Brief Introductions of Presenters

1. North Carolina’s Experience with the NHTSA Driver Education Assessment & ANSTSE Technical Assistance Reggie Flythe, ADTSEA PresidentConnie Sessoms, Jr., ANSTSE ChairpersonKarl Logan, NCDPI Driver Education Consultant

2. Brief Introductions of Presenters • Reggie Flythe – Retired North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Driver Education Consultant; Former Wake County Public School System Driver Education Coordinating Teacher • Connie Sessoms, Jr. – Driver Education Specialist, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools; Executive Secretary of North Carolina Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association • Karl Logan – Current North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Driver Education Consultant; Former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Driver Education Specialist

3. Brief History of NC Driver Education • Pre-1992 – DE in school day, all staff DPI licensed, seven full-time DPI staff for DE • 1992 – DE out of school day, contracting allowed, funding cut but program fully funded • 1992 – 2010; Full-time DE staff dwindled to one part-time position • 2010 - OSBM Report (Nov.); Program Evaluation Division (PED) Review (Dec.) showed lack of program administration & oversight in DPI, no standardized curriculum, no performance measures present; DPI/SBE directed to create a driver education strategic plan

4. 2011 - 2013 • 2011 – Driver Education Reform bill, curriculum revised, state funding cut – offset by up to $45 student fee, part-time consultant for driver education only hired • 2012 – Part-time consultant worked to reconnect with local districts, draft strategic plan composed by working group of advisory committee members • 2013 – Full-time DE Consultant Position re-established, Driver Education Strategic Plan adopted by State Board of Education (Feb.), Advisory Committee established in board policy (Nov.), state funding cut – offset by student fee of up to $65

5. 2014 DPI/DMV Testing Report to legislature Final PED Report on DE Senate Bill 744 – Intended to cut all state funding (Did NOT pass) DPI partitioned NC GHSP to provide grant for NHTSA Peer Review in 2015 NC Highway Safety Plan (released July)

6. 2014 • Participated in the development of the 2015 NC Strategic Highway Safety Plan; Driver Education mentioned in five of nine emphasis categories • ANSTSE On-Site Technical Assistance was formally requested on July 2 and provided August 18 – 20, 2014

7. ANSTSE Technical Assistance for NC • Assistance was provided at NO COST to our State • Focused on two areas included in the National Standards: Program Administration & Teacher Qualifications • Phone call was made prior to visit to brief assistance team • Materials and web links to articles and reports were provided to team members prior to visit

8. Technical Assistance On-Site • Team members used the National Standards to assess how NC was performing in the areas of Program Administration and Instructor Qualifications • Team members reviewed documents relevant to driver education historically since the OSBM & PED review of 2010 • Team members met with Driver Education Advisory Committee, DE stakeholders, Program Evaluation Division & DPI staff • Team members provided a list of accomplishments and recommendations in preparation for a full assessment

9. What did Technical Assistance do for NC? • Provided detailed analysis in the two areas of focus • Provided accomplishments & focused on standards that needed improvement • Identified items that could be improved short-term and those that need long-term solutions • Laid the groundwork for a thorough self-assessment, in preparation for the NHTSA assessment • Provided support for driver education which caught eye of legislators

10. NHTSA Driver Education Assessment • Requested $30,000 in grant funding from Governor’s Highway Safety in 2014. Funding provided in 2015 GHSP budget. • NHTSA Assessment scheduled for May 5 – 8, 2015 • Five Assessment Team Members, One NHTSA representative and One Staff Member

11. NHTSA Assessment Schedule • Team arrived on Monday, May 4 • Team heard testimony Tuesday, May 5 & Wednesday, May 6 • Team held closed session on Thursday, May 7 • Report out on Friday, May 8 – Priority Recommendations shared with the Public, Draft report provided to NHTSA for Final Review • Official report provided to State of North Carolina in early Fall 2015

12. What assessment did for NC • Promoted collaboration among various State agencies and Driver Education stakeholders • Provided a detailed, unbiased look at Driver Education in NC • Provided details on how NC aligns with the National Standards • Provided recommendations to assist NC in meeting standards in the areas of Program Administration, Education & Training, Instructor Qualifications, Parental Involvement and Coordination with Driver Licensing

13. What assessment did for NC • Recommendations provided guidance for Driver Education Consultant, DEAC, State Agencies and other stakeholders to use in program improvements and policy development • Provided legislators a NHTSA supported document, using the National Standards, to review and assist in future legislation

14. Connie Sessoms • During this transition, Connie Sessoms was the Chair of the Driver Education Advisory Committee (DEAC) • NC had a functioning DEAC already engrossed in State School Board policy. • Wide Range of Stakeholders • Provided guidance and advice to Dr. Matthews in the absence of a DPI DE Consultant

15. Connie Sessoms • The DEAC divided into subcommittees to discuss each focus area of the Assessment • Meetings were held mostly by webinar • Recommendations were made with a particular focus first on changes that could be made that did not have a high dollar cost • Recommendations were brought back to the larger committee for ratification and proposal

16. Connie Sessoms • Some of the hot button issues: • Standardized Curriculum with a standardized final assessment • Strategic Plan update • Parent Involvement • Performance Measures • Teacher Qualifications and Training • Police Traffic Stops • Online Driver Education

17. Connie Sessoms • The full blown State Assessment – Peer Review did not reveal any surprises because of the Self-Assessment requirement feature as well as the Onsite Technical Assistance prerequisite. • Part of our success has been because of a robust and involved state association, a legislative consultant and some key influential legislators.

18. Funding for program ended • June 30, 2015 • July 1, 2015 – Oct. 1, 2015 • Sept. 18, 2015 Funding restored • Dec. 14, 2015 – New Consultant hired

19. HB 97 (2015 Appropriations Act • 15 Questions by the General Assembly • SECTION 8.39.(d) • Local boards of education shall report to the State Board of Education no later than December 15, 2015, on the following related to driver education programs offered by and through the local school administrative unit for the: • 2012 - 2013, • 2013 -2014, • 2014 -2015, • 2015 - 2016 school years:

20. HB 97 (2015 Appropriations Act • Data • Driver Education Multi-year Survey • 164 Questions • 18,860 responses

21. Types of Questions 1. How the program is provided 2. Cost/student 3. How the fleet is provided and maintained 4. Numbers of students eligible 5. Instructional materials used. 6. Transfer of student info to other agencies 7. Role of parents 8. Complaints resolution process • 9. Wait time between classroom phases and BTW. • 10. Average and maximum classroom hours on: • School days and Non-school days • 11. Average and max time for BTW • School days and Non-school days • 12. Process to review teacher’s driving records. • 14. Tracking of student outcomes at the license office. • 15. Fees- reduction or waiver policy, and how many meet the qualifications.

22. NC Driver Education Reform Matrix