(A) The boards of education of any two or more contiguous city, exempted village, or local school districts may establish a cooperative education school district in accordance with this section for the purpose of operating a joint high school in lieu of each of such boards operating any high school. Such a cooperative education school district shall only be established pursuant to the adoption of identical resolutions in accordance with this section within a sixty-day period by a majority of the members of the board of education of all such boards. Upon the adoption of all such resolutions, a copy of each resolution shall be filed with the state board of education. The territory of any cooperative education school district established pursuant to this section shall consist of the territory of all of the school districts whose boards of education adopt identical resolutions under this section.

(B) Any resolutions adopted under division (A) of this section shall include all of the following:

(1) Provision for the date on which the cooperative district will be created, which date shall be the first day of July in the year specified in the resolution;

(2) Provision for the composition, selection, and terms of office of the board of education of the cooperative district, which provision shall include but not necessarily be limited to both of the following:

(a) A requirement that the board include at least two members selected from or by the members of the board of education of each city, local, and exempted village school district within the territory of the cooperative district;

(b) Specification of the date by which the initial members of the board must be selected, which date shall be the same as the date specified pursuant to division (B)(1) of this section.

(3) Provision for the selection of a superintendent and treasurer of the cooperative school district, which provision shall require one of the following:

(a) The selection of one person as both the superintendent and treasurer of the cooperative district, which provision may require such person to be the superintendent or treasurer of any city, local, or exempted village school district within the territory of the cooperative district;

(b) The selection of one person as the superintendent and another person as the treasurer of the cooperative district, which provision may require either one or both such persons to be superintendents or treasurers of any city, local, or exempted village school district within the territory of the cooperative district.

(4) A statement of the high school education program the board of education of the cooperative education school district will conduct in lieu of any high school education program being operated by the boards of education of the city, local, and exempted village school districts within the territory of the cooperative district, which statement shall include but not necessarily be limited to the high school grade levels to be operated in the program, the timetable for commencing operation of the program, and the facilities proposed to be used or constructed to be used by the program;

(5) A statement that the boards of education of the city, local, and exempted village school districts within the territory of the cooperative district will not operate any high school education program for the grade levels operated by the cooperative district;

(6) A statement of how special education and related services will be provided in accordance with Chapter 3323. of the Revised Code to the children with disabilities who are identified by each city, exempted village, or local school district with territory in the cooperative district and who are in the grade levels to be operated by the cooperative district;

(7) A statement of how transportation of students to and from school will be provided in the cooperative district, which statement shall include but not be necessarily limited to both of the following:

(a) How special education students will be transported as required by their individualized education program adopted pursuant to section 3323.08 of the Revised Code;

(b) Whether transportation to and from school will be provided to any other students of the cooperative district and, if so, the manner in which this transportation will be provided.

(8) A statement of the annual amount, or the method for determining the annual amount, of funds or services or facilities that each city, local, and exempted village school district is required to pay to or provide for the use of the board of education of the cooperative education school district;

(9) Provision for adopting amendments to the provisions adopted pursuant to divisions (B)(3) to (8) of this section, which provision shall require that any such amendments comply with divisions (B)(3) to (8) of this section.

(C) Upon the adoption of identical resolutions in accordance with this section, the cooperative education school district and board of education of that district specified in and selected in accordance with such resolutions shall be established on the date specified in the resolutions. Upon the establishment of the district and board, the board of the cooperative district shall give written notice of the creation of the district to the county auditor and the board of elections of each county having any territory in the new district.

Effective Date: 07-01-1993; 2007 HB119 09-29-2007 .