How does it work?
Wake County Public School System administers the program, although Driver Education is NOT part of the regular school curriculum. We have assigned a Lead Teacher to each public High School to oversee the program at that school. There is also a Lead Teacher assigned to Home Schools and various private schools. The Lead Teacher sets up the classroom schedules, assigns students to class, and assigns students to a Behind The Wheel Instructor after they successfully complete the class. The Lead Teacher will know which class is currently receiving their Behind-The-Wheel training.
Students will first take the 30 hours of classroom. Approximately 6 weeks after the class is over, a driving instructor will call to schedule the driving class. The behind-the-wheel phase is usually a 3 or 4-day class, 2 or 3 students per car. We do not drive with only one student. We do not pick students up at home. The teacher will meet the students at a school or other public location.
Each Lead Teacher has voice mail at the telephone number listed on the Lead Teacher Contact page. Please leave a message and the teacher will return your call as soon as possible. You will also find their email address under their designated school on the the Lead Teacher page. In most cases, they are not in their office; they are out teaching in the car, in the classroom, or during the school day possibly teaching regular school classes. It may be the next day before you receive a return phone call.
Those students who attend a private school not listed on the Additional Classes page may attend any class for which they are eligible that meets their scheduling needs. Students must be able to arrive on time each day and must be able to attend every day of the class.
Beginning in September of 2011, a $45 fee must be paid to take Driver Education in Wake County. The State of North Carolina decreased the funding paid per student. This $45 fee will help to insure that Wake County students receive the same quality program that we have always provided. The collection of this fee was approved by Wake County Public Schools and they have requested that Jordan Driving School collect the money.
How to pay the fee: Do not pay the fee if you have already taken and passed classroom in Wake County.
Printable directions for accessing the wcpss web site for fee payment - click here
You will use the wcpss payment website no matter where you go to school. On the payment website, you will find a list of all classes that we have available from which you will select. These include public, private and home school locations. Your student does NOT have to be wcpss to use the fee payment website. Remember that you must also turn in a registration form to be assigned to a class.
Home school students:
email Linda St. Clair at stclair56@hotmail.com or contact the administrative office (919-772-4877) or jds@jordandriving.com . Please check Additional Classes to see which class might work for you before contacting the Lead Teacher. We have home school-specific classes, however you also may attend class at any public high school.
Except where we make note, eligible students may attend any of the classes we have scheduled - depending upon space availability. Some of the private school classes are not open to students outside of their school. Since the state law requires 30 hours of class be attended, you must be able to get to the class on time. Please do not register for a class if you cannot attend every day and arrive on time.
If you are home school and attend class at a public school or private school, contact the Lead Teacher for driver education at that location. Linda St. Clair is the lead teacher for the Home School-specific classes, Franklin Acad., East Wake Acad. , and Wake Forest Rolesville High School. She cannot help you if you attended a class at a location other than those.
An Overview of what to expect:
Watch a WCPSS produced video
Click on the 5th story down - Driver Education
Christy Barnett and Drew Buchanan of the WCPSS Communications/Public Information Department have produced an 8 minute segment on driver education for The School Connection, WCPSS online magazine TV show. This segment introduces driver education to students and parents and looks at the process students will have to go through to get a learner’s permit. Click on the link, and then click driver education, to view. Whether your student takes class at a WCPSS location or at another location, the process remains the same. Some outside locations, and WCPSS POD locations do not use the computer program. The content from the text books, videos and workbooks is the same as what is found in the computer program.
We hope you have a pleasant and useful driver education experience.