Category: Drivers Education

Most people know that you don't have to go to public school to get your driver's license, but did you realize that you don't have to go to a private school either? According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, parent taught driver's education is still allowed. 

There are three options.  All three options require you to submit a DL-92 form (Request for Parent Taught Drivers Education Packet) along with a $20.00 registration fee.  As part of the completed application you will receive the state's curriculum, Course 101. If you choose to use this curriculum, you will need to purchase the State Approved Driver Education Textbook specified in the curriculum. However, you don't have to use the state curriculum.  You have eleven other choices, including Virtual Drive of Texas, National Driver Training Institute, course 102, and Driver Ed in a Box, course 103. 

Why would you want to teach Drivers Ed yourself rather than let a drivers school do it? That was my plan, we were going to sign our teen up with a local driving school. I figured with everything else, I didn't need the added stress of also being the "driver teacher." It was the "let someone else deal with him" kind of thing. Plus, they don't have to go to DPS to get their permit, the drivers school issues it to them. However, because of his baseball schedule, we couldn't get him into a class for four consecutive weeks and had to do it ourselves.

I won't say that it was a wonderful experience although his little Jedi "you did not see that" hand wave was amusing when it didn't involve nearly rear-ending the car in front of us. However, I would recommend it because you will know that your teen has been learning how to drive. Talking to some other parents who's teens finished drivers school they were reluctant to let them behind the wheel simply because they had not seen them learn to drive. Teaching your teen yourself allows you to see her progress and improved abilities where this wasn't the case for most of the other parents I talked to. Also, depending on the program, your teen will have to complete a lot more actual driving teaching him yourself. I know some parents were surprised at how much "observing" their teens were doing as opposed to driving at the drivers schools.

Should you choose to enroll at a private driving school be sure it is certified by the Texas Education Agency. The following schools are currently listed with the Texas Education Agency.

San Antonio Area Driving Schools