The Transfer Student with Partial Hours
A student moves from a DDS-licensed school in Augusta to a school in Atlanta after completing 18 of 30 classroom hours and 2 of 6 behind-the-wheel hours. The Augusta school closed unexpectedly, and its owner cannot be reached. The parent brings a handwritten sheet signed by an instructor showing the hours, plus a screenshot of an online portal. The Atlanta school's director wants to credit all 18 classroom hours and 2 driving hours so the student can finish in one week. The next DDS-approved class starts in three weeks, and the student's road test is in two weeks. The instructor also receives a phone call from an attorney representing a former student who wants that former student's complete training record.
1. What must the Atlanta school verify before awarding transfer credit for the classroom and behind-the-wheel hours?
Read the worked answer
The school should not credit hours from a handwritten sheet and a screenshot alone. Transfer credit must be based on verifiable records from a DDS-licensed school: an official transcript or completion record, the sending school's license information, instructor identification, dates, and hours by component. Because the Augusta school closed, the Atlanta school should contact DDS to ask whether records were filed or whether any verification is available. If verification is impossible, the school should not award the 18 classroom hours as completed. It may use a placement assessment to determine what the student knows, but assessment does not automatically replace required instructional hours. The 2 behind-the-wheel hours also require verification; if not verified, they should be redone.
2. How should the school handle the incomplete records and the certificate if the road test is in two weeks?
Read the worked answer
The school should explain to the parent that the road test date may need to move. The student must complete the remaining required components under the Atlanta school's license: the balance of classroom hours if credit is verified, or the full required classroom if it is not, plus the remaining behind-the-wheel hours. The certificate should be issued only after all DDS-required hours are documented and the student meets the school's completion standard. The director's wish to compress the course into one week cannot override verification and hour requirements. The school should give the parent a written plan: what is verified, what must be repeated, and the earliest realistic completion date. This protects the student from a false completion record.
3. How should the instructor respond to the attorney's request for a former student's training record?
Read the worked answer
The instructor should not release the record on the phone. Student training records are confidential and should be released only with proper authorization: a signed consent from the former student, or a valid subpoena or court order. The instructor should verify the attorney's identity, note the date and scope of the request, and route it to the school's designated records custodian. The school should keep a log of the request and the response. If a subpoena is valid, the school should release only the records covered and may consult legal counsel. The same confidentiality discipline applies to DDS inspection requests: DDS has authority to inspect records, but other requesters do not. Accurate retention and controlled release protect both students and the school.