COSTA MESA : School District to Fund Road Training

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District has decided to continue providing free behind-the-wheel driver education for students, despite cuts in state money for such programs.

Many districts across the state and county dropped their behind-the-wheel programs or began charging students last semester, after Gov. George Deukmejian’s decision to blue-pencil $21.2 million for the training.

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District chose to continue the program with its own money, which amounted to about $50,000 last semester, Supt. John W. Nicoll said.

The training, required for students who want driver’s licenses, lasts about eight weeks and comes after 10 to 12 weeks of classroom sessions.

In May, the board will reconsider what action to take next semester. Meanwhile, lessons will begin shortly.

Some students objected to use of district funds. Derrick Walker, a student at Costa Mesa High School, said he has talked with several students who want the training dropped because they could not afford to pay the district for lessons and did not want the cost to come at the expense of other education programs.

School board member Roderick MacMillian voted to fund the program but said the district should try to recoup the money: “I’d rather try to fund it and use whatever political clout we have to try to get that money back.”