ALLIANCE, OHIO – (Feb. 17, 2026) – Students at Alliance High School (AHS) will have the chance to take driver education classes through a partnership with Myers Driving School and the Stark County Educational Center (SCESC).
The classes are being funded by the Drive to Succeed grant from the Ohio Traffic Safety Office. The grant was awarded to the SCESC and is an initiative of the Ohio Department of Public Safety to offer local agencies free driver education scholarships. Grant funding could only be provided to school districts who are part of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which Alliance has been part of for several years.
The grant will provide 75 students with free driver ed classes, a total of $450 for each student. Priority will be given to AHS juniors, seniors and Career Tech students. In order to take part in the classes, students must have a driving permit and at least 15 hours of documented “on the road” driving time.
The classes will be taught by Myers Driving School immediately after school on the AHS campus. One group each month will take part in the program, with classes beginning Tuesday, Feb. 17. They will take part in two weeks of classes, three days per week and four hours each night for a total of 24 hours.
When all classes are complete and students pass their written classroom test with at least a 75%, they will be placed in the queue for their eight hours of behind-the-wheel training. Once their name moves to the top of the queue, the student will be contacted by a Myers Driving School instructor to schedule their driving time. Lessons are normally completed in four two-hour sessions.
A recent law change now permits students to receive an excused absence from classes for up to eight hours of behind-the-wheel training, provided no core classes are missed, students do not miss consecutive days and all missed assignments are completed and turned in. If any student meets this criteria and has availability in their schedules to complete training during school hours, they should reach out to Myers at 330.896.5719 to be placed on the daytime driving queue.
Once the driver ed class and in-car driving is completed, the students will be issued a certificate of completion that will be needed along with their 50-hour notarized affidavit and log sheet in order to take their driving test.
"Myers Driving School is pleased to partner with Alliance High School to provide driver education services to your students," said Tonia Gusbar, operations manager at Myers Driving School. "We recognize the importance of high-quality driver training. While obtaining a license is a critical milestone for all students, it is especially significant for those pursuing employment opportunities in their respective trades. We look forward to collaborating on this initiative and assisting the students at Alliance High School in becoming safe, knowledgeable and confident drivers."
Effective Sept. 30, 2025, all Ohio residents under the age of 21 are now required to take the 32-hour “Class D” driver education course. Previously, the age was any resident under the age of 18. The rate of teens who failed their driving test and who were involved in car crashes was high, leading to the change in law. The hope is this will make a difference and help keep young drivers safe.
Not only will this program help lift the financial burden off students and families and provide them with effective training, it also helps set students up for a positive future.
“The issue we found was CTE students were being offered manufacturing jobs in Canton and didn’t have a license,” said Shawn Jackson, assistant superintendent. “Kids need transportation for their jobs and that was a big push for us to figure that out.”
When planning for the driving program at AHS, a committee was formed at the high school composed of teachers, CTE teachers and school counselors to ensure it would be effective and beneficial for the students. Amber Patti, a school counselor at AHS was a driving force behind the planning and implementation of the program.
“Grant-funded driving school will be truly life-changing for students at Alliance High School, removing financial barriers and opening the door to independence, employment and expanded opportunities,” Patti said. “By helping students earn their driver’s licenses, we’re not just teaching a skill. We’re increasing access to jobs, postsecondary options, and essential life responsibilities. We are incredibly grateful to Doug Neading at the Educational Service Center for this funding opportunity and for supporting our students in such a meaningful way.”
Students interested in applying for one of the sessions should reach out to their school counselor.
District administrators, the SCESC and Myers Driving School are all hopeful to receive the grant again next year.
For more information about Alliance City Schools, visit www.alliancecityschools.org.