Board renews Lyons Township driver-education waiver allowing range-based training in place of 6 on-road hours

The Lyons Township High School District 204 board on June 16 voted to approve submission of a renewal petition to the Illinois State Board of Education that would continue the district's regulatory modification of 105 ILCS 5/27-24.3 for its driver-education program.

Dr. Pitts presented the renewal request, explaining that LT's three-phase program gives students 35–37 hours of classroom instruction, approximately 22–24 hours of range instruction and two hours of behind‑the‑wheel on‑road instruction, resulting in about 13 hours of direct supervised vehicle operation. The request would allow the district to continue using 11 hours of controlled-range instruction plus 2 hours of on-road driving in place of the statutory minimum of 6 on-road hours.

Dr. Pitts said the range-based model reduces student exposure to unpredictable traffic while increasing supervised practice, ensures equitable access during the school day for students without private vehicle access, and avoids the need to hire additional full‑time staff or contract with multiple outside instructors. He estimated the district could avoid $150,000–$270,000 in additional costs that would have resulted from moving back to a strictly on‑road model.

Board members praised the program’s outcomes; several parents and board members who had personal experience with the program described it as effective. The board moved and approved the petition to renew the waiver by roll call.

Sources and attribution: Presentation and justification by Dr. Pitts; board motion and roll-call vote recorded in meeting minutes.