No teaching staff member shall be employed in the public schools by any board of education unless he is the holder of a valid certificate to teach, administer, direct or supervise the teaching, instruction, or educational guidance of, or to render or administer, direct or supervise the rendering of nursing service to, pupils in such public schools and of such other certificate, if any, as may be required by law.

Notwithstanding the foregoing certification requirement, boards of education shall be permitted to enter into contracts with properly licensed commercial drivers’ schools for the purpose of providing behind-the-wheel instruction as a part of a regular curriculum driver education course, provided that classroom instruction in driver education is conducted by a certified teaching staff member. When classroom instruction in driver education is conducted by a certified teaching staff member, persons providing behind-the-wheel instruction need not be certified teachers but shall be properly licensed driving instructors under rules and regulations of the Division of Motor Vehicles.

L.1967, c.271; amended by L.1983, c. 281, s. 4, eff. July 29, 1983.