Any school board or any two or more school boards acting in conjunction may establish and operate or cause to be established and operated, for the benefit of persons of school age, vacation schools or camps for the advancement of education, physical training, health, nutrition, the prevention of communicable diseases, or for any other purpose deemed by such board or boards to be beneficial to persons of school age requiring special training or attention or which will promote the efficiency of their respective school systems.

Such school board or boards may expend such sum or sums as may be reasonable and requisite for such purposes or may provide such sum or sums and permit the proper use of any school property, under reasonable safeguards, for the establishment and operation of a vacation school or camp conducted under the auspices and supervision of any other governmental agency approved by such school board or boards, for the benefit of persons of school age within the jurisdiction of such board or boards. Such activity shall have been included in the estimate of money deemed to be needed for public schools for the year in which such expenditure is made.

The establishment and operation of such school or camp shall also be approved, as to conditions affecting sanitation and safety, by the health authorities having jurisdiction of the area in which such vacation school or camp is located and conducted. Any vacation school or camp operated by such school board or boards or any other local agency, department or board shall be available to persons of school age within the applicable jurisdiction on a nondiscriminatory basis regardless of whether they attend public or private schools.

Code 1950, § 22-55; 1959, Ex. Sess., c. 79, § 1; 1973, c. 101; 1980, c. 559; 1989, c. 277; 1995, c. 244.