High schools ask state to OK higher driver ed fees

Northwest Suburban High School District 214 and other suburban schools are asking the state for permission to continue charging $350 for driver education instead of the new state maximum of $250.

A state law passed in July forces schools to seek a waiver to charge more than $250. Waivers are good for five years.

District 214, Maine Township High School District 207, Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 and Barrington Area Unit District 220 are among the districts that have been charging $350.

Venetia Miles, director for community relations for District 214, said even at $350 per student the amount collected falls far behind what it costs to run the driver education program. District 214's program, like most public high school driver ed courses, includes behind-the-wheel instruction, which is not mandated by state law.

According to a recent District 214 analysis, the average cost for behind-the-wheel training in 2010-11 was $1,061 per student.

The waiver will be submitted by the end of January, and unless a legislator objects, it will pass automatically. If the waiver is not approved, the district would lose at least $70,000, Superintendent Dave Schuler said.

With aging cars and rising costs, Schuler said District 214 needs to study the driver education program overall in the near future.

“Regardless of the decision from the state, we're going to have a lot of things to consider moving forward,” he said.