21-3-501. Driver's education programs.

(a) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, any school district providing instruction in grades nine (9) through twelve (12) for driver's education shall upon application to the department of transportation through the department of education in accordance with subsection (c) of this section, be reimbursed an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the amount actually expended by the district during the immediately preceding school year for driver's education programs relating to alcohol-impaired driving. Reimbursement under this section shall be paid by the department of transportation to the qualifying district on or before October 15 of any school year.

(b) Reimbursement to school districts under this section shall be limited by the amount of federal or state funds made available for this program for any school year.

(c) Application under subsection (a) of this section shall be in a manner and form prescribed by department of transportation rule and regulation, shall include driver's education program expenditures for the applicable reporting period and shall be submitted to the department of education not later than September 1 of the appropriate school year. Expenditures qualifying for reimbursement under this section shall be subject to guidelines and standards established by department of transportation rule and regulation.

(d) The school finance section of the department of audit established under W.S. 9-1-513 shall conduct periodic audits of the information submitted within applications filed under this section and shall include the resulting audit findings within the department's annual report to the legislature required by W.S. 9-1-513(b)(viii).

(e) The department of education in consultation with the department of transportation shall provide by rule and regulation standards for driver education programs in high schools, private schools as defined in W.S. 21-4-101(a)(iii), community colleges, boards of cooperative educational services, community education programs and drivers' education schools. The department of transportation in consultation with the department of education shall adopt procedures by rule and regulation to implement the provisions of W.S. 31-7-108(a).

(f) The department shall designate and may employ a state coordinator of driver education programs to provide oversight of all driver education programs throughout the state. The responsibilities of the coordinator shall include, but not be limited to:

(i) Assuring quality driver education programs in this state;

(ii) Serving as a liaison between the department of education and the department of transportation;

(iii) Promoting driver safety throughout the state; and

(iv) Reviewing and approving driver education programs in accordance with the rules and regulations issued by the departments of education and transportation.

(g) No driver education program identified in subsection (e) of this section shall issue a certificate for purposes of W.S. 31-7-108(a) unless the school's program has first been reviewed and issued a certificate of approval by the state coordinator of driver education. Certificates of approval shall be issued only upon written application of the school, and shall be issued for such periods and in such manner as provided in rules and regulations of the department of education.