instruction + 6 hours Behind-the-Wheel instruction). The techniques are practiced in a variety of driving situations that include the following environments: heavy traffic (Longmont and Boulder), freeway driving, mountain driving, country driving, and open highway driving. The textbooks used are approved by the Colorado Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Business Group, and the Driver License Section.

Students must be 14 years 6 months of age on or prior to the first day of class. The course is open to all licensed and non-licensed students who meet the current age requirements. A .25 credit hour graded on a Pass-Fail scale is automatically reported to the student's home school upon completion of the course.

Upon successfully completing the classroom portion of the course, a affidavit of completion is issued. The affidavit of completion cannot be obtained until all 30 hours of class time are completed. The certificate is valid for a period of 6 months, and must be surrendered in order to be issued an Instruction permit. The student will be notified when they are scheduled for the Behind-the-Wheel, after completion of the class and their permit has been obtained.

Driver Education Instructors are certified to administer the test for an Instruction Permit as well as the skills test for a Driver's License. The permit test is given the last day of the course, at no additional charge, for those students who are at least 15 years of age (during the course). Students who pass the written test will receive documentation showing that they have passed the permit test and can present the form to the State of Colorado when applying for an Instruction Permit. The State of Colorado has a separate fee ($14) to apply for an Instruction Permit. For those students who are not 15 during the Driver Education course, the State of Colorado can administer the permit test. The skills test for the Driver's License can be administered for a $35 fee ($50 for adults) once the student has met all requirements set out by the State of Colorado. Those students interested in having the District administer the skills test should contact the Driver Education Program (see "Additional Information" below).

Driver Awareness
The four hour Driver Awareness class is available to students at least 15 years and 6 months of age. Completion of the class allows students to obtain an Instruction Permit before they reach 16 years of age. Participants may choose to take the Permit test at the completion of the course for no additional charge.

Course Schedules

Partnering With Parents
Partnering With Parents classes are offered according to the below schedule.

  • Tuesday, September 4, 2012 - Skyline High School, Room Lyceum - 6:30 to 7:30 PM
  • Tuesday, October 30, 2012 - Skyline High School, Room Lyceum - 6:30 to 7:30 PM
  • Tuesday, February 12, 2013 - Skyline High School, Room Lyceum - 6:30 to 7:30 PM
  • Tuesday, April 30, 2013 - Skyline High School, Room Lyceum - 6:30 to 7:30 PM

Driver Education
Driver Education classes are offered according to the below schedule. Students are permitted to attend classes on different days and at different locations. However, all enrolled students must complete all 30 hours of classroom instruction in order to be in compliance with State law.

Students need to come to class with the Colorado Driver's Handbook. It can be obtained at the Driver's License bureau, or at http://www.revenue.state.co.us.

  • Fall 2012
    Mondays, September 10 - November 12
      Erie High School, 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
      Erie High School, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
      Skyline High School, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
     
    Tuesdays, September 11 - November 13
      Niwot High School, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
      Silver Creek High School, 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
     
    Wednesdays, September 12 - November 14
      Frederick High School, 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
      Longmont High School, 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
      Lyons High School, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
     
    Thursdays, September 13 - November 15
      Mead High School, 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
     
  • Winter 2013
    Mondays, November 26, 2012 - February 18, 2013
      Erie High School, 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
      Erie High School, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
      Skyline High School, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
     
    Tuesdays, November 27, 2012 - February 19, 2013
      Niwot High School, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
      Silver Creek High School, 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
     
    Wednesdays, November 28, 2012 - February 20, 2013
      Frederick High School, 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
      Longmont High School, 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
      Lyons High School, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
     
    Thursdays, November 29, 2012 - February 21, 2013
      Mead High School, 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
     
    * Classes resume the week of Jan 7th after Winter Break. Classes NOT held when school is not in session. If school is closed on a regularly scheduled class day, the instructor will arrange another meeting time.
     
  • Spring 2013
    Mondays, February 25 - May 6
      Erie High School, 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
      Erie High School, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
      Skyline High School, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
     
    Tuesdays, February 26 - May 7
      Niwot High School, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
      Silver Creek High School, 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
     
    Wednesdays, February 27 - May 8
      Frederick High School, 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
      Longmont High School, 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
      Lyons High School, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
     
    Thursdays, February 28 - May 9
      Mead High School, 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
     
    * Spring classes do not meet the week of Spring Break.
     
  • Summer 2013
    June 4 - June 19 (no classes on F, Sa, or Su)
      Sunset Middle School
      2 classes available: 8 am - 11 am, 5 pm - 8 pm
    June 12 - June 27 (no classes on F, Sa, or Su)
      Sunset Middle School
      1 pm - 4 pm
      No class on Fridays
    July 8 - July 23 (no classes on F, Sa, or Su)
      Location: TBA
      2 classes available: 8 am - 11 am, 1 pm - 4 pm
    July 31 - August 16 (no classes on F, Sa, or Su)
      Location: TBA
      4 pm - 7 pm
      No class on Fridays
     
    * Summer classes fill quickly, call today!

Driver Awareness
Beginning in September 2011, Driver Awareness classes are offered every third Thursday of the month from 4:15 pm - 8:30 pm (enrollment must be sufficient to offer class). Classes are held at the Career Development Center (1200 South Sunset Street, Longmont, CO), Horticulture building.

Course Costs

The District's Driver Education Program is self funded. This means that the program is supported through fees collected from enrolled students. Payment (if applicable) is due at the first session. Checks should be made payable to Driver Education. Credit cards cannot be accepted, only cash and check are accepted.

Partnering With Parents
There is no fee for the Partnering With Parents class.

Driver Education
The fee for Driver Education classes is $395. Payment is due at the first session. Checks should be made payable to Driver Education (credit cards cannot be accepted).

As a financial benefit for completing Driver Education, eighty-five percent of the insurance companies operating in Colorado offer a reduction in their rates.

The Driver Education course is able to maintain competitive rates due to corporate support from Hajek Chevrolet.

Driver Awareness
The fee for the Driver Awareness class is $65 (enrollment must be sufficient to offer class).

Learner's Permits & Driver's Licenses

The minimum age for obtaining a Learner's Permit is 15 years old, provided that the student has completed a 30 hour Driver's Education class. Students who complete the Driver Awareness class can obtain a Learner's permit as early as 15 years 6 months of age. Students who do not complete either course cannot apply for a Learner's Permit until 16 years of age.

A Learner's permit must be held at least 12 months before applying for a Colorado Driver's License. Learner's Permit holders must complete and log 50 hours of supervised driving before applying for a Colorado Driver's License. To apply for a Colorado Driver's License at age 16, the completion of a certified Driver Education Program is required.

Additional Training & Classes

Masterdrive school in Ft. Collins is offering a discount to St. Vrain Driver Education students who wish to take an advanced driving course. Students learn advanced control techniques like: crisis braking, crash avoidance, skid recovery. Call 970-593-6362 for more info.

Driver’s education also provides 6 hours of individualized training in one of our cars. The cost is $275. Additional hours are available upon request at a per hour rate.

Additional Information

For additional information about the Driver Education Program, questions related to any Driver Education course, or to register for a specific course, please contact the Driver Education Program by phone at (720) 494 - 3960.

 

St. Vrain Valley School District  •  395 S Pratt Pkwy  •  Longmont, CO 80501        (303) 776 - 6200