Board authorizes development of district driver's education program to meet state mandate

The Marion County School District board voted to authorize staff to develop a district driver's education program after Superintendent (Speaker 2) summarized a 2024 state legislative requirement that districts must offer driver's education beginning in the 2026'27 school year.

Superintendent (Speaker 2) told the board the district must obtain approval from the state education agency (referred to in the meeting as MDE), complete required paperwork and could be eligible for modest reimbursements. He said the district will need to identify a certified instructor and may have to purchase a vehicle to support a driving component. "So what this is is to ask for the court to approve the development of the program," the superintendent said during the presentation, noting the approval step is necessary before applying to the state.

Board members moved, seconded and approved a motion to begin developing the program. The motion passed with no recorded opposing votes.

Why it matters: The change is programmatic and budgetary: creating a driver's education offering will require staffing decisions, vehicle procurement and district policies for student participation. The superintendent flagged that the district will pursue state reimbursement where available and return with detailed budget needs and a formal program plan for board review.

What's next: Staff will begin the approval process and paperwork required for state review and report back to the board with cost estimates and staffing plans. No implementation timeline beyond that procedural direction was provided at the meeting.