HUNTINGTON BEACH : Suit Could Restore Driver Training

Huntington Beach Union High School District officials have said they sympathize with parents in the district who want to restore hands-on driver training in high schools, which fell victim to budget cuts in Sacramento.

But they also told the parents that the best hope for restoring the program to all California schools is a legal suit brought by a Monterey County school district that is scheduled to be heard Nov. 9.

Last week, a group of parents urged a meeting of district trustees to allow a nonprofit organization to raise money to restore driver training.

Schools still have state money for in-class instruction, called “driver education.” But the laboratory for such classes, called “driver training,” was not funded this year by the state budget. Parents say driver instruction is incomplete without behind-the-wheel experience.

But Dick Plum, coordinator of alternative education in the district, told parents that the legal case in Monterey County could solve the issue for all school districts.

Salinas Union High School District in Monterey County is legally challenging the state’s cutbacks because state law earmarks a portion of some traffic fines solely for the use of driver training in high schools. The school district questions the legality of using driver-training money for other purposes.

“If the court rules in favor of the schools, it’s a simple matter,” Plum said. “All the high schools in the state will get their money back, and we can reinstate driving training.”

Plum said that about 3,000 students in the district are enrolled in driver education. The district lost $363,000 in state funds when the current budget excised money for driver training.