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Lawrence schools will no longer offer driver education classes, after the school board approved discontinuing the program earlier this week at its board meeting.

Previously, the course had been offered to students 14 and older in June for a $225 fee. Driver education was one of a handful of courses deleted from the district’s course description booklet, along with a pair of biology courses and a class covering algebra for college-bound students.

The district’s driver education program was canceled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to district spokeswoman Julie Boyle. The program returned last year, but enrollment was limited to 91 students because of reduced staffing and to provide more space for social distancing in the classroom. Average enrollment in prior years, Boyle said, was 130.

Boyle said the district lacks the resources to continue the program, including support for the required supervision, testing and program enrollment.

It’s also difficult, she said, to find qualified instructors willing to teach driver education at the district’s current rate of pay. While the district receives some reimbursement for the course from the state of Kansas, Boyle said it needed to raise student fees to fund the program.

The district paid driver education teachers $25 per hour, according to Boyle. Driver education paraprofessionals were paid between $11 and $15 per hour depending on their years with the district.

Additionally, Boyle cited the presence of three area driving schools as another reason for the board’s decision. Two of them — BuckleUp School LLC and Midwest Driving School — have indicated they will offer discounts to Lawrence district students, Boyle said. Go Driving School is the third area provider.

BuckleUp School is offering a discounted rate of $290 for students registered by Aug. 31 for any available class dates in 2022; families should use the code “USD497” when registering to apply the discount.

District staff did not have information about specific cost details for Midwest Driving School’s discounted rates as of early Wednesday afternoon.