Sec. 1. (a) Two (2) or more school corporations may cooperate to:

(1) establish; and

(2) maintain or supervise;

schools or departments for career and technical education if the governing bodies of the school corporations agree to cooperate and apportion the cost of the schools or departments among the school corporations.

(b) If the cooperating school corporations agree to:

(1) establish; and

(2) maintain or supervise;

the schools or departments under subsection (a), the designated representatives of the school corporations constitute a board for the management of the schools or departments. The board may adopt a plan of organization, administration, and support for the schools or departments. The plan, if approved by the state board, is a binding contract between the cooperating school corporations.

(c) The governing bodies of the cooperating school corporations may cancel or annul the plan described in subsection (b) by the vote of a majority of the governing bodies and upon the approval of the state board. However, if a school corporation desires to withdraw a course offering from the cooperative agreement after:

(1) attempting to withdraw the course offering under a withdrawal procedure authorized by the school corporation's cooperative agreement or bylaw; and

(2) being denied the authority to withdraw the course offering;

the school corporation may appeal the denial to the state board. In the appeal, a school corporation must submit a proposal requesting the withdrawal to the state board for approval.

(d) The proposal under subsection (c) must do the following:

(1) Describe how the school corporation intends to implement the particular career and technical education course.

(2) Include a provision that provides for at least a two (2) year phaseout of the educational program or course offering from the cooperative agreement.

Upon approval of the proposal by the state board, the school corporation may proceed with the school corporation's withdrawal of the course offering from the cooperative agreement and shall proceed under the proposal.

(e) The withdrawal procedure under subsections (c) and (d) may not be construed to permit a school corporation to change any other terms of the plan described in subsection (b) except those terms that require the school corporation to provide the particular course offering sought to be withdrawn.

(f) The board described in subsection (b) may do the following:

(1) Enter into an agreement to acquire by lease or purchase:

(A) sites;

(B) buildings; or

(C) equipment;

that is suitable for these schools or departments. This authority extends to the acquisition of facilities available under IC 20-47-2.

(2) By resolution adopted by a majority of the board, designate three (3) or more individuals from the board's membership to constitute an executive committee.

(g) To the extent provided in a resolution adopted under subsection (f)(2), an executive committee shall do the following:

(1) Exercise the authority of the full board in the management of the schools or departments.

(2) Submit a written summary of its actions to the full board at least semiannually.

[Pre-2005 Elementary and Secondary Education Recodification Citation: 20-1-18-7.]

As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.21. Amended by P.L.231-2005, SEC.49; P.L.2-2006, SEC.160; P.L.234-2007, SEC.123.