Massachusetts § 14B - Regional school districts; formation; procedure

§ 14B. Regional school districts; formation; procedure

Section 14B. The said regional district planning board may recommend that there shall be established a regional school district which may include all the towns represented by its membership, or alternatively, any specified combination of such towns. If the said regional district planning board so recommends, it shall submit a proposed agreement or agreements setting forth as to each alternative recommendation, if such be made, the following:—

(a) The number, composition, method of selection, and terms of office of the members of the regional district school committee.

(b) The town or towns in which, or the general area within the regional school district where, the regional district school or schools are to be located.

(c) The type of regional district school or schools. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the type of regional school may, if it is so stated in the agreement, consist of a vocational school or schools offering such kinds of education as may be provided by towns under the provisions of chapter seventy-four; and any other type of regional school may, if it is so stated in the agreement, offer said kinds of education. A town may simultaneously be a member of a vocational regional school district and any other type of regional school district provided, however, that when a vocational school district is in operation, no member town of such district, and no other type of regional school district of which such a town is a member shall, without the approval of the commissioner of education, offer the same kinds of education as offered by said vocational school district.

(d) The method of apportioning the expenses of the regional school district, and the method of apportioning the costs of school construction, including any interest and retirement of principal of any bonds or other obligations issued by the district among the several towns comprising the district, and the time and manner of payment of the shares of the several towns of any such expense.

(e) The method by which school transportation shall be provided, and if such transportation is to be furnished by the district, the manner in which the expenses shall be borne by the several towns.

(f) the terms by which any city or town may be admitted to or separated from the regional school district; provided, however, that in the case of admission such terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of section sixteen of chapter six hundred and forty-five of the acts of nineteen hundred and forty-eight.

(g) The method by which the agreement may be amended.

(h) The detailed procedure for the preparation and adoption of an annual budget.

(i) Any other matters, not incompatible with law, which the said board may deem advisable.

Copies of such agreement shall be submitted to the department of education, and subject to its approval, to the several towns for their acceptance.