1. There is hereby established a Program of Empowerment Schools for public schools within this State. The Program does not include a university school for profoundly gifted pupils.

2. The board of trustees of a school district which is located:

(a) In a county whose population is less than 100,000 may approve public schools located within the school district to operate as empowerment schools.

(b) In a county whose population is 100,000 or more but less than 700,000 shall approve not less than 5 percent of the schools located within the school district to operate as empowerment schools.

3. The board of trustees of a school district which participates in the Program of Empowerment Schools shall, on or before September 1 of each year, provide notice to the Department of the number of schools within the school district that are approved to operate as empowerment schools for that school year.

4. The board of trustees of a school district that participates in the Program of Empowerment Schools may create a design team for the school district. If such a design team is created, the membership of the design team must consist of the following persons appointed by the board of trustees:

(a) At least one representative of the board of trustees;

(b) The superintendent of the school district, or the superintendent’s designee;

(c) Parents and legal guardians of pupils enrolled in public schools in the school district;

(d) Teachers and other educational personnel employed by the school district, including, without limitation, school administrators;

(e) Representatives of organizations that represent teachers and other educational personnel;

(f) Representatives of the community in which the school district is located and representatives of businesses within the community; and

(g) Such other members as the board of trustees determines are necessary.

5. If a design team is created for a school district, the design team shall:

(a) Recommend policies and procedures relating to empowerment schools to the board of trustees of the school district; and

(b) Advise the board of trustees on issues relating to empowerment schools.

6. The board of trustees of a school district may accept gifts, grants and donations from any source for the support of the empowerment schools within the school district.

(Added to NRS by 2007, 3277; A 2011, 878, 879; 2015, 3804; 2017, 56; 2019, 2010, 2071) — (Substituted in revision for NRS 386.720)