(a) Subject to the requirements of this section, the Department may develop a standardized course numbering system to facilitate the collection of data on student participation in courses offered by the public schools.

(b) The course numbering system shall be available for adoption by each county school system on a voluntary basis.

(c) If the Department requires a data collection involving course numbers, a county school system that has not adopted the State standardized course numbering system shall be responsible for providing a translation between the county school system’s course numbers and those in the State standardized course numbering system.