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The service has averaged about 700 students a year since it started in 1999, said Peg Boudreau, vice president of instruction at Western.
Western had driver education courses at 16 locations in 2007-08, including area high schools, said Amy Thornton, director of marketing and communications at Western. The service employs 17 part-time instructors and one full-time person, Boudreau said.
Western determined the program was losing money, said Western President Lee Rasch, with costs expected to increase.
“If we were to continue offering this at Western, we would have to continue to raise the rates,” said Rasch, adding its rates already are higher than private providers in the area.
The college charges $330 per student and likely would have to raise the price to $400 to keep the service, Rasch said.
Continuing to fund driver education could draw resources away from the college’s technical programs, which are the highest priority, Rasch said.
Many area school districts have discontinued driver education courses due to increased costs and tighter budgets. The state also stopped providing $100 per student for driver education.
The La Crosse School District hasn’t offered driver education classes in many years, and the Onalaska and Holmen districts discontinued their programs last year. West Salem School District still offers driver education.
The La Crosse School District has referred many students to Western, said Jerry Berns, Franklin Elementary principal and former supervisor of the district’s driver education program.
“I am sure that the licensed private driving schools will be able to provide the services. My only concern is that this might make driver education too expensive for some families,” Berns said.
Zimmerman Driving School, one of the local private options, will charge $320, plus a fuel surcharge of up to $10, starting July 1, said Jan Slaght, office manager for the school.
Zimmerman has about 15 instructors, five cars and offers classes in La Crosse, Onalaska and Sparta, Wis.
The business is considering adding a Holmen class, she said, and could expand to locations where Western currently offers driver education.
“We’ve always been able to accommodate an increase in any number of students,” Slaght said.
KJ Lang can be reached at (608) 791-8226 or klang@lacrossetribune.com.
