Home schooling for driver’s ed, too

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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The state House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would allow home-school parents to teach their children driver's education course.

That bill has moved to the Senate, where it is being considered by an education subcommittee.

We don't see any strong reason to oppose it, as long as the training meets the same standards required in schools and private programs.

We agree with proponents who argue that most students receive at least some driving instruction from their parents anyway.

And who could be more invested in making sure young people learn safe driving habits than their families?

Opponents have a point, too - driving instruction isn't just a matter of education, it's one of public safety. As one legislator pointed out to reporters earlier this month, just because you know how to drive doesn't necessarily mean you know how to teach someone to drive.

That's why it's important that the bill has several safeguards to ensure home-school driving instruction is just as rigorous as public or private curricula.

HF 584 sets curriculum and driving time standards for home-schooling parents to teach their children driver's education, rather than sending them to public schools or investing in private lessons - as is now required.

The bill sets out guidelines similar to the requirements of those programs now available. In some cases, those requirements are even more stringent.

Just like their peers in other programs, home-schooled driving students would be required to complete 30 hours of classroom instruction. They also would be required to complete at least 40 hours of street or highway driving, which is more than those required by public school and private programs.

The home-schooled students still would learn about substance abuse, sharing the road with two-wheeled vehicles, railroad crossing safety and other important topics. They still would have to pass a Department of Motor Vehicle test in order to get a driver's license.

In addition, the bill has provisions that will help weed out parents with questionable driving skills of their own, disqualifying those parents with spotty driving records from teaching the course. The course curriculum would have to be approved by the Iowa Department of Motor Vehicles.

We think that strikes a good balance and should alleviate public safety concerns.

It doesn't make sense to require home-schooled students to attend public driving school or pay for private driver's training if parents are willing and able to teach an approved course with appropriate safeguards. We urge the Senate and then the governor to OK the bill.

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