Driven Crazy by Homeschool Drivers Ed

 If you're a homeschool family and have a teen in the house, I'm certain that you've probably had the dreaded discussion ... "When can I learn to drive?" 

I remember when I was homeschooling and started thinking about homeschool drivers ed. Sometimes I'd get hung up on ONE small issue that would drive me completely BATTY! I remember wishing for ANYONE to give me one clear, concise, yes-or-no answer. This was one of those issues I seemed to stress about. Wendy asked a question I asked myself years ago!

Hi Lee,
I'm putting together my first transcript and I've seen differing credits (.25/.50)/grades for Drivers Education on samples. I have to be honest, I guess I hadn't thought of putting it on her transcript and I don't know, it feels like a gimme or fluff to put it on there. So I thought I would get your thoughts. She did complete 24 hours of classroom instruction through a training school. I signed an affidavit verifying that she drove 50 hours as required by law, but I didn't keep all the dates and minutes she drove before going for her driver's test and she passed her driver's test the first time. Your thoughts?
Being driven crazy in Ohio ~ Wendy

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How to put homeschool drivers ed on the transcript 

Once that you've accepted the truth of the fact that your kids are growing up and it will soon be time for them to drive, you can take action and figure out all of the ins-and-outs of curriculum (if you use one), how to put it on the transcript, etc. Public school kids often have the advantage of having an organized class to attend, but as homeschoolers we don't typically have that luxury. Even in a co-op, the insurance probably wouldn't allow for that type of class to be offered. However, there's no need to panic.  Here were my suggestions for Wendy.

Dear Wendy,

I felt EXACTLY the same way!!!

This is what I did: I put it on the transcript, gave it 0.5 credits, and put "Pass" as a grade.

Now I'm older and wiser and this is what I suggest: Put it on the transcript, give 0.5 credits, and put "A" on the grade.

• I don't think putting "Pass" on the transcript is ever a good idea, even for homeschool drivers ed.
• I think most high schools include it on the transcript (mine did.)
• Some colleges may just leave it out of their consideration of admittance if they think it's a fluff class, others may keep it. Knowing that, why not put it on there!?
• Some colleges will partially see this class listed as an answer to the "socialization" and "life skills" question, demonstrating our kids do in fact leave the house.

Need help figuring out how to make your college admission documents? Let me show you how to create all your records! Register for my free class here: Homeschool Records That Open Doors Webinar

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Homeschool drivers ed help 

Some families want to use a formal curriculum or, just flat out don't feel comfortable teaching their kids how to drive. Of course, for a class like homeschool drivers ed there are many ways to go about teaching this class.

• You don't have to have a formal curriculum. You can simply teach your teen to drive yourself. Some parents won't feel comfortable doing that and that's ok. There are more suggestions below.
• If you don't feel comfortable teaching your child to drive, ask around in your family. There may be a trusted grandparent, aunt, or uncle that would love the opportunity to spend more time with your child. This option will take some clearly defined rules between the child and their tutor. Be sure to check your state's regulations and requirements on drivers ed. (You can Google "drivers ed + your state" to find out what those are.)
• If the first two options aren't appealing, hire an instructor. There are certified driving instructors out there and they usually have their own set of curriculum to teach from. Again, you will have to check out the particulars for your state, but a certified driving instructor will have that information available to you and your child and they will spend the time helping them meet necessary requirements.
• In some state's, public schools allow homeschool students to come in and take a class here or there. If your district allows that, you could always have your child take the class through the local public school.
• If you feel comfortable teaching your child how to drive but would like something to go by, I found this set of videos on YouTube that could help you set up an informal curriculum. After watching the videos together, you could take your child out to practice what they've learned by video. 

I hope homeschool drivers ed doesn't drive you crazy like it did for Wendy and me. I hope I've given you some peace of mind as you enter the scary teenage years!