Sport Pilot training cannot be applied to meet the dual instruction requirements for a private pilot certificate, a recent letter of interpretation from the FAA chief counsel states.
Alphabet groups are objecting to the rule, according to a story at AOPA.org:
“This rule as written requires student pilots who want to transition from seeking a sport pilot certificate to a private pilot certificate to start over again with respect to the flight-instruction requirement,” said AOPA Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs Rob Hackman. “The industry has been working with the FAA’s Flight Standards office to bring the rule more in line with the intent of the sport pilot regulations.”