Section 115C-216 - Boards of education required to provide courses in operation of motor vehicles(a) Course of Training and Instruction Required in Public High Schools. - Local boards of education shall offer noncredit driver education courses in high schools using the standardized curriculum provided by the Department of Public Instruction.(b) Inclusion of Expense in Budget. - The local boards of education shall include as an item of instructional service and as a part of the current expense fund of the budget of the high schools under their supervision, the expense necessary to offer the driver education course.(c) through (f) Repealed by Session Laws 1991, c. 689, s. 32(c).(g) Fee for Instruction. - The local boards of education shall fund driver education courses from funds available to them and may charge each student participating in a driver education course a fee of up to sixty-five dollars ($65.00) to offset the costs of providing the training and instruction. If a local board of education charges a fee for participation in a driver education course, the local board shall provide a process for reduction or waiver of that fee for students unable to pay the fee due to economic hardship.N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-216
Amended by 2015 N.C. Sess. Laws 241,s. 8.39-b, s. 8.39-h, eff. 7/1/2016.Amended by 2014 N.C. Sess. Laws 100,s. 8.15-c, eff. 7/1/2014.Amended by 2013 N.C. Sess. Laws 360,s. 34.20-a, eff. 7/26/2013.Amended by 2011 N.C. Sess. Laws 145,s. 28.37-b, s. 31.1, eff. 7/1/2011. 1955, c. 817; 1965, c. 397; 1981, c. 423, s. 1; 1991, c. 689, s. 32 (c) . See 2016 N.C. Sess. Laws 94, s. 8.5.Temporary Compliance Provisions - January to March 16, 2020: Section 2 of 2020 N.C. Sess. Laws 30 provides: "Notwithstanding G.S. 115C-215(b)(1), (2), (4), and (5) and G.S. 115C-216, and the requirements of State Board of Education Policy DRIV-0004, for students enrolled in classroom driver education between January 2020 and March 16, 2020, in a public school or a licensed commercial driver training school, students shall be deemed to have completed all classroom instruction requirements for driver education if the student completed at least 15 hours of classroom instruction prior to March 16, 2020. A student who has not completed at least 15 hours of classroom instruction may be offered the opportunity to take and pass the proficiency examination developed by the Department of Public Instruction, as provided in the State Board of Education Policy DRIV-0004, to waive the classroom instruction requirement. All students enrolled in driver education in the spring semester of 2020 shall be required to complete a minimum of six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction before being issued a North Carolina Driver Education Completion Certificate. Public schools are authorized to resume driver education programs in accordance with guidance issued by the Department of Public Instruction."