WisDOT to Unveil Free Driver’s Ed Initiative for Eligible High Schoolers

MILWAUKEE, Wis (Civic Media) — The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is set to launch a new Driver Education Grant Program aimed at providing low-income students access to driver education courses. The program will be celebrated at an event on Thursday, September 5, at Pulaski High School in Milwaukee.

The initiative, part of Wisconsin Act 86 signed by Governor Tony Evers in December, allocates $6 million to fund driver education for eligible high school students across the state. Officials estimate that between 10,000 and 13,300 students could benefit from the program.

WisDOT representatives, along with local and state officials, community groups, and students, will gather to mark the program’s start. 

This grant program aims to address the financial barriers that have prevented many teens from accessing driver education, particularly in urban areas like Milwaukee. According to a 2016 study, only 30% of 18-year-olds in Milwaukee held a driver’s license, compared to 66% statewide.