A project that has been underway for several months is up and running – or driving – at Cambridge High School. Drivers’ Education classes are back after a long absence from the school and for the 2025-2026 school year, they are free.

Thanks to a partnership between the school district and the East Central Ohio Educational Service Center (ECOESC), some Drive to Succeed grant funding from the State of Ohio and a discounted-priced car from Dunning Motor Sales, driver’s education is back and free to students.

“We strive to give kids every avenue to be successful,” Cambridge principal Bob Baier said. “Kids that can’t drive are not as employable while they’re in school and after they graduate. Not having a driver’s license can also be a barrier to taking college credit plus classes while in high school and accessing training opportunities after high school.”

Superintendent Dan Coffman echoes Baier’s comments.

“We talk a lot about eliminating barriers to student success,” Cambridge Superintendent Dan Coffman said. “We believe transportation challenges keep our students and recently graduated students from being able to be employed or to enroll in college.”

One of those barriers can be the cost of drivers’ education courses which typically cost a family between $400 and $600.

Transportation challenges often center around affordability,” Baier said. “At least for this year and hopefully into the future, we can save our students the cost of driver’s education training.”

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine continues to advocate for drivers’ education with the goal to improve road safety by ensuring more young drivers are properly trained. The Governor also established funding resources in 2023 and continues to advocate for more money for the cause.

The ECOESC applied and won grant funding to help establish the driver’s education program at Cambridge High School.

In July 2025, DeWine signed the budget bill which included a provision requiring all Ohioans under 21 to complete a full driver’s education course to get a license. Previously, drivers’ education was only required for 16 and 17-year-olds, and those over 18 could get a license with less or no training.

The new law, effective September 30, 2025, includes requirements for both classroom training and 50 hours of supervised driving practice.

Currently, 33 High School students are taking drivers’ education classes in the Fall semester with an additional 15 already signed up for Spring semester. Students must be 15½ years old and have a learner’s permit to enroll in the class.

The 24-hour classroom component is completed online in a classroom. The simulators that are used for the CDL training are also available for students to practice driving while the eight hours of driving instruction will be done in blocks in the district’s driver’s education car.

“We are excited to provide this opportunity for our students,” Baier said. “Transportation can be barrier to education, extra-curricular activities, and even part-time employment for our students.

“We also feel it is important that students learn the traffic laws and acquire the necessary driving skills to be safe on the road,” Baier added.