Michigan Considers Reviving School-Based Driver’s Education Amid Rising Costs
As Michigan grapples with the challenges of driver’s education accessibility, state officials are pushing for a return to school-based programs. The state’s secretary of state, Jocelyn Benson, is urging lawmakers to reinstate funding for these programs, which were largely phased out in 2004. The absence of state-sponsored driver’s ed has left families to shoulder the financial burden themselves, a situation Benson argues is untenable for many.
“Privatizing driver’s education as we’ve done didn’t lead to higher quality services, it didn’t lead to cheaper options, it didn’t make more convenient options for teens and families. It actually forced families to pay out of pocket for driver’s training and, especially now, a lot of people can’t afford it,” Benson stated during a press conference in Dearborn.
A pilot initiative was launched a few years ago, with $500,000 allocated to aid districts like Dearborn and Wayne-Westland in providing driver’s training to eligible students. The first year saw Wayne-Westland Community Schools enroll 106 out of a possible 400 students, while Dearborn enrolled 93, according to annual reports.
With the current funding set to expire at the end of September, Benson emphasizes the need for legislative action to expand the program statewide. “That means families that benefited from these programs will have to find other ways to ensure, at a higher cost, when the cost of everything else is escalating, that they’re still able to give their young people access to the education they need to be safe drivers on the roads,” she explained.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud echoed this sentiment, stressing the bipartisan support for safe driving education. “This isn’t political. Republican drivers, Democratic drivers, Independent drivers, we all want safe drivers. And we’re hoping that, with funding to help offer driver’s education to all young people in the state of Michigan, we can do just that,” Hammoud said.
Meanwhile, the conversation extends to legislation aimed at simplifying the process of becoming a driver’s ed instructor. Although there are concerns about the potential burden on schools, Don Wotruba, executive director of the Michigan Association of School Boards, recognizes the benefits for families. However, he notes the complexity of integrating such programs back into schools.
“It wouldn’t be an easy thing to bring back into schools and have it function better than what the private market is doing right now,” Wotruba commented. Yet he sees potential in partnerships with private entities, much like the approach taken by Dearborn and Wayne-Westland schools.
Wotruba suggests a targeted approach could solve specific issues parents face, such as cost and convenience. “I guess it’s a question of depending on what [Secretary Benson] is trying to solve for parents. If it is cost, I think there are ways to create needs-based scholarships within a budget for driver’s ed,” he said, adding that partnerships could address convenience concerns.
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