School Laws of Oklahoma
Chapter 1 - Oklahoma School Code
Article XVIII: Driver Education
Section 426. Driver’s Education - Purpose. (70 O.S. § 19-113)
The aims and purposes of driver’s education shall be to develop a knowledge of those provisions of the laws of this state relating to the operation of motor vehicles, a proper acceptance of personal responsibility in traffic, a true appreciation of the causes, seriousness, and consequences of traffic accidents, and to develop the knowledge, attitudes, habits, and skills necessary for the safe operation of motor vehicles.
Section 427. Automobile Driver Education for Pupils. (70 O.S. § 19-114)
The school board of any school district maintaining a secondary school, which includes any of the grades nine through twelve, inclusive, may establish and maintain automobile driver education for students that attend secondary public schools in that district. Only students who are enrolled and passing in all of the core curriculum courses appropriate for their grade levels shall be allowed to enroll in driver education courses during the regular school day.
Section 428. Programs for Driver Education. (70 O.S. § 19-115)
A. The establishment, conduct and scope of the driver education program for secondary schools shall be the program established by rules adopted and promulgated by the State Board of Education, subject to the requirements and exceptions set forth in Section 19-113 et seq. of this title. Said program shall be established and maintained only in accordance with such rules and laws. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction shall prepare an administrative budget from funds made available under this article, which budget shall be approved by the State Board of Education. It shall be the responsibility of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to appoint supervisors of safety education and the necessary clerical personnel.
B. The State Department of Education shall designate or employ a state coordinator of driver education programs to provide oversight of all driver education programs throughout the state. The responsibilities of such coordinator shall include, but not be limited to:
1. Assuring quality driver education programs in this state;
2. Serving as a liaison between the State Department of Education and the Department of Public Safety;
3. Promoting driver safety throughout the state; and
4. Coordinating the activities of the supervisors of safety education and the necessary clerical staff.
Section 429. Eligibility of Students. (70 O.S. § 19-116)
Each school district providing driver education shall prescribe regulations determining who can best benefit by and who shall receive instruction under this program.
Note: See Section 842 and 842.1 for Driver Education Qualifications.
Section 430. Report by School Districts. (70 O.S. § 19-117)
Each school district shall report annually to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction the cost of instructing pupils during the preceding year in driver education, the number of pupils actually enrolled and trained in such course during the preceding year, and such other information as may be required for the computation of the cost incurred therein.
Section 431. Cost of Program. (70 O.S. § 19-118)
A determination of the cost of a driver education program in a secondary school shall include the cost of the replacement of the automobile or machinery used in the instruction of pupils, the cost of the instructor’s salary, the upkeep and maintenance of said automobiles, and the cost of such other equipment and classroom data as may be required in a driver education program operated in compliance with the rules and regulations of the State Board of Education.
Section 432. Compliance with Rules and Regulations. (70 O.S. § 19-120)
No reimbursement shall be made to a school district for the instruction of pupils in driver education unless the school district has provided such instruction pursuant to state law and has compiled with the rules set forth by the State Board of Education governing the establishment, conduct, and scope of driver education.
Section 433. Authority of State Board of Education. (70 O.S. § 19-121)
The State Board of Education is hereby authorized and empowered to promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the aims and purposes established in Section 38 of this act. The State Board of Education is authorized to acquire in compliance with the law for cash, lease, or by lease purchase agreement all the necessary equipment, visual and training aids and devices, and related materials required.
Section 433.1. Drivers Education Funding. (70 O.S. § 19-122)
Contingent upon the availability of funds, monies appropriated to the State Board of Education for the Driver Education program shall be allocated to each school district which provided a driver education program during the preceding fiscal year in accordance with state law and the rules established by the State Board of Education. Contingent upon funds being made available, allocations to each school district shall be reimbursed on a first-come first-serve basis as provided below:
1. In the amount of Ninety-five Dollars ($95.00) per pupil for courses offered before or after the regular school day; and
2. In the amount of Eighty-two Dollars and fifty cents ($82.50) per pupil for courses offered during the regular school day, the summer, or on Sunday.
Section 433.2. Certification and Reinstatement. (70 O.S. § 19-123)
Any person who held a valid certificate to teach driver education in this state, between 1980 and the effective date of this act, and whose certificate has lapsed shall be eligible to have the certification to teach driver education reinstated upon request provided the person is otherwise eligible for teacher certification.
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