Notwithstanding the provisions of § 13-5-1, the school board of any school district may enter into an agreement or contract with one or more school boards of other school districts to provide for the whole-grade sharing of students among the participating school districts if:

(1) The school district offers an instructional program within the boundaries of the school district; and

(2) The school district meets the minimum fall enrollment requirements pursuant to § 13-6-97.

For purposes of §§ 13-15-30 to 13-15-32, inclusive, whole-grade sharing is a sharing arrangement for students among participating school districts that allows the resident students at any one or more grade levels within one school district to attend school in one or more of the other participating school districts. The whole-grade sharing may be one-way whereby a participating school district sends all of its students at one or more grade levels to attend school in one or more of the other participating school districts without receiving any students in return.

The whole-grade sharing may also be two-way whereby a school district sends all of its students at one or more grade levels to attend school in one or more of the other participating school districts, and in return receives students at one or more grade levels from one or more of the other participating school districts.

Source: SL 2009, ch 81, § 1.