(a) For school building projects authorized by the General Assembly prior to July 1, 1996, and for projects pursuant to subsection (b) of § 10-283 for which application was made prior to July 1, 1997, any incorporated or endowed high school or academy approved by the State Board of Education pursuant to § 10-34 may apply and be eligible subsequently to be considered for interest subsidy grant commitments from the state pursuant to sections 10-292c to 10-292n, inclusive. Applications pursuant to this subsection shall be filed at such time and on such forms as the Department of Education prescribes. The Commissioner of Education shall approve such applications pursuant to the provisions of § 10-292f deemed applicable by the Department of Education.

(b) The amount of any interest subsidy grant approved by said commissioner under this section shall be computed pursuant to the provisions of § 10-292i. Grant payments shall be made in accordance with sections 10-292c to 10-292n, inclusive, as deemed applicable by the Department of Education.

(c) The percentage of interest subsidy grant money each incorporated or endowed high school or academy may be eligible to receive under the provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall be determined by its ranking. The ranking shall be determined by (1) multiplying the total population, as defined in § 10-261, of each town which, at the time of application for such grant commitment, has designated such school as the high school for such town for a period of not less than five years from the date of such application, by such town’s percentile ranking, as determined in subsection (a) of § 10-292g, (2) adding together the figures for each town determined under subdivision (1) of this subsection and (3) dividing the total computed under subdivision (2) of this subsection by the total population of all towns which designate the school as their high school under subdivision (1) of this subsection. The ranking determined pursuant to this subdivision shall be rounded to the next higher whole number. Such high school or academy shall receive the same reimbursement percentage as would a town with the same rank.

(d) In order for an incorporated or endowed high school or academy to be eligible for an interest subsidy grant commitment pursuant to this section, such high school or academy shall (1) provide educational services to the town or towns designating it as the high school for such town or towns for a period of not less than ten years after completion of the interest subsidy grant payments under this section and (2) provide that at least half of the governing board which exercises final educational, financial and legal responsibility for the high school or academy, exclusive of the chairman of such board, be representatives of the board or boards of education designating the high school or academy as the high school for each such board’s town.