Iowa Admin. Code r. 761-634.4 - Instructor qualifications, application, and certification
(1)
Behind-the-wheel instructor qualifications. Behind-the-wheel
instructors must:
a. Hold a valid driver's
license that permits unaccompanied driving, other than a motorized bicycle
license or a temporary restricted license.
b. Have a clear driving record for the
previous two years.
(2)
Behind-the-wheel instructor's certification requirements.
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the following requirements apply
to a behind-the-wheel instructor:
a. An
applicant for a behind-the-wheel instructor's certification will apply to the
department using Form 431160.
(1) An initial
behind-the-wheel instructor's certification is to be submitted annually within
60 days of the expiration date unless otherwise approved by the department. The
instructor approval expires on December 31 but remains valid for an additional
30 days after the expiration date.
(2) To renew a behind-the-wheel instructor's
certification, a person will do all of the following:
1. Apply to the department annually.
Instructor approval is valid for a calendar year or the remainder of a calendar
year. The instructor approval expires on December 31 but remains valid for an
additional 30 days after the expiration date. An application for renewal of
instructor approval shall be submitted within 60 days of the expiration date
unless otherwise approved by the department.
2. Provide behind-the-wheel instruction for a
minimum of 12 clock hours during each calendar year.
b. A behind-the-wheel instructor
will complete at least one state-sponsored or state-approved behind-the-wheel
instructor refresher course biennially. Approved courses may include electronic
completion or remote attendance options. The department may develop a special
course for licensed teachers or peace officers who qualify to provide
behind-the-wheel instruction under subrule 634.4(3) or 634.4(5).
c. Upon certification, but prior to providing
behind-the-wheel instruction, the person will be:
(1) Authorized by the Iowa board of
educational examiners to provide behind-the-wheel driving instruction unless
exempt under Iowa Code section
321.178.
(2) Employed by a public or licensed
commercial or private provider of the approved driver education
course.
(3)
Instructor's certification for licensed teachers. A teacher
licensed by the Iowa board of educational examiners as provided in 282-subrule
13.10(8) will be included as an approved instructor on an annual driver
education course approval as referenced in subrules 634.3(1) and 634.6(1) and
shall meet the requirements in paragraph 634.4(2)"b" to be
certified by the department to provide behind-the-wheel instruction.
(4)
Instructor application and
certification for a teacher with an expired teacher's license. A
teacher who holds an expired initial, standard, exchange, or master educator
license with an endorsement for driver education as provided in 282-subrule
13.10(8) shall meet the requirements in subrule 634.4(2) to be certified by the
department to provide behind-the-wheel instruction.
(5)
Instructor application and
certification for active peace officers and retired peace officers.
a. An applicant for behind-the-wheel
instructor certification who is an active peace officer or a retired peace
officer as referenced in Iowa Code section
321.178 shall:
(1) Be at least 25 years of age.
(2) Submit Form 431233 certifying the
person's status as an active or retired peace officer.
(3) Meet all other requirements of subrule
634.4(2), except peace officers or retired peace officers who otherwise qualify
under this subrule are not required to meet the requirement of subparagraph
634.4(2)"c"(1).
b. A retired peace officer is only required
to submit Form 431233, required under paragraph 634.4(5)"a,"
to the department once unless the form is invalid or not accepted by the
department.
(6)
Instructor application and certification for persons other than
licensed teachers, peace officers or retired peace officers. A person
who is not licensed by the Iowa board of educational examiners to provide
classroom driver education as provided in 282-subrule 13.10(8), who does not
hold an expired teacher's license as referenced in subrule 634.4(4), or who is
not a peace officer or a retired peace officer as referenced in Iowa Code
section 321.178 must satisfy all of the
following to be certified by the department to provide behind-the-wheel
instruction:
a. Be at least 25 years of
age.
b. Meet the requirements in
subrule 634.4(2).
c. Successfully
complete a department-approved instructor preparation course within 12 months
of application for behind-the-wheel instruction certification. The instructor
preparation course will:
(1) Be a driver
education teacher preparation program that is designed to observe, coach, and
evaluate behind-the-wheel instructor candidates.
(2) Be approved by the Iowa board of
educational examiners.
(3) Consist
of 24 hours of classroom instruction in sessions not exceeding 4 hours that
covers, at minimum, the psychology of the young driver, behind-the-wheel
teaching techniques, and driving route selection.
(4) Consist of 12 hours of behind-the-wheel
instruction in sessions not exceeding 4 hours in a dualcontrolled vehicle with
a licensed driver education instructor.
(7)
Behind-the-wheel
certification-reissuance.
a.
Completion of the behind-the-wheel instructor preparation course will be
required to re-issue a behind-the-wheel instructor certification that has
expired and is past the renewal date unless the applicant has:
(1) Held a valid behind-the-wheel
certification within the two years immediately preceding the
application.
(2) Provided a minimum
of 12 clock hours of behind-the-wheel instruction within the two years
immediately preceding the application.
(3) Completed at least one state-sponsored or
state-approved behind-the-wheel instructor refresher course within the two
calendar years immediately preceding the application unless otherwise exempt
under this chapter.
(4) Completed a
minimum of 12 clock hours shadowing a teacher licensed by the Iowa board of
educational examiners as provided in 282-subrule 13.10(8) through a
department-approved driver education program within 90 days immediately
preceding the application.
b. Upon recertification but prior to
providing behind-the-wheel instruction, the person will:
(1) Be authorized by the Iowa board of
educational examiners to provide behind-the-wheel driving instruction unless
otherwise exempt under this chapter.
(2) Be employed by a public or licensed
commercial or private provider of the approved driver education course and work
under the supervision of a person licensed by the Iowa board of educational
examiners as provided in 282-subrule 13.10(8).
Notes
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
(1) Course approval. Any school district, area education agency, merged area school, other agency or person planning to offer a driver education course must receive course approval, which includes approval of all teachers and instructors listed on the application, from the department prior to the beginning of the first class that is offered and annually thereafter. The agency or institution or person shall apply for course approval in a manner determined by the department. Course approval must be renewed annually. The approval is valid for one calendar year or a remaining calendar year and expires on December 31. The application for course renewal shall be submitted to the department within 60 days of the expiration date, unless otherwise approved by the department.
(2) Course requirements. Driver education courses provided by approved programs must comply with the following:
a. Schools shall provide for each student a minimum of 1800 minutes in classroom instruction, plus 360 minutes in supervised laboratory instruction , exclusive of observation time, in a dual-control motor vehicle.
b. Each student shall be scheduled to receive classroom or laboratory instruction each week of the course. Except upon showing of good cause, laboratory instruction shall not conclude later than 45 days after classroom instruction has been completed. When the driver education course provider determines there is good cause, the laboratory instruction shall not conclude later than 90 days after classroom instruction has been completed. For the purpose of this paragraph, "good cause" means an unanticipated event causing a delay in the student's ability to complete the laboratory instruction if the event is beyond the student's control.
c. Behind-the-wheel instruction shall be limited to a maximum of 30 minutes per student per session and a maximum of 60 minutes in a single day.
d. Two or more students shall be scheduled for all behind-the-wheel instruction to ensure that appropriate observation time is experienced.
e. Routine maintenance of motor vehicles to maximize energy efficiency and safety shall be included in classroom instruction.
f. Operation of motor vehicles to maximize energy efficiency and safety shall be included in classroom instruction.
g. Each school district shall provide students who are absent from instruction an opportunity to make up a reasonable amount of time and coursework.
h. When driving simulators are used for part of the behind-the-wheel driving experience, four hours of simulator experience shall be considered equal to one hour of behind-the-wheel driving in the car. However, in addition to simulator time, a minimum of three hours of on-street, behind-the-wheel driving must be completed.
i. When driving ranges are used in driver education courses, two hours of range experience shall be considered equal to one hour of on-street, behind-the-wheel driving. However, in addition to range time, a minimum of three hours of on-street, behind-the-wheel driving must be completed.
j. Motor vehicles which are designed primarily for carrying nine or fewer occupants, excluding motorcycles and mopeds, are the only motor vehicles approved for use in driver education courses, and each shall be equipped with a dual control. In addition, all driver education vehicles shall have an inside rearview mirror and an outside rearview mirror mounted on each side of the vehicle.
k. The driver education teacher or instructor shall verify at the beginning of each course that each student possesses a valid instruction permit or driver's license. Each student shall be responsible for possessing an instruction permit or driver's license throughout all laboratory instruction and report any suspension, revocation or cancellation of the instruction permit or driver's license to the driver education teacher or instructor prior to attending laboratory instruction .
(3) Experimental program. Approval of an experimental program may be granted by the department if based on student or school district need for improved instruction. The maximum duration of an experimental program shall be three years. Annual documentation of the effectiveness of instruction is required and must be submitted to the department subsequent to program completion.