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Senate committee weighs bill to allow online classroom for driver education; teachers and students urge safeguards
Summary
The Senate Education Committee heard extensive testimony on S.259, which would permit the classroom portion of teen driver education to be delivered online. Agency of Education and DMV witnesses said online classroom work is already allowable under flexible‑pathways law but urged rules to keep classroom and behind‑the‑wheel instruction concurrent; students and teachers warned online‑only models risk safety and loss of hands‑on learning.
The Senate Education Committee on Thursday took testimony on S.259, a bill that would allow the classroom portion of high‑school driver education to be delivered online as an option for schools and students. Witnesses from the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Agency of Education, AAA, classroom teachers and multiple students described competing goals: expand access for teens who can’t reach in‑person classes, but preserve the concurrent, supervised behind‑the‑wheel practice that instructors say is essential for safety.
Agency of Education director Andrew Krautten told the committee existing flexible‑pathways statute (committee materials cited Title 16 VSA §948) already permits virtual classroom content and noted Vermont pilots with the Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative that paired online classroom modules with supervised in‑car practice. Krautten and driver‑education consultant Tammy warned that if students complete classroom work long before…
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