Section 14-36f-6 - Instructor requirements(a) No person shall provide any instruction to a student in a secondary school driver education program unless such person is approved by the commissioner as a licensed driving instructor meeting the requirements of section 14-78-48 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, employed by a licensed commercial driving school, which is under contract with a secondary school or makes application to and is approved by the commissioner as a qualified secondary school teacher meeting the qualifications of this subsection and subsection (b) of this section. In order to be approved the person shall: (1) Comply with the requirements of section 14-73 of the Connecticut General Statutes;(2) Have held an operator's license for the past four (4) consecutive years;(3) Present to the commissioner certification by a physician licensed in this state that he or she is physically fit to operate a motor vehicle and provide driver education instruction. Such certification shall be on a form approved by the commissioner, and be based on a medical examination within the prior three (3) months, and shall be made in accordance with the standards contained in 49 CFR 391.41. Any change in an instructor's medical condition which may affect the safe operation of a motor vehicle shall be reported to the commissioner in writing within five (5) business days;(4) Take and pass a behind-the-wheel and written test as required by the commissioner. A person who fails an examination may be re-examined not earlier than five (5) business days from the date of such failure, following the completion of additional training. A person shall provide proof of such additional training prior to any reexamination by the commissioner. The commissioner shall determine the schedule for all such re-examinations;
(5) Have taken and passed a course in traffic safety or driver education, providing at least three (3) semester hours of credit, of not less than forty-five (45) clock hours, which has been approved by the commissioner;(6) Undergo annual proficiency testing by the commissioner in accordance with section 14-36f-16 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.(7) Be fingerprinted and be subject to 1) a check of state and national records upon initial application and thereafter a state criminal record check; 2) a check of the state child abuse and neglect registry. If there is a criminal record or listing on the state child abuse and neglect registry, the commissioner shall make a determination as whether to issue a license using the standards set forth in section 14-73 of the Connecticut General Statutes; and(8) Have a driving history with not more than two (2) moving violations as listed in section 14-111g of the Connecticut General Statutes and in section 14-137a-5 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies within the previous three (3) year period.(b) Persons approved as qualified secondary school teachers or commercial driving instructors subsequent to adoption of this section shall, within the three (3) years following initial licensure, successfully complete an advanced course in traffic safety providing at least three (3) semester hours of credit and consisting of at least forty-five (45) clock hours pursuant to 14-73 of the Connecticut General Statutes. Such advanced course shall be approved by the commissioner. A qualified secondary school teacher or commercial driving instructor shall provide the commissioner proof of compliance with this requirement prior to such license renewal. This requirement shall not apply to a qualified secondary school teacher or commercial driving instructor who has six (6) semester hours of credit and ninety (90) hours of instruction in such advanced courses.(c) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, the commissioner may, request that a qualified secondary school teacher or commercial driving instructor take and pass both a behind-the-wheel driving test, and a written test concerning knowledge of the mechanism of motor vehicles, the motor vehicle laws and the rules of the road.(d) The commissioner shall maintain a listing of all driver education programs in secondary schools, and a listing of all qualified secondary school teachers and commercial driving instructors.(e) No qualified secondary school teacher or commercial driving instructor shall provide driver education training without having been approved by the commissioner. The commissioner may withdraw his approval for good cause shown, subject to the provisions of chapter 54 of the Connecticut General Statutes.Conn. Agencies Regs. § 14-36f-6
Effective April 30, 1997; Amended November 2, 2009; Amended March 8, 2012