LaGRANGE — West Georgia Technical College has been awarded additional grant funding from the Georgia Driver’s Education Commission to support driver education courses.

West Georgia Tech’s Joshua’s Law teen driver education courses are offered through the WGTC Community Education Department. Tuition for the course is $375.

The grant from the GDEC allows West Georgia Tech to offer the driver education courses free of charge to local teenagers who meet eligibility requirements.

Only Georgia residents between the ages of 15 and 17 with a valid learner’s permit are eligible to receive the driver’s education scholarship. Seating is limited and the courses are expected to be at full capacity.

“We are excited that the additional seats provided by GDEC under the existing 2015-2016 grant will extend the Joshua’s Law Teen Driver Education program to many more families in our service area,” said WGTC Director of Economic Development Anita Williams. “We’ve had a huge response since the initial funding started last July and I anticipate that the community will certainly take advantage of the funded program again.”

In order to receive a Class D license, an individual is required to attend 30 hours of classroom training and complete six additional hours of drive time with an approved instructor. The requirements were put in place when the Georgia General Assembly passed the Joshua’s Law legislation in 2007.

Most insurance companies reduce premiums by an average of 10 percent upon completion of the course.

“The course helps teenagers learn the rules of the road before getting behind the wheel,” Williams said. “This program has also significantly reduced the total number of crashes involving Georgia teenagers.”

West Georgia Tech is offering seven courses over the next four months.

This year’s grant-funded courses begin on Saturday at the WGTC LaGrange Campus. The last scheduled grant-funded course of the year begins in October. The courses are offered in LaGrange, Carrollton, Waco and Newnan.

For a list of available courses, dates, and locations, go to www.westgatech.edu, click on the Community Education button, and then click the box that is labeled “Personal Development Education Center.”

For more information on the driver’s education classes and scholarship eligibility, call 1-855-209-3640 and select option 1, or email coned@westgatech.edu.