In-Person Teen Classes in Carrollton & The Colony — Plus Zoom and Online
In-Person Teen Driver Education in Carrollton & The Colony
Give your teen the structure of a real classroom and hands-on driving
instruction through one local driving school. Attend scheduled,
in-person classes at Drive Smart in Carrollton or The Colony, then
complete the required in-car driving and observation lessons at either
location.
Need a different classroom format? Drive Smart also offers live
instructor-led Zoom classes and our own self-paced 24-hour online
classroom—with local in-car instruction available in Carrollton or
The Colony. A classroom-only online option is also available for
eligible parent-taught and remote students.
In-Person Classroom
Carrollton Classes & Driving
The Colony Classes & Driving
TDLR-Licensed School
Live Instructor on Zoom
Self-Paced Online 24/7
Choose Exactly What Your Teen Needs
Every option below includes the required 24-hour teen classroom
portion. The important differences are how the classroom is delivered
and whether Drive Smart provides the 7 hours of driving and 7 hours
of observation.
Option 1 · Local Full Program
In-Person Classroom + In-Car Instruction
Best for: students who learn best face-to-face and want one local
school for classroom and driving.
Attend scheduled classroom instruction at Drive Smart in
Carrollton or The Colony, then complete behind-the-wheel lessons
with Drive Smart instructors at either location.
- 24 hours of scheduled, in-person classroom instruction
- 7 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction
- 7 hours of in-car observation
- Carrollton or The Colony driving locations
- Live help from a local driving school team
Option 2 · Live Remote Full Program
Live Zoom Classroom + Local In-Car Instruction
Best for: students who want real-time teaching from home and local
in-car lessons afterward.
Join scheduled, live Zoom lessons taught by a TDLR-licensed Drive
Smart instructor. This is a real instructor-led classroom—not
prerecorded video. Complete the in-car portion in Carrollton or
The Colony.
- 24 hours of scheduled remote classroom instruction
- Live instructor, class participation and questions
- Required supporting Google Classroom work
- 7 hours driving + 7 hours observation locally
- In-car lessons at Carrollton or The Colony
Option 3 · Flexible Local Full Program
Self-Paced Online Classroom + Local In-Car Instruction
Best for: busy students who need classroom flexibility but still
want professional local driving lessons.
Complete Drive Smart’s own 24-hour online classroom on your
schedule, then take the required in-car instruction with our local
team. Classroom access is online 24/7.
- Drive Smart’s own structured online classroom course
- Self-paced access without waiting for a class date
- 24 hours of required classroom instruction
- 7 hours driving + 7 hours observation included
- In-car lessons at Carrollton or The Colony
Option 4 · Classroom Only
Self-Paced Online Classroom Only
Best for: eligible parent-taught families, remote Texas students,
or students arranging in-car training separately.
Complete only the 24-hour classroom portion through Drive Smart’s
online course. No Drive Smart driving or observation lessons are
included in this selection.
- 24-hour online classroom course
- Self-paced access from anywhere in Texas
- Useful for eligible parent-taught families
- Useful when driving will be completed elsewhere
- Family is responsible for the lawful in-car portion
What Makes Drive Smart’s Online Program Different?
Many online driver education companies sell only a classroom course.
Local families must then find a separate driving school, transfer
records, and piece together the in-car portion on their own.
One Connected Local Program
Drive Smart students may complete our self-paced online classroom
and then continue directly into Drive Smart in-car training at
Carrollton or The Colony. There is no
corporate-course-to-local-school handoff.
Classroom-Only Flexibility
Families who truly need only classroom education can select that
option instead. This works well for eligible parent-taught
families, students living outside North DFW, or students completing
driving elsewhere.
Teen Driver Education Options at a Glance
Use this chart to avoid enrolling in the wrong program.
| Program |
Classroom Format |
Drive Smart In-Car Included? |
Where Driving Happens |
Best Fit |
| In-Person Full Program |
Scheduled, face-to-face |
Yes — 7 driving + 7 observation |
Carrollton or The Colony |
Traditional classroom learners |
| Live Zoom Full Program |
Scheduled, live remote instructor |
Yes — 7 driving + 7 observation |
Carrollton or The Colony |
Remote learning with live structure |
| Self-Paced Online Full Program |
Online on the student’s schedule |
Yes — 7 driving + 7 observation |
Carrollton or The Colony |
Maximum flexibility plus local driving |
| Self-Paced Classroom Only |
Online on the student’s schedule |
No |
Parent/other lawful provider arranges it |
Parent-taught, remote, or transfer plans |
Looking for Free Driver Education in Texas?
Straight answer: Drive Smart’s required 24-hour teen driver education
courses and in-car lessons are not free.
Families searching for free driver education can
begin with free study resources. The Texas Department of Public Safety
provides the official Texas Driver Handbook at no charge, and students
can use free study materials to begin learning traffic laws and road
signs.
Some qualifying young people may also be able to receive funded driver
education through the
Texas Workforce Commission Driver Education Funding Program.
The program is intended to help eligible youth and young adults,
including certain individuals who are currently or formerly in foster
care or experiencing homelessness, obtain driver education and work
toward becoming licensed drivers.
Funding is limited, eligibility requirements apply, and program
availability can change.
As of July 27, 2026, the Texas Workforce Commission states that the
application window is currently closed.
Families can use the official link below to review eligibility
information and check whether applications reopen.
A free handbook, video, or practice quiz does not replace enrollment
in the required teen driver education program. Drive Smart offers paid
classroom and in-car options so families can choose exactly which
parts they need without being told a paid course is “free.”
Local In-Car Driving Lessons in Carrollton & The Colony
Students enrolled in any Drive Smart full program may complete the
school-required 7 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction and 7 hours
of observation through our Carrollton or The Colony locations.
The online classroom may be completed from anywhere, but Drive Smart
in-car lessons are local. Families who cannot travel to Carrollton or
The Colony should choose classroom only and make a lawful plan for the
driving portion before enrolling.
Carrollton
The Colony
Frisco
Lewisville
Plano
Little Elm
Coppell
Addison
Denton
North Dallas
From Classroom to Texas Driver License
Whichever classroom format you choose, the licensing path still
includes these major steps.
1
Classroom
Complete the required 24-hour teen classroom course in person,
live on Zoom, or self-paced online.
2
Learner License
Complete the required first classroom hours and other eligibility
steps before applying for the learner license.
3
Driving & Practice
Complete the required in-car instruction and supervised practice
under the program selected.
4
Road Test
After meeting Texas age, permit-holding, education, practice and
Impact Texas Drivers requirements, take the road test.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Drive Smart’s online teen course really your own course?
Yes. It is Drive Smart’s own structured 24-hour online classroom
course, built for Drive Smart students. It is not a generic
corporate course that automatically transfers the student to an
unrelated local school.
Is the online teen course available 24 hours a day?
The self-paced course portal is accessible online 24/7, subject
to normal system availability. “24-hour course” refers to the
required instructional length; “24/7 access” refers to when
students may log in.
Are Zoom classes prerecorded?
No. Zoom classes are scheduled live classes taught by a
TDLR-licensed Drive Smart instructor and include required
participation and supporting Google Classroom work.
Can an online student still take driving lessons with Drive Smart?
Yes. Select the full online program with driving. After becoming
eligible for the in-car phase, the student may schedule Drive Smart
lessons through Carrollton or The Colony.
What does classroom only mean?
Classroom only includes the 24-hour online classroom course but
does not include behind-the-wheel instruction or observation. The
family must complete the in-car requirements separately through a
lawful option.
Does classroom only work with parent-taught driver education?
It can be a good fit for eligible families planning a parent-taught
path, but the family must follow all current Texas parent-taught
eligibility, application, recordkeeping and in-car requirements.
Is teen driver education free?
Drive Smart’s required course and driving instruction are paid
services. The official Texas Driver Handbook is available free.
Certain eligible youth may also qualify for funding through the
Texas Workforce Commission Driver Education Funding Program when
applications and funding are available.
Which option should we choose if we live far from Carrollton or
The Colony?
Choose the self-paced classroom-only option if the student cannot
attend Drive Smart’s local in-car lessons, then arrange the driving
portion separately. If you can travel here for lessons, choose the
full online program.
Choose the Right Teen Driver Education Program
Want classroom and driving handled locally? Choose in-person, live
Zoom, or self-paced online with driving. Need only the online classroom
for a parent-taught, remote, or separate in-car plan? Choose classroom
only at checkout.
Drive Smart Driving School • Carrollton and The Colony, Texas •
TDLR School Licenses C2830 and C2830A