15-392. Formation of career technical education districts

A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, school districts that are interested in forming a career technical education district shall conduct a study to determine the need to establish a career technical education district in an area consisting of two or more school districts. The school districts shall also initiate a plan for the establishment and operation of the career technical education district, which shall include a proposed budget based on a reasonable estimate of student enrollment in the new career technical education district. Any school district may assist in the preparation and payment of costs of the study and plan. The school districts shall file a copy of the plan with the governing board of each school district included in the plan for the career technical education district. The school districts shall submit the results of the study and the plan, along with evidence of approval by the governing board of each school district included in the selected plan for the career technical education district, to the state board of education.

B. If the state board of education determines that the plan submitted for the proposed career technical education district has met the requirements of this section, the question shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the school district seeking to become a part of the career technical education district at an election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The question that is submitted to the qualified electors must describe the tax rate that is associated with joining the career technical education district and the estimated cost of that tax rate for the owner of a single family home that is valued at one hundred thousand dollars. If the electors in a school district approve, that school district is authorized to participate in a career technical education district. The career technical education district shall become operational on July 1 following the election held pursuant to this subsection, except as provided in subsection D of this section.

C. The governing boards of the school districts participating in the career technical education district may pay on a proportional basis the administrative, clerical and other expenses necessary for the establishment and operation of the career technical education district until monies are otherwise provided.

D. A career technical education district after receiving voter approval as provided in subsection B of this section shall be governed by a career technical education board consisting of members elected pursuant to section 15-393, except that the initial composition of the career technical education board shall consist of one person who is not currently a board member of any school district and who is appointed by the governing board of each district participating in the career technical education district. The terms of office of the career technical education board members shall become effective on January 1 following the election held pursuant to subsection B of this section. On the effective date of the term of office for career technical education board members, the career technical education board may begin necessary operations and activities related to making the district operational pursuant to subsection B of this section. If fewer than five school districts are participating in the career technical education district, the initial composition of the career technical education board shall consist of two persons who are not currently board members of any school district and who are appointed by each participating school district's governing board. The appointed members shall serve until January 1 following the next general election. At the general election held next following the formation of the career technical education district and thereafter, career technical education board members shall be elected as prescribed in section 15-393.