Driver's Ed for School of Environmental Studies Families
Behind-the-wheel lessons for SES juniors and seniors. Build real confidence on the roads around the Minnesota Zoo campus and across Apple Valley.
Enroll Now Text 612-552-1929Many SES students already have the classroom done.
SES is a junior-senior magnet school on the Minnesota Zoo campus, so many students may already have the 30-hour classroom done from their 9th or 10th grade school. If that's your student, send us the completion letter when you enroll. If not, our state-approved online classroom is $99 and starts any day.
Finish the 30-hour classroom
Done at a previous school? Send us the completion letter. Not yet? Our online classroom starts any day.
Enroll and get the Blue Card
Enroll in our six hours of behind-the-wheel. We enter your student in the state system and issue the E-Card (Blue Card), usually overnight and always within 48 hours of payment and the classroom being done.
Pass the permit test
Your student takes the Knowledge Test with the Blue Card. Study free with NorthStarDE.com, our Minnesota permit-practice app.
Six hours behind the wheel
Permit in hand, we schedule the six one-on-one hours around your family. Then your student holds the permit at least six months and logs 50 supervised hours (15 at night) before the road test.
Lessons that fit the SES schedule
School hours
SES runs 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., which leaves room for an afternoon lesson before evening plans. Our lessons run 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., depending on the instructor.
Pickup or meet at school
Pickup is included across our normal service area, and many families simply meet the instructor at school. For some addresses there may be a small per-lesson charge, so text us yours and we'll give you an exact answer.
Roads your student already knows
Johnny Cake Ridge Road, Zoo Boulevard, Cedar Avenue and Cliff Road. We teach on the roads your student drives to school and back.
The road test
SES students take the road test at the Eagan – South Metro Exam Station on Cliff Road, about 10 minutes from SES without traffic. Add a mock road test so test day holds no surprises.
Driving to SES: student parking
The goal for most teens isn't just the license. It's driving themselves to school. Here's what School of Environmental Studies says about student parking.
School of Environmental Studies parking
SES doesn't publish student parking details online. Check with the SES office about permit options before your student's first drive to school.
Plan backward from the parking lot
A student under 18 must hold the permit at least six months and be 16 before the road test. If your teen wants to drive to school by a certain trimester or semester, start the classroom and the Blue Card early enough to get there.
Text us your target date and we'll map out the timing.
Parking details come from the school's own published information as of November 2026 and can change. Always confirm with the school.
Simple, all-in pricing
Classroom already done? Start with the six hours. Need the classroom too? The package saves $38.
Six one-on-one hours with a professional educator, including the E-Card (Blue Card) for the permit test.
Enroll NowThe 30-hour online classroom plus six hours behind the wheel. $38 less than buying them separately.
Enroll NowPayment plan available: two payments of $220 for the six hours. Want more practice? 2-hour lessons are $175 and a mock road test is $75 an hour.
Nervous about driving?
Plenty of new drivers are. Our instructors are educators who slow down, explain clearly, and build confidence one skill at a time.
The 50 hours at home
Six hours are ours; the 50 supervised hours are yours. Your instructor will tell you what to practice next after every lesson, so home drives build on what they learned.
SES driver's ed FAQ
My student is a junior or senior and doesn't have a license yet. Is that unusual?
Not at all. Plenty of students get licensed at 17 or later. If your student is under 18, the steps are the same: Blue Card, permit test, six hours with us, six months on the permit, then the road test. Students 18 or older follow the adult steps; see our adult lessons page.
My student took Safety Education at another high school. Does that count?
Yes. Any state-approved 30-hour classroom works. Send us the completion letter when you enroll.
Where do SES students take the road test?
At the Eagan – South Metro Exam Station on Cliff Road, about 10 minutes from SES without traffic.
How much does driver's ed cost?
$438 for six hours of behind-the-wheel, including the Blue Card. Our online classroom is $99, or get both for $499. A payment plan of two $220 payments is available for the six hours.
Ready to get your SES student on the road?
Enroll now and we'll take it from there, starting with the Blue Card.
Enroll Now Text 612-552-1929