- 'Buckle up for Meghan'
Thirty Hours of Classroom Training
If you are looking to get a driver’s license in Minnesota, you must first obtain a learner’s permit. To do so, you’ll need to complete 30 hours of classroom instruction required by law. The course teaches the principles of road awareness and safety for prospective first-time drivers. Students must be 14 years of age and older. Your fee for the driver's education classroom training does not include behind-the-wheel. When your child is ready for their six hours of behind-the-wheel, register with the link below. We offer classes throughout the year. Classroom dates and registration information is emailed to all the students at the high school using their school district issued email address when they become available. Attendance is required. Students will not be able to attend the after school class if they had an unexcused absence from high school that day. Participating in a driver’s education program is a privilege and not a requirement. If your child is disruptive to the class, you will receive a call. If the disruptive behavior continues, your child will be dropped from the course and a refund will not be issued. If your child is NOT enrolled at the Frazee High School you may register them and if needed, you may be transferred to another class if available. Students enrolled at FHS have priority over others not in the district or who are homeschooled in the district. Students should bring a notebook, pen and highlighter to class. During the school year, please bring your chrome book to class. Chrome books are not needed for summer. Summer classes do fill quickly. Class fee is $100 for students enrolled at FHS. Part of said fee is a deposit towards behind-the-wheel which is to be completed with the Frazee-Vergas Public School. The remaining $200 for behind-the-wheel is due when making the final payment and adding your child to the list for driving. There is an additional fee for students not currently enrolled at FHS. Upon successful completion of the classroom training, your child will be issued a blue card. A minimum number of students must be met in order to run the class.
Point of Impact Parent Workshop
As part of the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) law, parents will now play an even larger role in their child's development as a driver. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety adopted changes in the GDL, which include 40 hours behind the wheel (25 daytime hours and 15 night hours) for teens, a required supervised driving log available on the District's website, and a parent awareness class. The parent awareness class gives parents new tools to help their children become better drivers. Parents have the option to attend a Point of Impact Parent Workshop if enrolled at the Frazee High School or are homeschooled in the Frazee-Vergas school district . If the parent/guardian chooses to not attend a parent class, the teen driver must complete an additional 10 hours of supervised driving time with an adult totaling 50 hours. Free of charge. Supervised Driving Log
Out of District Families
If your child is NOT enrolled at the Frazee High School you may register them and if needed, you may be end up being transferred to another class if available. Students enrolled at FHS have priority over others not in the district or who are homeschooled in the district.
Information from the Department of Public Safety
Instead of waiting in line, Minnesotans have to schedule appointments online for class D knowledge tests and for road tests at the regional DVS exam stations. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services division (DPS-DVS) is discontinuing tests on a first-come-first served basis and will require appointments. Minnesotans will need to book appointments online at drive.mn.gov .
Parents, please note there is a pr e- a pplication feature for driver’s education students taking their written test . This process takes about 10-15 minutes. Please complete the pre-application. Pre-application is found on their website at: ( https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/Pages/default.aspx ) Click on the box on the right side that states “PRE-APPLY for a Driver’s License or ID” and follow the directions. Please be aware that the DPS-DVS is currently booking several weeks out. You will want to sign up as soon as possible. For questions, please contact the Detroit Lakes Exam Station at 218.846.8271 or Minnesota Department of Public Safety at 651.284.1000 or 651.284.1234.
To schedule an appointment , s elect "Schedule or Reschedule an Exam." Follow the prompts. Anyone who cannot keep an appointment should cancel their appointment online at drive.mn.gov with as much notice as possible so that appointment can be opened up for someone else. Please come prepared. Wear a face mask (required). Bring required documents. Know your social security number. Bring check, cash or money order to pay the instruction permit fee and the retesting fee, if applicable. There is a $10 test fee for third or subsequent knowledge tests after failing the first two.
Here is a checklist all the information needed for the knowledge test :
Six Hours Behind - the - Wheel Training
Behind-the-wheel training is available for anyone who currently holds a valid permit in the state of Minnesota. Individuals must have their permit six months prior to getting their license if 19 years and younger. Students will receive behind-the-wheel once registered (closer to the time of his/her sixteenth birthday) or closer to the six-month waiting period is near completion, whichever is further out, with an exception for those obtaining a farm permit.
Behind-the-wheel driving schedules are usually scheduled sometimes six to eight weeks out and sometimes longer. Road tests at Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services can be scheduled six months in advance. You can and should schedule a road test five to six months in advance because the appointments fill up fast and even if you have not received your behind-the-wheel instruction yet. If you wait to schedule your road test a month prior to wanting to take it, you may not be able to get an appointment.
Please register for behind-the-wheel at least three to four months before your scheduled license test to ensure the behind-the-wheel is done in a timely manner. Driving instruction is a private lesson with only one student in the vehicle. Once your child is registered (you will receive an email confirmation) and o ur instructors will contact you to schedule a time that works for driving when it is your child's time to drive . Typically, it is closer to their 16 th birthday. Students will drive one-on-one with an instructor in the car for three 2-hour sessions. Instructors drive with students during the week and on weekends. Times vary throughout the day and evening. Please do not register for behind-the-wheel until you receive your hard copy of the learner permit as you will need to include your permit number. F ee is $ 2 00 for students enrolled at FHS . There is an additional fee for students not currently enrolled at FHS. Upon successful completion of the six hours behind-the-wheel training, your child will be issued a white card.
Parents' role in developing safe teen drivers is crucial. Parents need to train their child on a variety of road types and different conditions (nighttime, rain, snow). The more supervised experience, the safer the teen driver. Continue to monitor and train your teen during the period of greatest crash risk — the first six to 12 months after licensure. To minimize the risks of crashes, injuries and death, talk with your teen and establish clear and reasonable driving rules that favor safety over convenience. Follow through with consequences. Encourage your child to speak up when they don't feel safe when driving or riding with others and agree to provide a safe ride for them anytime it's needed. In addition to driving six hours with us, your teen must drive 40-50 hours with a supervising driver who is 21 years of age or older. We hope your child drives more than 40-50 hours with you. Also, we strongly suggest that most of the driving occur in urban areas. Driving on the highway does not give the students the practice they need. They need interaction with other drivers to learn right of way, left and right-hand turns, etc. The majority of their practice driving should be in town.
Information from the Department of Public Safety
Parents, please know that scheduling the road test with Driver and Vehicle Services is often booked several weeks and sometimes up to six months in advance depending on the testing location. Road tests at Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services can be scheduled six months in advance. You should schedule a road test five to six months in advance because the appointments fill up fast and even if you have not received your behind-the-wheel instruction yet. If you wait to schedule your road test a month prior to wanting to take it, you may not be able to get an appointment. (You can and should register even if your child has not completed behind-the-wheel driving and received his/her white card yet.) We suggest you plan ahead and schedule your exam ahead of time to ensure you get it in a timely manner and meet the requirements set in place. To do so, go to driver's services or call the testing site. There is a $20 fee if the applicant fails to appear for a skills (road) test appointment or fails to cancel the appointment within 24 hours of the appointment time.
Make sure your child physically brings their white card to their road test. The following items are required at the time of the road test:
There is an additional $20 fee if the applicant fails to appear for a skills (road) test appointment or fails to cancel the appointment within 24 hours of the appointment time. Your appointment can be rescheduled through the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services website . R egister for your skills (road) test appointment as soon as possible. Once registered, you can reschedule the appointment date and/or location. You will not lose your current appointment until a new appointment has been rescheduled. For questions, please contact the Detroit Lakes Exam Station at 218.846.8271 or Minnesota Department of Public Safety at 651.284.1000 or 651.284.1234.
Home s chool Procedures
Students who are full-time homeschooled students working toward a home school diploma are eligible to complete the 30 hour classroom course at home with the parents as instructors. There are currently 14 approved classroom curricula for homeschooled students. The list of approved providers may be found on the DVS website. This link will inform homeschooled families who are qualified, what they need to do and the different homeschool programs that are approved by the state. (All approved courses send physical materials (textbook, workbook, video’s, etc.) when they enroll in the program.
When the students have completed the 30 hour course using one of the approved curricula, they must complete the Home s chool Driver’s Education Affidavit , and fax or mail it to the Office of Driver Education. When the completed affidavit is received by the State, a letter of completion is mailed to the homeschool family along with instructions to take the letter of completion to a school district of their choosing. The Frazee-Vergas Public Schools currently charges $200 for a blue card and a n additional fee to enroll their child in behind-the-training through the district. Purchase a blue card , go to: CLICK HERE
The Frazee-Vergas Public Schools only provides blue cards for licensed homeschool families in our district. In order to receive the blue card, the homeschool family will need to provide documentation from Dan Kerwin from the Driver Education Office in St. Paul, Minnesota, as outlined in your homeschool material. Behind-the-wheel training is a separate registration and not included in this fee.
Online C lassroom D river T raining Procedures
Students who take an online classroom driver training may purchase a blue card and sign up for behind--the-wheel training with the Frazee-Vergas Public Schools. The Frazee-Vergas Public Schools currently charges $200 for a blue card and a part of this amount goes towards the behind-the-wheel training. There is an additional fee to enroll a child in behind-the-training through the district. Purchase a blue card , go to: CLICK HERE
Farm Work License
Individuals applying for a farm work license, please note that a restricted farm work license only allows students to assist with farm work on farm/agricultural property that is owned or rented/leased by the family. If you have questions regarding the farm work license statute, which is explained in M.S. 171.041 . If you wish to apply for a farm work license, please print off and complete the Farm Work License Affidavit and return it to the Driver and Vehicle Services for approval.
Resources for Families
Articles & Resources from Department of Public Safety