GONZALES - A driving school with two locations closed its doors on January 1 while some students were still completing coursework and driving hours. Parents, grandparents, and students are upset and asking for their promised refunds.

Several instructional vehicles are parked outside the Breaux's Driving School in Gonzales. The doors are locked, lights are turned off, and a closed sign hangs in the window. Kris Gibson's grandson enrolled in the driving school in October and completed his classroom learning.

The 17-year-old needed eight hours behind the wheel before he took his driver's test but could never get on the schedule.

"They were all filled up. There was nothing available to be scheduled," Gibson said.

She says the cost to enroll at Breaux's Driving School is about $700, required upfront.

"All these other parents are bummed out too. Lately, $700 doesn't just grow on trees," Gibson said.

They'd like their money back, but when you call the driving school's phone number, there is no answer. They haven't had luck with email either. The school emailed students on December 12, 2024, before the closure, letting people enrolled know what to expect. In the email, it said refunds would be given in 60 days. However, it's unclear when that clock started ticking. If it started on December 12, the deadline has already passed.

On Thursday, a 16-year-old student came by the school looking for her refund. The teen did not want to be identified but told WBRZ she also had trouble signing up for driving time.

"It was always filled up, so I never did the driving test," she said.

The other Breaux's Driving School location on Jones Creek in Baton Rouge is also closed. There is one instructional vehicle parked in the lot.

The Office of Motor Vehicles, which regulates driving schools in Louisiana, says Breaux's Driving School did not renew its application, which has to be done every two years. If you can't reach the school or resolve your issues, contact the OMV at 225-925-1795 or email ladrivingschools@dps.la.gov.