15-1105. Lease of school property; immunity; civic center school fund; reversion to school plant fund; definitions

A. The governing board, or the superintendent or chief administrative officer with the approval of the governing board, may lease school property, including school buildings, grounds, buses and equipment, to any person, group or organization for any lawful purpose, including recreational, educational, political, economic, artistic, moral, scientific, social, religious or other civic or governmental purpose in the interest of the community, including extended day resource programs. The governing board, superintendent or chief administrative officer shall charge a reasonable use fee for the lease of the school property, which may include goods contributed or services rendered by the person, group or organization to the school district.

B. The governing board, or the superintendent or chief administrative officer with the approval of the governing board, may permit the uncompensated use of school buildings, grounds, buses, equipment and other school property by any school related group, including student political organizations, or by any organization whose membership is open to the public and whose activities promote the educational function of the school district as determined in good faith by the school district's governing board, or the superintendent or chief administrative officer with the approval of the governing board, including extended day resource programs, except as provided in section 15-511.

C. A school district and its employees, including the governing board, superintendent or chief administrative officer, are immune from civil liability with respect to all decisions made and actions taken to allow the lease or use of school property, unless the school district or its employees are guilty of gross negligence or intentional misconduct. This subsection does not limit any other immunity provisions that are prescribed by law.

D. A person, group or organization that is otherwise eligible to lease school property shall not be denied use of or charged differentiated fees for school property on the basis of the person's, group's or organization's beliefs, expression of beliefs or exercise of the rights of association that are protected under the laws of this state, the Constitution of Arizona, the laws of the United States or the United States Constitution.

E. The governing board shall annually approve a fee schedule for the lease of school property. The fee schedule shall include a designation of the persons, groups or organizations that shall have uncompensated use of the school property, and a procedure for determining the value of goods and services being provided as compensation for the use of school property. The governing board, superintendent or chief administrative officer shall require proof of liability insurance for such use or lease of school property.

F. Except as provided in section 15-1102, monies received for and derived from the use or lease of school property under this section shall be promptly deposited with the county treasurer who shall credit the deposits to the civic center school fund of the respective school district. Monies placed to the credit of a civic center school fund may be expended for civic center school purposes by warrants drawn upon order of the school district governing board, or the superintendent or chief administrative officer with the approval of the governing board. The civic center school fund of a school district or multiple school district civic center school program is a continuing fund not subject to reversion, except upon termination of a civic center school program. Upon termination of a civic center school program, any remaining funds shall revert to the school plant fund of the school district or districts.

G. For the purposes of this section:

1. " Educational function" means uses that are directly related to the educational mission of the school district as adopted by the school district governing board and includes parent-teacher organizations, youth organizations and school employee organizations.

2. " Extended day resource programs" means activities offered on school property before or after school or at times when school is not customarily in session for children who are of the age required for kindergarten programs and grades one through eight. The program may be offered for children who are of the age required for a kindergarten program or for one grade or for any combination of kindergarten programs and grades. Activities may include physical conditioning, tutoring, supervised homework or arts activities.

3. " Reasonable use fee" means an amount that is at least equal to the school district's cost for utilities, services, supplies or personnel that the school provides to the lessee pursuant to the terms of the lease.