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§ 2001. | § 2002. | § 2003. | § 2004. | § 2005. | § 2006.

TITLE 14

Education

Free Public Schools

CHAPTER 20. STANDARD SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION

§ 2001. Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

(1) “District” means a reorganized school district.

(2) “School board” means a board of education of a reorganized school

district.

(14 Del. C. 1953, § 2001; 53 Del. Laws, c. 353, § 1; 57 Del. Laws, c. 113.)

§ 2002. Establishment of standard formula.

The Department of Education shall establish a standard school

construction formula which shall be uniform throughout the State. The standard

formula so established shall take into consideration the different educational

requirements at the various grade levels and the number of pupils for whom the

facilities are planned.

(14 Del. C. 1953, § 2002; 53 Del. Laws, c. 353, § 1; 71 Del. Laws, c. 180, §

122.)

§ 2003. Determination of costs for state aid.

The Department of Education shall use the standard school construction

formula for determining the cost of school construction, either new or

additions, for the various districts. Such costs shall be used as the base

upon which state aid for school construction to the various districts shall be

allocated.

(14 Del. C. 1953, § 2003; 53 Del. Laws, c. 353, § 1; 71 Del. Laws, c. 180, §

122.)

§ 2004. Construction of facilities exceeding the standard formula.

This chapter shall not prevent the Department of Education from

approving school construction requests submitted by districts when such

requests vary from the standard formula; provided, however, that when the

costs of the facilities so approved exceed the costs determined by the

standard formula, the voters in the districts so affected may authorize and

limit by referendum the expenditure of funds to the amount based on the

standard formula, such referendum to be held in accordance with Chapter 21 of

this title. The election may be conducted by the use of printed paper ballots

or by the use of voting machines. Provisions shall be made for the following

form to appear on the printed paper ballots next to squares added for

convenience in marking and on the voting machine:

Section I /- Vote for one

A. For a bond issue at this time

B. Against a bond issue at this time

Section II /- Vote for one

In the event that the majority of votes cast in Section I is for a bond

issue, which bond issue would you prefer?

A. For the bond issue in the amount of $____ as recommended by the

school board.

B. For the bond issue in the amount of $____ as determined from the

standard formula by the Department of Education.

The amounts of the proposed bond issues shall be inserted in the

appropriate spaces on the ballot. Section I of the ballot shall be counted

first. If the majority is for issuance of a bond (Section I) then Section II

shall be counted and in no case shall the bond issue recommended by the school

board be authorized with less than a majority of the total ballots validated

for count; the lack of which majority will constitute a positive bond issue

authorization by the standard formula of the Department of Education.

(14 Del. C. 1953, § 2004; 53 Del. Laws, c. 353, § 1; 58 Del. Laws, c. 8; 62

Del. Laws, c. 184, § 3; 71 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 122; 74 Del. Laws, c. 122, §

48.)

§ 2005. Satellite schools.

(a) Reorganized school districts and charter schools authorized pursuant

to Chapter 5 of this title are authorized to enter into satellite school

agreements pursuant to this section. For purposes of this section, a

“satellite school” is defined as a public school that operates in physical

facilities leased from, donated by or located on property that is owned or

leased by a private sector or governmental employer which is not the school

district or charter school operating the satellite school.

(b) The Department of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations

for the approval of satellite school agreements. Such rules and regulations

shall ensure that the physical facilities in which satellite schools operate

are sufficient to protect the health and safety of the students who attend

such schools, but shall not require that those physical facilities meet the

same requirements established by the Department pursuant to § 2002 of this

title for schools constructed and owned by reorganized districts. The State

Risk Manager shall provide assistance to the Department in establishing

regulations governing the respective obligations of the school district or the

charter school operating the satellite school and the employer or employers

providing the physical facility for the operation of the satellite school for

any liabilities that may be incurred pursuant to a separate provision of this

Code or other provision of law. Satellite schools and their employees shall

have the same immunities from liability as other public schools and their

employees.

(c) Reorganized districts shall establish procedures for admissions to

non-charter school satellite schools consistent with those established by

Chapter 4 of this title and charter schools shall establish procedures for

admissions to satellite schools consistent with those established by Chapter 5

of this title; provided however, that preference in admissions to satellite

schools may also be given to students whose parents are residents of the State

and who work at the worksite at which the satellite facility is located so

long as such preference is made equally available to such students without

regard to the jobs their parents hold at the worksite or without regard to

whether the students” parents work for the employer who controls the worksite

or a contractor of such employer. Such preference may also be extended to

students whose parents work at a physical facility located within a 1-mile

radius of the satellite school for an employer or the contractor of any

employer, which is a party to a satellite school agreement with a reorganized

district and which provides assistance pursuant to such agreement in the

provision of the physical facility for the operation of the satellite school.

(70 Del. Laws, c. 366, § 1; 71 Del. Laws, c. 180, § 123.)

§ 2006. Subdivision impact and permit fees.

(a) Notwithstanding any law, rule, ordinance, or charter provision to

the contrary, no county or municipality is permitted to assess permit fees,

impact fees, or other assessments on a school district for any school

construction project. This section does not prohibit a political subdivision

from charging utility fees for usage of such utility provided the rate is no

higher than that of other properties within the political subdivision nor

shall this section prohibit the charging of a surcharge relating to building

permit construction value to provide funding for volunteer fire or ambulance

companies.

(b) For the purposes of this section:

(1) “Impact fees” or “other assessments” shall not include any fee

assessed for maintaining or increasing water supply, wastewater transmission

line capacity, or wastewater facility capacity.

(2) “Permit fees” or “other assessments” shall not include a fee or

assessment to reimburse the jurisdiction for the approximate and reasonable

cost to inspect and enforce applicable building, zoning, water, and wastewater

codes or ordinances.

(c) Arbitration procedure. --

(1) If a school district disagrees with the reasonableness of fees

imposed and subject to this section, a right to an arbitration procedure in

front of a 3 member panel is hereby established. The municipality or county

and the school district shall each choose a member of the panel, and the third

member shall be chosen by agreement of the remaining members of the panel and

shall chair the panel. The decision of this panel shall be final and binding

on the parties.

(2) For the purposes of this section, it shall be reasonable to base a

fee upon the actual cost incurred, and 10% administrative support costs to

provide the service.

(75 Del. Laws, c. 355, § 1.)

NOTICE: The Delaware Code appearing on this site was prepared by the Division of Research of Legislative Council of the General Assembly with the assistance of the Government Information Center, under the supervision of the Delaware Code Revisors and the editorial staff of LexisNexis, includes all acts up to and including 76 Del. Laws, c. 214, effective May 1, 2008.

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