Driver’s education programs in public schools could improve next year following a resolution passed by the state Legislature.
House Concurrent Resolution 125 requests a performance audit of the Hawaii driver’s ed programs to examine administrative policies and procedures.
The Department of Transportation trains instructors, while the Department of Education administers the programs.
The resolution is intended to address the ongoing backlog of students awaiting driver’s education, where demand outnumbers available instructors.
“I want to look into the processes so we can expand the program,” said state Rep. Troy Hashimoto of Maui, who introduced the bill. “After having conversations with the Department of Transportation, I think they had no real desire to better themselves, to encourage these programs. I think they were fine with the status quo.”
Prior to the pandemic, the Department of Education served between 4,200 and 4,500 students annually in its driver’s ed programs. But during the 2019-20 school year, just 1,600 students completed the programs.
Classes were suspended in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in a virtual class limited to 14 students, less than half the face-to-face class size of 30.
In addition to reduced class time and size, the program lost instructors.
“The loss of the eight instructors, combined with the restrictions on continuing classes and size of classes, added to the longer waitlist,” said DOE interim Superintendent Keith Hayashi in submitted testimony. “The effect of the pandemic was the major factor in limiting driver’s education for public school students statewide.”
Staff shortages led to students traveling to Oahu from neighboring islands to enroll in driver’s education programs. Others opted to wait until they turned 18, avoiding the program altogether.
“We need equal access,” Hashimoto said. “When the Legislature first passed that law, we wanted to have more educated drivers. But now, people just wait it out and they start driving later, which is the opposite of what I think we wanted.”
In written testimony, the DOT stated there were 175 instructors throughout the driver’s ed program, along with three “Train the Trainers” and four new “Instructor Trainers” certified to teach instructors for the program’s expansion. From 2021 to present, the DOT confirmed it has trained two commercial and five DOE driving instructors on the Big Island.
“The more that we dug, we realized the Department of Education was having a hard time with the Department of Transportation,” Hashimoto said. “They really want to get more teachers, but the Department of Transportation has been putting up barriers.”
In July 2019, the DOT started adhering to the Novice Teen Driver Education and Training Administration Standards, which requires potential teachers to complete mandated courses, practice assignments, a student teaching practicum, and an exit assessment.
“The NTDETAS was developed to provide a standard for program administration,” said DOT spokesman Jai Cunningham. “DOT will continue to work with interested instructors to ensure training is available to widen the pool of available driver’s education instructors.”
Initiatives to shrink the waitlist of students include virtual and hybrid classes for students and instructors offered by the DOT. As of Sept. 1, 2021, driver’s education instructors were offering full-capacity classes again.
Findings and recommendations from the audit will be submitted to the Legislature prior to the convening of the 2023 regular session.
“This pandemic has taught us a lot, including how we can do things in a different way without lowering quality standards,” said Hashimoto. “Hopefully, this audit will shine a light on what the DOT can be doing, and how they can streamline their process.”
Email Grant Phillips at gphillips@hawaiitribune-herald.com.