ARTICLE 2B. AREA VOCATIONAL PROGRAM.

§18-2B-1. Aims and purposes of program; areas where available.

The aims and purposes of the area vocational educational program are to provide vocational training or retraining on an organized basis designed to prepare individuals for useful employment in recognized occupations. The program shall be made available to residents of West Virginia in an area or areas designated and approved by the State Board.

§18-2B-2. Authority to establish programs, etc.; Division of Vocational Education established; rules; director.

(a) The State Board may establish, operate and maintain area vocational educational programs including the acquisition by purchase, lease, gift or otherwise of necessary lands and the construction, expansion, remodeling, alteration and equipping of necessary buildings for the purpose of operating and conducting educational training centers.

(b) The State Board may delegate its operational authority for multicounty vocational centers to an administrative council composed of equal representation from each of the participating county boards of education, the superintendent of schools from each participating county, and the state director of vocational education or his or her representative. To this end, there is hereby expressly established in the State Board a division of vocational education which shall determine the area or areas in which the programs are to be conducted and is authorized to promulgate rules necessary to carry out the provisions of this article, pursuant to article three-b, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code. The director of the division of vocational education administers and supervises the area vocational educational programs.

§18-2B-2a. Withdrawal from multicounty vocational center prohibited.

Any county which participates in the operation of a multicounty vocational center shall not be permitted to withdraw from such participation.

§18-2B-3. Area vocational education program funds.

There is hereby established a fund to be known as the Area Vocational Education Program Fund for Secondary Education. There is hereby established a separate fund to be known as the Area Vocational Education Program Fund for Post-Secondary Vocational Education. All moneys appropriated for such purpose by the Legislature as well as any gifts or grants made to the appropriate fund by any governmental subdivision of the state or by the United States government or by any individual, firm or corporation, to carry out the provisions of this article shall be expended by the State Board.

§18-2B-4. Expenditure of funds; title to property.

The State Board may expend the area vocational education program funds for salaries; teachers' retirement contributions and necessary traveling expenses of teachers and other necessary employees, including, but not limited to, vocational guidance counselors; for purchase, rental, maintenance and repair of instructional equipment, buildings and supplies; and for the necessary costs of transportation of certified students.

§18-2B-5. Title to property.

Title to any property, equipment, tools, furniture or instructional materials purchased prior to the effective date of this section out of the fund provided for area vocational education program funds previously established and existing immediately prior to the effective date of this article shall be transferred to and vested in the West Virginia Board of Education. After the effective date of this article, purchases from funds established in section four shall be vested in the state Board of Education or the board of directors as the case may be.

§18-2B-6.

Repealed.

Acts, 1975 Reg. Sess., Ch. 194.

§18-2B-7. Transportation of students.

The State Board may pay for the transportation of any certified unemployed person participating in any area vocational educational program during the period of time that he or she is engaged in the training program at any of the instructional centers.

§18-2B-8. Consulting committees.

The director of vocational education may appoint a consulting committee for each area designated, composed of members representing business, labor, management, school administrators and lay groups. The consulting committee shall advise the head of the local area or training center on such matters pertaining to shop equipment, curriculum, labor- management coordination or selection of personnel. A statewide consulting committee may be appointed by the director of vocational education to serve in the same capacity and for the same purposes.