Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 761 - Transportation Department › Driver Licenses › Chapter 634 - Driver Education › Rule 761-634.4 - Driver Education Course Standards and Requirements

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
(1)
Course approval.
Any
				school district, area education agency, merged area school, other agency or
				person planning to offer a driver education course must receive course
				approval, which includes approval of all teachers and instructors listed on the
				application, from the department prior to the beginning of the first class that
				is offered and annually thereafter. The agency or institution or person shall
				apply for course approval in a manner determined by the department. Course
				approval must be renewed annually. The approval is valid for one calendar year
				or a remaining calendar year and expires on December 31. The application for
				course renewal shall be submitted to the department within 60 days of the
				expiration date, unless otherwise approved by the department.
(2)
Course requirements.
Driver education courses provided by approved programs must comply with the
				following:
a. Schools shall provide for each
				student a minimum of 1800 minutes in classroom instruction, plus 360 minutes in
				supervised laboratory instruction, exclusive of observation time, in a
				dual-control motor vehicle.
b. Each
				student shall be scheduled to receive classroom or laboratory instruction each
				week of the course. Except upon showing of good cause, laboratory instruction
				shall not conclude later than 45 days after classroom instruction has been
				completed. When the driver education course provider determines there is good
				cause, the laboratory instruction shall not conclude later than 90 days after
				classroom instruction has been completed. For the purpose of this paragraph,
				"good cause" means an unanticipated event causing a delay in the student's
				ability to complete the laboratory instruction if the event is beyond the
				student's control.
c.
				Behind-the-wheel instruction shall be limited to a maximum of 30 minutes per
				student per session and a maximum of 60 minutes in a single day.
d. Two or more students shall be scheduled
				for all behind-the-wheel instruction to ensure that appropriate observation
				time is experienced.
e. Routine
				maintenance of motor vehicles to maximize energy efficiency and safety shall be
				included in classroom instruction.
f. Operation of motor vehicles to maximize
				energy efficiency and safety shall be included in classroom
				instruction.
g. Each school
				district shall provide students who are absent from instruction an opportunity
				to make up a reasonable amount of time and coursework.
h. When driving simulators are used for part
				of the behind-the-wheel driving experience, four hours of simulator experience
				shall be considered equal to one hour of behind-the-wheel driving in the car.
				However, in addition to simulator time, a minimum of three hours of on-street,
				behind-the-wheel driving must be completed.
i. When driving ranges are used in driver
				education courses, two hours of range experience shall be considered equal to
				one hour of on-street, behind-the-wheel driving. However, in addition to range
				time, a minimum of three hours of on-street, behind-the-wheel driving must be
				completed.
j. Motor vehicles which
				are designed primarily for carrying nine or fewer occupants, excluding
				motorcycles and mopeds, are the only motor vehicles approved for use in driver
				education courses, and each shall be equipped with a dual control. In addition,
				all driver education vehicles shall have an inside rearview mirror and an
				outside rearview mirror mounted on each side of the vehicle.
k. The driver education teacher or instructor
				shall verify at the beginning of each course that each student possesses a
				valid instruction permit or driver's license. Each student shall be responsible
				for possessing an instruction permit or driver's license throughout all
				laboratory instruction and report any suspension, revocation or cancellation of
				the instruction permit or driver's license to the driver education teacher or
				instructor prior to attending laboratory instruction.