4. a. Each student’s employment internship under the program shall be for a period of two hours, three days per week unless the district determines that some other employment schedule would be of greater benefit to the student. For participation in the employment internship, the student shall receive a stipend in the amount of $25 per week.

b. A public or private profit or nonprofit employer which participates in the program shall receive a stipend in the amount of $150 per month to cover any administrative or other costs which the employer may incur as a result of participation.

c. The commissioner shall approve a plan for the utilization of work study funds allocated under N.J.S. 18A:58-34 and other State or federal funds available for services to at-risk students to finance the student and administrative stipends and any other costs associated with the program. The commissioner may, if he determines that a school district’s participation in the program is in the best interests of its at-risk students, review a school district’s budget and direct the district to reallocate funds to the program. The commissioner may also direct the participation of any school district in the program if the commissioner determines that the implementation of the program would constitute a demonstrably effective improvement strategy for the district’s at-risk students.

L.1995,c.256,s.4.