Chapter PI 21

Register December 2006 No. 612

Chapter PI 21

DRIVER EDUCATION PROGRAMS

PI 21.01   Applicability and purpose.

PI 21.02   Definitions.

PI 21.03   Uniform marking standards.

PI 21.04   Minimum standards for department approval under s. 343.06 (1) (c), Stats.

PI 21.01 PI 21.01 Applicability and purpose. This chapter establishes uniform marking standards for vehicles used as driver education vehicles pursuant to s. 341.267 (1) (b), Stats.; establishes minimum standards which all high school driver education programs must meet to obtain department approval under s. 343.06 (1) (c), Stats.; establishes standards for issuance of Wisconsin driver education certificates; and establishes minimum standards for driver education programs.

PI 21.01 History History: Cr. Register, May, 1986, No. 365, eff. 7-1-86; CR 06-092: am. Register December 2006 No. 612, eff. 1-1-07.

PI 21.02 PI 21.02 Definitions. In this chapter:

PI 21.02(1) (1) “Behind-the-wheel instruction” means that portion of the driver education program in which the student is actually driving a vehicle.

PI 21.02(2) (2) “CESA” means a cooperative educational service agency, under ch. 116, Stats.

PI 21.02(3) (3) “CCDEB” means county children with disabilities education boards, under s. 115.817, Stats.

PI 21.02(4) (4) “Classroom instruction” includes both individual or group teaching and learning activities which involve study of the inter-relationship of persons and the motor vehicle within the traffic environment.

PI 21.02(5) (5) “Department” means the department of public instruction.

PI 21.02(6) (6) “Laboratory instruction” means that portion of the program which provides students the opportunity for driving experiences and includes behind-the-wheel instruction, observation instruction, and simulation instruction.

PI 21.02(7) (7) “Multiple-vehicle driving range instruction” or “range instruction” means that portion of the program on which the student is driving a vehicle on a designated off-street facility on which a number of motor vehicles operate simultaneously.

PI 21.02(8) (8) “Observation instruction” means the instruction which occurs during the time a student is a passenger in a vehicle in which another student is receiving behind-the-wheel instruction.

PI 21.02(9) (9) “On-street instruction” means that portion of the program in which a student is driving a vehicle on public streets or highways in a dual-controlled vehicle under the supervision of a driver education teacher, or is a passenger in the vehicle while another student is driving.

PI 21.02(10) (10) “Private school” means an institution which operates a high school level educational program and meets the criteria under s. 118.165 (1), Stats., or has been determined to be a private school under s. 118.167, Stats.

PI 21.02(11) (11) “Simulation instruction” means the use of synthetic training devices to prepare a student for driving a real motor vehicle.

PI 21.02(12) (12) “TCS” means a technical college system district established under ch. 38, Stats.

PI 21.02 History History: Cr. Register, May, 1986, No. 364, eff. 7-1-86; correction in (12) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 6., Stats., Register, March, 1996, No. 483; CR 06-092: am. (3) Register December 2006 No. 612, eff. 1-1-07.

PI 21.03 PI 21.03 Uniform marking standards.

PI 21.03(1) (1) All motor vehicles used as driver education vehicles in programs operated by public school districts, private schools, CCDEBs, CESAs and TCSs shall be marked with signs as follows:

PI 21.03(1)(a) (a) The sign inscription shall read STUDENT DRIVER or DRIVER EDUCATION. The letters of the inscription shall be at least 2 inches in height and the inscription shall be visible from the front, back and both sides of the vehicle.

PI 21.03(1)(b) (b) The school shall choose one of the following combinations of size and type of signs:

PI 21.03(1)(b)1. 1. Signs which are at least 9 inches by 18 inches placed on each side of the vehicle, and signs which are at least 6 inches by 12 inches placed on the front and rear of the vehicle;

PI 21.03(1)(b)2. 2. Signs which are at least 9 inches by 18 inches placed on each side of the vehicle, and a 2-sided sign which is at least 9 inches by 18 inches placed on the roof of the vehicle; or

PI 21.03(1)(b)3. 3. A 3-sided sign on which each side is at least 5 inches by 16 inches placed on the roof of the vehicle.

PI 21.03(1)(c) (c) The sign shall be school bus yellow with black lettering.

PI 21.03(2) (2) The markings shall be removed when the vehicle is being operated for other than behind-the-wheel instruction or necessary maintenance and storage.

PI 21.03(3) (3) The school’s name shall be on the sign. If the vehicle is a dealer-loan vehicle, the dealer’s name may be on the sign. The school’s name and dealer’s name may be in letters less than 2 inches in height.

PI 21.03 History History: Cr. Register, May, 1986, No. 365, eff. 7-1-86; correction in (1) (intro.) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 6., Stats., Register, March, 1996, No. 483; CR 06-092: am. (1) (intro.) Register December 2006 No. 612, eff. 1-1-07.

PI 21.04 PI 21.04 Minimum standards for department approval under s. 343.06 (1) (c), Stats. A public school, private school, CCDEB, or CESA driver education program is approved by the department under s. 343.06 (1) (c), Stats., if the program uses vehicles which meet the requirements of s. PI 21.03 and the program meets all of the following requirements:

PI 21.04(1) (1) Course standards.

PI 21.04(1)(a) (a) A driver education course includes the following:

PI 21.04(1)(a)1. 1. At least 30 hours of classroom instruction, including the requirements under s. 115.28 (11), Stats.

PI 21.04(1)(a)2. 2. At least 6 hours of observation instruction, and

PI 21.04(1)(a)3. 3. At least 6 hours of actual on-street behind-the-wheel instruction.

PI 21.04(1)(a)3.a. a. Multiple-vehicle driving range instruction may be substituted for up to 4 hours of the required 6 hours of on-street instruction using a formula that 2 hours of multiple-vehicle driving range instruction is equivalent to one hour of on-street instruction.

PI 21.04(1)(a)3.b. b. Simulation instruction may be substituted for up to 3 hours of the required 6 hours of on-street instruction using a formula that 4 hours of simulation instruction is equivalent to one hour of on-street instruction.

PI 21.04(1)(a)3.c. c. When both simulation and range laboratory instruction methods are used, the program must include at least 2 hours of actual on-street behind-the-wheel instruction.

PI 21.04(1)(b) (b) During the regular school year, the classroom course extends over at least 6 weeks for each student. During a summer school program, the classroom course extends over at least 3 weeks for each student.

PI 21.04(1)(c) (c) The on-street driving instruction extends over at least 3 weeks for each student. No student spends more than one hour per day actually behind-the-wheel in the on-street instruction. The one hour limitation does not include observation instruction.

PI 21.04(2) (2) Refresher course. If more than one year and one month elapses between completion of the classroom instruction and commencement of the laboratory instruction, a refresher course of classroom instruction is required. The refresher course is at least 10 hours, and includes a course of study deemed appropriate by the school district.

PI 21.04(3) (3) Teacher requirements. Teachers of the classroom instruction, simulation instruction, range instruction, and on-street instruction possess a valid license to teach driver education issued by the department as required in s. PI 34.080.

PI 21.04(4) (4) required assurance. A public or private school, CCDEB, or CESA electronically submits to the department an assurance that its driver education course plan complies with the requirements of this section along with a list of its driver education instructors and their DPI teacher file numbers.

PI 21.04 Note Note: Contact the Driver Education Program, Department of Public Instruction, P.O. Box 7841, 125 S. Webster Street, Madison, WI 53707-7841, for the current Internet address where a statement can be electronically submitted.

PI 21.04 History History: Cr. Register, May, 1986, No. 365, eff. 7-1-86; CR 06-092: am. (intro.), (1) (a) 1., (3) and (4), Register December 2006 No. 612, eff. 1-1-07; CR 13-083: am. (title), (intro.), (1) (a) (intro.), (b), (c), (2), (3), r. and recr. (4) Register May 2014 No. 701, eff. 6-1-14; correction in (3) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register January 2021 No. 781.