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Performance Measurement and Monitoring Would Strengthen Accountability of North Carolina's Driver Education Program (March 2014)

Summary

In response to a 2010 review by the Program Evaluation Division, the General Assembly passed reforms in 2011 that reaffirmed the responsibility of the Department of Public Instruction to administer the driver education program. While generally responsive to the 2011 reform law, DPI's strategic plan lacks objectives and quantitative performance indicators. In addition, DPI does not have a uniform method to deliver driver education statewide, performs no monitoring of LEA instructors, and failed to conduct a valid pilot project for testing the effectiveness of online versus traditional instruction. The General Assembly should require statewide performance measures and a data-driven outcome monitoring system for driver education as well as a feasibility study on offering uniform online classroom driver education.

Final Report

Executive Summary

Presentation

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Related Reports:

Related Materials:

Relevant Legislation:

  • House Bill 70/Senate Bill 43 (2017–18): An act to require the School of Government at the University of North Carolina to develop standards for state agencies to use when designing and implementing pilot projects mandated by the General Assembly, to require the Office of State Budget and Management to adopt rules implementing those standards, and to require all pilot projects mandated by the General Assembly to use those standards, as recommended by the Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee. This legislation was not enacted.
  • House Bill 72/Senate Bill 91 (2015–16): An act to require the School of Government at the University of North Carolina to coordinate a working group charged with developing standards for state agencies to use when designing and implementing pilot projects mandated by the General Assembly, and to require the Office of State Budget and Management to adopt rules implementing the standards. This legislation was not enacted.
  • Senate Bill 751/House Bill 1038 (2013–14) proposed requiring the State Board of Education to establish and utilize performance indicators; DPI to establish a follow-up information management system; the Department of Transportation to study the cost and feasibility of delivering driver education through electronic means; and the School of Government at the University of North Carolina to establish standards for use by all departments, agencies, bureaus, divisions, and institutions of the State when conducting and completing pilot projects requested by the General Assembly. This legislation was not enacted.

Subsequent Agency Actions:

  • DPI and the Driver Education Advisory Committee are in the final stages of developing a list of Performance Indicators that would create measurable benchmarks for LEAs to self-measure. These measures will be equitable regardless of the size of the LEA.
  • DPI and the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) meet quarterly and have agreed to establish a question bank acceptable to both agencies that will be administered at the driver education class level. Development of a tracking system is being discussed where information would be accessible to DPI and the LEAs to assist in addressing locations and types of collisions and fatalities.
  • Once national standards for online driver education are released, DMV and DPI will use them to enhance the program and assist teachers in the classroom.
  • A Parental Involvement pilot project is currently being developed by UNC Highway Research.

Press Coverage: