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NAACP urges St. Mary's County TAC to pursue affordable high‑school drivers education
Summary
A St. Mary's County NAACP representative pressed the Transportation Advisory Committee to pursue a coalition, grant funding and local partnerships to make drivers education more affordable and accessible to high‑school students, particularly in rural areas where driving is essential.
Janice Walthour, representing the St. Mary's County NAACP education committee, asked the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) to study how to expand affordable drivers education for local high‑school students and to pursue grant and partnership options that could reduce cost and transportation barriers.
Walthour told the committee the NAACP and its partners have discussed the issue with St. Mary's County Public Schools (SMCPS) and the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) and that an informal survey of 10th graders at the county's three high schools found cost and class scheduling were major barriers. "Most were concerned about the cost and the schedule of classes and most would be likely to take the class if it were offered near their home schools," Walthour said.
Why it matters: committee members said drivers education is of particular interest in rural St. Mary's County, where public transit coverage is limited and most trips are taken by car. Walthour argued that having a license affects employability and daily life in the county and that available state grant funding could subsidize classes in schools where at least 40% of students are below the poverty line.
Discussion details: committee members and staff discussed several possible approaches rather than a single, immediate policy change. Options raised included: forming a multi‑partner advocacy coalition (NAACP, SMCPS, CSM, Tri‑County job programs), seeking state grant funding that targets schools with 40% or more of students below the poverty line, offering classes on high‑school campuses using CSM instructors or privately contracted providers, and exploring after‑school transportation to bring students back after instruction. Walthour noted CSM already provides some classes and said the college indicated it "would offer a class at a high school" when schedules and space align.
Numerical and program details shared at the meeting included an informal local survey of 461 respondents and committee staff summary that about 85% of surveyed students said they would be more likely to enroll if the class were offered at or near their high school. Walthour also cited national trends showing declines in teen licensure and said state grant funding launched in July 2024 could apply to nonprofit or school programs meeting the poverty‑rate threshold.
Next steps and committee direction: several members suggested further study or creation of a framework rather than immediate program adoption. One member recommended tabling any formal action until the next meeting so TAC members could draft a grant‑design framework, reach out to SMCPS and CSM, and identify partners and potential funding streams. Walthour and several citizen volunteers offered to form a working group and to bring proposals back to TAC.
No formal motion to adopt a program or to obligate county funds was made or voted on during the discussion. The committee agreed to continue the conversation and to consider a special meeting if needed to advance a framework before the April meeting.
