A decision to offer full year driver’s education for the first time this past year uncovered a problem. The Lake Orion School District doesn’t make any money providing this service. In fact, it costs money to teach area teens how to drive.
‘There’s a question whether we should even be in this business at all,? LO School Superintendent Dr. Craig Younkman said at the school board meeting on July 9.
School board members had been raising the fees for driver’s education and had expected to make a small profit when it agreed to expand the program from just the summer into the school season.
Last year, about 400 students took driver’s education in the school district.
According to LO School Assistant Superintendent Dave Beiter, there were hidden costs that weren’t evident when there was just summer driver’s ed.
‘We had been absorbing those costs,? he added.
Those costs included payroll hours, additional classroom and secretarial time. Also, making a big impact is the state now requires more hours be spent on student driving.
Currently the school district charges $225 per driver’s ed student. The state reimburses the school district $86.50/student. Based on revenues and expenses, it costs the district $305/student.
School board members will have to consider whether they want to raise driver’s education fees or turn their program over to a private company.
Beiter said the school district pays their instructors more money than a company because salaries are based on the teacher’s contract. This past year, overtime was also paid to Orion’s instructors so scheduled hours could be covered.
If a private company takes over the school district program, it would provide its own liability insurance, which the district must now pay for.