In Texas you have to be 15 to take driver's education. You had to take several months of classroom education and then spend so much time in the simulators (yep, even back in 1981 we were high-tech). After that you got a "learner's permit" and had to wait until summer vaction and spend several weeks driving around in the car with the instructor (gym coach) before you could go and take your test and you had to be 16 to do that.

You could get what was called a "hardship" license at 15, but that was for people who's parents were dead or disabled, etc.