Leyden adds Drivers Education Behind the Wheel options

As a way to improve access to Drivers Education options for students, Leyden recently expanded its offerings to include the Behind-the-Wheel option during the school year. This new initiative will begin with the start of the 2025-26 school year, impacting current freshmen.

Behind-the-Wheel is the on-the-road portion of the course, where students apply what they have learned in the classroom, and is required by the State of Illinois in order to obtain a driver's license. Prior to this change, Behind-the-Wheel was only offered during the summer, limiting the opportunities for students and causing many to seek this part of the coursework outside of Leyden with private companies. This is often an expensive option, sometimes costing as much as $600 or more, and in some cases, causing students to wait until their 18th birthdays to get their licenses. In contrast, Leyden only charges $250 for the necessary Behind-the-Wheel instruction. 

Starting next school year, eligible sophomores will be automatically enrolled in Behind-the-Wheel, unless they opt out of the program. Students who meet specific academic criteria and are eligible for this course will be notified via email in early summer. This includes a requirement of passing 8 semester-long classes prior to taking this class. 

The cost of $250 will be invoiced over the summer for students enrolled in Drivers Education. For families who are eligible, fee waivers are applicable to this class.