Green Light Driving
Academy - Teen Driver Education – FAQs
The FAQs for the teen driver
education program at Green Light Driving Academy follow the guidelines and
requirements for Teen Driver Education from the Texas Education Agency (TEA)
and Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and only pertain to the way that
Green Light Driving Academy has adopted these requirements. For more information about the state guidelines – refer to these sites:
§
Texas
Department of Public Safety FAQs
What does the program at
o
Phase I: 32 hours of classroom
instruction (16 days, 2 hours per day)
During the school year, classes are scheduled Monday through
Thursday. Summer classes are accelerated
and are held in three weeks: Monday
through Friday for 3 weeks including ONE Saturday class.
o
Phase II: 14 hours of in-car
(behind-the-wheel) instruction (7 lessons, 2 hours per lesson)
The in-car instruction includes 7 hours of behind-the-wheel
instruction and 7 hours of observation of another student driving. The in-car
instruction is scheduled as 2-hour drive times so that the student can get one
hour of driving and one hour of observation in one drive time.
The in-car instruction is more flexible and can be scheduled around the
student's other activities and the school's available drive time hours. Once the student has possession of their
permit AND they have completed the classroom schedule of instruction, they can
schedule their drive times through our on-line scheduling system. The student must schedule ALL drive times
on-line at www.Schedule2Drive.com.
How much does the program at Green Light
Driving Academy cost?
There are no hidden or extra charges, with the exception of
a $5.00 permit-processing fee that is collected and paid to the DPS for
processing the learner's permit. Click
on this link for additional information about our course fees è FEES
How do I find out what classes are
available and how do I register for the classes?
Click her to link to our schedule of classes in Grapevine
and Coppell and information about how to register è
o
TEEN
CLASS SCHEDULE – Grapevine
o
TEEN CLASS SCHEDULE - Coppell
Can I miss any of the classroom
instruction and still complete it within the schedule?
The state of Texas requires that a student attend all 32
hours of classroom instruction.
A student may miss up to 5 of the scheduled classes and
complete the course with the scheduled class.
The classes missed must be made up however within 180 days of starting
the class. Students must attend Make-up
Sessions scheduled on Saturdays. In most
cases, these Saturdays will be the 2nd and 4th Saturday
of each month in Grapevine and the 3rd Saturday in Coppell; however,
due to holidays or other activities at the facility, this may be altered
slightly. Always refer to the dates for
these classes posted on our website or you can contact the office.
If a student misses 6 or more classes, they will be removed
from that class and will need to be placed in another class (as space is
available) where they can complete their class work.
Refer to our complete Make-up policy here è MAKE-UP POLICY
How long does a student have to complete
the in-car instruction phase of the course?
While the classroom instruction along with any make-up work
must be completed within 180 days (6 months) of starting the course, the in-car
instruction must be completed within one year of starting the course.
Is a teenager required to complete a
driver education course before receiving their driver’s license?
Yes. Texas law
requires persons less than 18 years of age to successfully complete an approved
driver education course before they are eligible to receive a driver’s license.
At what age can a student enroll in a
driver education class?
A student can begin their driver education at age 14;
however, they can only take the classroom portion at that time. Once the student reaches age 15, they can get
their permit and start the in-car instruction portion of the course.
When
does a student get their learner’s permit?
A student is not allowed to apply for a learner’s permit
until they are at least 15 years of age and has completed at least Six (6)
instruction hours of a driver education classroom program administered by the
school.
Green Light Driving Academy has structured its curriculum so
that the permit test is given during the first week of classroom
instruction. If the student is 15 years
of age, has passed the test and has provided the appropriate documentation (see
next question), Green Light Driving Academy will submit the application for
license to the DPS and have the student’s permit within the first two weeks of
classroom instruction. Please refer to
our permit processing procedure here (CHANGED EFFECTIVE
6/12/2007) è click here
What is the necessary documentation
required to apply for a learner’s permit?
The state requires that the following items be provided
along with verification of passing the learner’s permit test. These items are not required to be brought to
the school until the 3rd day of the class or prior to the student’s
15th birthday.
o
Birth Certificate (original or
certified copy) **
o
Social Security Card (original card)
**
o
Verification of Enrollment form (TEA
form) from student’s school **
o
DL-14A – Application for Driver’s
License (provided by Green Light Driving Academy)
o
$5.00 permit processing fee
** If not available, substitutions can be
provided. For more information about substitutions,
please contact
PLEASE NOTE: If your
student is not a
I have my permit, when can I start the
driving portion of the driver education course?
Students will not be able to start the driving portion of
the driver education course until they have completed the classroom
instruction, however they may begin driving with an insured, licensed driver
(over age 21) in the front seat of the car as soon as they have possession of
their permit. Please read here for more
information about this è Letter to Parents
How old does a teen need to be before they
receive a Texas driver’s license?
A teen must be at least 15 years of age to receive a
LEARNER’S PERMIT. After completing an
approved driver education course, a teen must be at least 16 years of age
before receiving a provisional driver’s license.
What is a provisional driver’s license?
The state of Texas instituted a graduated driver's license
program in January 2002. It creates two phases of driving requirements for
minors under age 18.
Phase 1 requires that a minor under age 18 must hold their learner's permit for
six months before applying for provisional license. During the time the minor
has the learner's permit; they can only drive with an insured, licensed driver
over the age of 21 in the front seat of the car.
After the six months have passed and the minor has reached age 16, they can get
a provisional license with restrictions. This is Phase II. These restrictions
include:
o
Not having more than one passenger
under the age 21 in the car who is not a family member
o
Not operating a vehicle after
midnight or before 5 a.m., unless driving is necessary for employment, school
or a school-related activity or a medical emergency.
The above restrictions
do not apply if the provisional license holder is accompanied by a license
operator age 21 or older. These restrictions are applicable for the first six
months after issuance of the provisional license.
After Phase II has been completed,
the driver is issued a full license with none of the above restrictions.
Does Texas
still allow hardship licenses?
Yes, however a teen must still
complete an approved driver education course.
After completion, the teen and parent may apply for a hardship license
at the
I lost my
permit – can Green Light Driving Academy get another for me?
No, Green Light Driving Academy cannot
do this for you. You must go to the DPS
to obtain another copy of your permit.
Your information is in their computer system, so all you need to do it
provide identification (Social Security Card and Birth Certificate are best)
and they will issue a duplicate copy.
The cost is $10.00.
You must have your
ORIGINAL permit with you to take a drive time. Any student that does
not have their ORIGINAL permit in readable condition when they come for a
scheduled drive time, will not be allowed to drive or observe and will be
charged a $25.00 fee, just as if they did not show up or if they cancelled less
than 24 hours. This is not a
I completed the
course, but I’ve lost the completion certificate (DE-964) that Green Light
Driving Academy provided to me. What do
I do?
Is it true that
I can get a discount on my automobile insurance if I successfully complete the
course at Green Light Driving Academy?
Yes, most insurance companies do
provide a discount on automobile insurance for successfully completing an
approved driver education course; however it is best to consult with your agent
to confirm this.
Can my student
take more driving time than the amount of time required by the state in
conjunction with the course?
Yes, please contact Green Light
Driving Academy for more information.
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