Whenever five or more boards of education in any county or in any two or more counties and the commissioner after study and investigation shall deem it advisable to establish a county educational services commission, such boards of education may petition the State Board of Education for permission to establish such a commission. A report shall be attached to such petition setting forth the kind or kinds of educational and administrative services and programs which are deemed to be needed and proposed to be provided, an estimate of the cost of providing such services and programs, a method of financing the expenditures of such commission, including a detailed budget which projects anticipated costs and identifies anticipated sources of revenue until such can be financed under its first regularly adopted budget, and any other data or information deemed pertinent.

The State board, after studying the petition and report, shall determine whether there is a need for such a commission and whether its operation is feasible. If the State board finds that the need exists and further finds that the operation of a commission will be feasible, it shall approve the petition and so notify the petitioning boards of education and the county superintendent or county superintendents of the county or counties, as the case may be, in which such boards of education are located.

b. Commissions of less than five member districts established prior to the effective date of this amendatory act may continue to provide services and programs pursuant to this act.

L.1968, c.243, s.2; amended 1989,c.254,s.2.