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FAQ

How do I sign up for driver education?

Burke County Public School students do not need to sign up. 
9th grade students will be emailed about a driver education class. They will be invited to a class through their Burke County Schools email address based on their birth dates. STUDENTS SHOULD CHECK THEIR EMAIL EVERY DAY.

Burke County Public Schools upper class students (10th, 11th or 12th grade) must email the driver education coordinator about taking driver education.
Non-public school (private, charter, or homeschool) students should email the driver education coordinator about taking driver education.

 

Who is eligible to take driver education?

Enrollment is open to any student who attends a high school (public, private, charter, or home school) registered in Burke County and meets the eligibility requirements. If the student lives in Burke County, but attends school (public, private, charter, or home school) outside the county, the student is NOT eligible to receive Driver Education instruction (classroom and/or driving) through Burke County Schools.

To be eligible to enroll in the Burke County Public SchoolsDriver Education Program, a student must meet the following requirements:

  • Attending a high school (public, private, charter, or home school) in Burke County. Residency in Burke County does not determine Driver Education enrollment eligibility; the county where the student attends school is the determining factor.
  • Be a high school student that is 14 ½ years old on the first day of class.  Rising freshmen also have an opportunity to take DE in the summer 
  • Has not previously enrolled in the BCPS (or in any school district in NC) Driver Education program.

A student who is 18 years old or older who attends a school in Burke County is eligible for the classroom portion but must secure a Learner Permit from the DMV before they are eligible to complete the driving portion of the class.  At the age of 18, you will need to visit the local DMV office to apply and pay for your Adult Driving Permit. If you then want to do the driving portion of the Driver Ed Program through BCPS, you can do so upon providing a copy of your permit to the Driver Education instructor. At 18 years old, North Carolina does not require the completion of a Driver Education program.

 

Is there a fee for taking the driver education course?

Yes. Currently the fee is $65, which covers the entire course (both the classwork and driving phase). The $65.00 fee is non-refundable.

Payment may be made in person at the high school or online using the school’s online payment program. Check with your high school if you have questions about this.
 

How can I apply for the waiver?

Request a copy of the waiver form from the bookkeeper at your high school. Take it home, have your parent/guardian complete it and sign it. After completing the form, return it to the bookkeeper. They will send it to the driver education coordinator, who will email you with the amount you need to pay. Currently, the reduced fee is $45.

 

Can I take all or part of my driver education instruction through a private school?

Yes, it is your choice. You will have to cover the costs of the private driving school. Private driving schools provide both classroom and in-car instruction. However, it is also possible to take the class through BCPS and then complete the driving phase with a private driving school or take the class through a private driving school and then complete the driving through BCPS.

There is no reduction of the $65 fee if you decide to go through a private driving school for either portion of the DE course.

 

What happens once I complete the class and driving phase?

Upon completion of the 30 hours of classwork and 6 hours of in-car instruction, the driving instructor will give Burke County School students will be given two certificates:

  • a North Carolina Driver Education Completion Certificate, printed on green paper 

AND 

  • a North Carolina Driving Eligibility Certificate (DEC), printed on blue paper

Once you turn 15, take the green certificate and the DEC to the bookkeeper at the high school where you are enrolled. DO NOT expect the bookkeeper to complete your paperwork “on demand.”        *It could take up to 48 hours to complete it.

Please note that once a date is placed on the DEC it is valid for 30 days.

Home school students must contact the Division of Non-Public Schools (919-733-4276) in Raleigh to receive their Driving Eligibility Certificate.

Private and charter school students should get their Driving Eligibility Certificates at the high school they attend.
Students who have received both certificates and meet the age requirement (15 years old) can obtain a provisional learner’s permit through a DMV Licensing Office.

There is a $10 replacement fee for the green certificate of completion.

 

Can my driving eligibility certificate, learners permit, or drivers license be revoked?

There are three reasons why a Driver Eligibility Certificate/Learner Permit/Driver License could be revoked:

  • Dropping out of school Prior to age 18--As of August 1, 1998, any public, private, federal, home-schooled, or community college student under age 18 who does not make adequate academic progress or drops out of school will have their driving permit or provisional license revoked (§ 20-11). Under the Dropout Prevention Guidelines, a dropout student is one who has withdrawn from school before the end of the academic term and whose enrollment in an educational setting cannot be verified for 30 days.
  • Disciplinary action--Disciplinary action includes an expulsion (a suspension for more than 10 consecutive days) or an assignment to an alternative educational setting for more than 10 consecutive days (§ 20-11(n1)) for committing one of the following infractions after the student's 14th birthday or during (July 1 of) or after 8th grade:
    • The possession or sale of an alcoholic beverage or an illegal controlled substance on school property.
    • The bringing, possession, or use on school property of a weapon or firearm that resulted in disciplinary action under G.S. 115C-390.10 or that could have resulted in that disciplinary action if the conduct had occurred in a public school.
    • The physical assault on a teacher or other school personnel on school property.
  • Not making adequate academic progress--At the end of each semester, students not passing 70% of the maximum possible courses are identified. Parents are notified that the student is not making adequate academic progress and have the option of submitting a hardship request to the principal or principal’s designee to maintain the student’s Driving Eligibility status. Once a student’s license is revoked for failure to make adequate academic progress; the student’s academic record will be evaluated at the end of the next semester for possible reinstatement of the driving license.

Under the Lose Control/Lose License guidelines, the Driving Eligibility Certificate is revoked for one year. Unlike the Dropout Prevention guidelines that end when a student turns age 18, the revocation of a Driving Eligibility Certificate for disciplinary action can extend beyond age 18 if the disciplinary action took place during the time the student was age 17.

Questions about the revocation should be directed to the school you attend.  The Driver Education Department does not handle this process.