According to a 2007 report by the Education Commission of the States, there are 17 U.S. that require teens to meet school attendance requirements in order to drive. Kentucky, however, is one of only four (along with Mississippi, North Carolina and West Virginia) that also requires a teenager to maintain satisfactory grades in order to hold a valid driver's license.
In order for a teenager to obtain a Kentucky driver's license, there are several requirements that must be met. While some states allow 15-year-old students to obtain learner's permits, teens in Kentucky must be at least 16, and must pass a written test and vision test. In addition, a student driver is required to complete a driver's education program through a school, the state, or privately through a certified instructor. Students also need to record at least 60 hours of driving before being allowed to obtain a license, and, for one year, can only drive when a licensed driver (21 years of age or older) is in the car.
In addition to these and other regulations, Kentucky maintains a No Pass/No Drive law that insists 16- and 17-year-old students meet minimum educational requirements relating to performance and attendance. According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, schools issue a School Compliance Verification Form to the state's Division of Driver Licensing detailing whether a student has met the requirements. If a student has nine or more unexplained absences, this can be cause for immediate revocation of the license. After turning 18, Kentucky drivers are exempt from academic requirements.
In addition to attendance, students must meet acceptable academic standards in order to hold a driver's license. A student is deemed academically deficient if he or she has failed four or more courses in the previous semester, has nine or more unexcused absences, or has dropped out of school. At that point, the school has the option to revoke the student's Compliance Verification Form, which will result in immediate suspension of the driver's license.
The intention behind the Kentucky's No Pass/No Drive law---to encourage teens to stay in school and maintain good grades---is sound, but there is no empirical evidence that it's actually working. According to an article in "Education Week," no research exists as to whether the statute has caused drop-out rates to decrease, although it has led to increased monitoring of student absences by schools. However, the article also indicates that some Kentucky educators consider the No Pass/No Drive law to be a success based on anecdotal evidence.
