Some major changes to the high school driver's education program have some people questioning whether schools are sacrificing student safety.

School officials say they're doing everything they can with the budgets they've been given.

Don Biggs has taught driver's ed his whole career and at Arnold High since it opened. But this year, his course will be significantly different, because vehicles have been eliminated at Arnold, Rutherford and Mosley. Bay no longer has driver's ed.

"It's a gross error for them not to be behind the wheel of the car," said Biggs.

Driving safety and traffic laws will still be taught from the books. But students won't be able to practice behind the wheel at school.

Biggs says it's a huge mistake and he doesn't want to see anyone lose their life.

"What's sad to me is between Beth Road and Beckrich Road there are six of those 'In Memory Of' signs and they're all my students; four of those it wasn't their fault," said Biggs.

The driver's ed classes at Arnold are still full, but some interest has declined.

"Typically there is a laundry list of kids waiting to get into driver's ed because they want to experience driving for the first time," said Arnold High Principal Dr. John Haley.

The course will still provide students with their alcohol and substance abuse test and learner's permit test free of charge.

In February, the school district asked the Bay County Commission to add $5 dollars to all traffic violations to support driver's ed.

However, Superintendent James McCalister decided to drop the request after County Manager Ed Smith suggested the timing wasn't right for any type of monetary increases.