Driver Education

FAQs

1.  When will I be scheduled for the driving phase?

Students will be scheduled to complete the in-car instruction after submitting payment, completing the classroom phase, and passing the eye check.  Due to the backlog of driving caused by COVID-19, the in-car instruction could take up to six months or possibly longer following the online classroom phase. The scheduling of the driving phase is through the classroom instructor who assigns students by classroom session and age to the driving instructors at each high school. Every attempt is made to drive students by age, oldest first.  Students will be notified by a phone call, email, or text from the driving instructor to schedule the in-car instruction.  This information will not be available in the Manager's Office.  Jim Gilreath will not have information on the scheduling of the driving phase.  

2.  Is there a fee for the 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.

3.  How can I pay the course fee online?  

Please view the available guide - K12PaymentCenter Guide .  If you cannont find the correct link to pay, please check step #4 of the K12PaymentCenter Guide.

4.  How can I apply for the Free/Reduced fee?

The Free/Reduced Waiver is for CCS students that receive free or reduced lunch.  This application does not apply to non-CCS students (private, charter, or homeschool).  Download and complete the  Free/Reduced Waiver Form .  After completing the form, submit it to Kimberly Davis for approval.  Once approval has been confirmed by email, enter Free/Reduced on question 1 of the registration form.  If a student receives free lunch, the fee is waived after the form has been approved.  Currently, the reduced fee is $9.75 for students receiving reduced lunch.

5. 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 Cabarrus County and meets the eligibility requirements.  If the student lives in Cabarrus 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) in Cabarrus County Schools.

To be eligible to enroll in the Driver Education Program, a student must meet the following requirements: 

• Attending a high school (public, private, charter, or home school) in Cabarrus County. Residency in Cabarrus County does not determine Driver Education enrollment eligibility; the county in which the school that the student attends is the determining factor.
• Be a high school student that is 14 ½ years old on the first day of class.  Rising freshmen entering high school during June and July can register for summer sessions.  
• Has not previously enrolled in the CCS (or in any school district in NC) Driver Education program.

6.  What do I do if I have issues with the online registration?

Contact Jim Gilreath by email with details of your problem.

7.  What do I do if I have issues with the online classroom instruction?

Contact your classroom instructor by email with details of your problem.

8.   What happens once I finish the classroom and driving phases?

Upon completion of the 30 hours of online classroom and 6 hours of in-car instruction you will be given a North Carolina Driver Education Completion Certificate by the driving instructor. This certificate is presented to a designated school official where you are enrolled to receive your North Carolina Driving Eligibility Certificate (DEC).  Special arrangements are required at your high school to get the DEC due to school restrictions.  Please note that once a date is placed on the DEC it is valid for 30 days.  If the DEC expires, it will have to be replaced at your high school.  A $5.00 replacement fee will be charged.

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 can obtain a provisional learner’s permit through a DMV Licensing Office.

9. Can I take part or all of my Driver Education instruction with a private driving 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 online class through CCS and then completing the driving phase with a private driving school. There is no reduction of the $65 fee if you decide to go through a private driving school after completing the classroom phase.

10.  Can my Driving Eligibility Certificate/Learner Permit/Driver 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.

SCHOOL CONTACTS FOR DRIVER LICENSE SUSPENSIONS