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Curriculum Standards for Driver Education Providers

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Driver education providers must offer curriculum and instructional materials that complies with all requirements of Texas Education Code 1001, Subchapter C and 16 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 84, Subchapter M.

Curriculum must include all required topics and minimum time requirements outlined in the Program of Organized Instruction (see below).

Courses You Can Offer

At each main-location, providers may apply for endorsements to deliver instruction in one of the following settings:

endorsement and couse-type structure for driver education providers

For the online and in-person endorsement methods, providers may apply to offer both a 32-hour teen course and a 6-hour adult course.

Parent-taught driver education courses can be offered either by selling physical media (books, CD, DVD, etc.) or in-person without additional endorsements.

The result is that providers may offer a total of five (5) course-types, as listed above, that may be offered at each location.

An additional provider license is required to offer more courses than is described above. For example, offering two separate courses of the same type will require an additional provider license (e.g offering two different in-person 6-hour adult courses).

Branch Locations

A branch location may only offer the same in-person courses offered under the in-person endorsement for the provider’s main-location license.

Endorsement Types

To add a new endorsement to an existing license, log into your Online Licensing Services account.

Under "Manage Your License Information," use the drop-down menu and select "Add Endorsement."

add endorsement in online licensing system

The Add Endorsement in Versa Guide (PDF) will guide you through the steps for this process.

A Driver Education Provider can teach up to three endorsements (Online, In-person, Parent Taught). An initial provider license is $500.00 with one endorsement included at no additional charge. Each endorsement added after is $300.00 each.

American Sign Language Course

TDLR has created a driver education course in American Sign Language that you may offer to students.

This course is completely optional and is available for students who wish to use it. Providers are not required to offer this course to students, and no student is required to use this course.

Curriculum in Other Languages

You may offer courses in languages other than English, however, the driver license knowledge test must be taken in English or Spanish. The student must be able to understand road signs written in English to pass the tests. All course curriculum, regardless of whether it is in English or Spanish, must meet the same educational standards and objectives established in Texas law, administrative rules, and the Program of Organized Instruction (POI). Providers needing further clarification on testing in other languages will need to contact the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Curriculum Sources

Providers may either independently develop their own curriculum or obtain curriculum from third party sources. Third party sources, include driver education textbooks that are digital or paper. In either case, the curriculum must meet or exceed all requirements of Texas Education Code 1001 Subchapter C and the Texas Administrative Rules, Chapter 84, and include all required topics outlined in the Program of Organized Instruction.

The Program of Organized Instruction (POI) is not curriculum, it is a manual created for providers, that includes the required course content for the classroom instruction phase and the in-car training phase for the minor/adult driver education course. Providers using a third-party source, or their own curriculum will use that encompass with the POI, Driver Education & Safety laws and rules, and the current Texas Driver Handbook to create a strong driver education course.

Program of Organized Instruction

The Program of Organized instruction is a document created by TDLR that establishes the course objectives, designates educational materials to be used, and prescribes the minimum number of hours required for each type of instruction.

The course types are listed below:

Course Type Program of Organized Instruction
32-Hour Teen Program of Organized Instruction (POI) for Driver Education and Traffic Safety (PDF)
6-Hour Adult Program of Organized Instruction (POI) for Driver Education and Traffic Safety (Adult Six-Hour) (PDF)

Educational Materials

Each classroom student must have a driver education textbook or access to instructional materials that are in compliance with the Program of Organized Instruction.

Instructional materials, including textbooks, must be in a condition that is legible and free of obscenities.

All driver education students must have access to a current edition of the Texas Driver Handbook, available online in English and Spanish.

Required Content

Texas Education Code, Chapter 1001, §102–1101 contain specific infomation on topics that must be included in driver education curriculum:

To assist with these requirements, TDLR offers some supporting materials. See the curriculum resources page for more information.

The Statement of Assurance forms, are located under the Driver Education Provider forms page.

Fee Schedule

When you apply for a driver education provider license, the first endorsement is included with your license application fee.

Subsequent endorsements require an additional fee of $300/each.

Endorsements (Regardless of Type) Fee
First Endorsement Included with application fee
Second Endorsement $300
Third Endorsement $300