Section 188-E:18 Automotive Technology Curriculum; Funding.
I. The department of education shall develop and implement an automotive technology curriculum in the regional career and technology education centers to provide statewide opportunities for high school students interested in careers in the automotive industry to enroll in a high quality automotive technology curriculum.
II. The state board of education shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to course content, curricular requirements, and general procedures for implementing the automotive technology curriculum. At a minimum, the curriculum shall include standards established by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF).
III. In developing and implementing an automotive technology curriculum, the efforts of the department of education shall complement existing public and private actions, and shall include the pursuit of innovative public-private partnerships with businesses, nongovernmental organizations, the community college system of New Hampshire, and other appropriate groups. Such partnerships shall at a minimum consist of a 50/50 match of public and private funds, or like kind compensation.
(a) Funding shall not exceed $5,000 per automotive technology program or $90,000 in total non-lapsing appropriations in a fiscal year. Such funding shall be used exclusively to assist an automotive technology program in obtaining or maintaining NATEF certification and may include instructor professional development, including ASE certification, automotive laboratory equipment, hand tools, maintenance of equipment or tools, learning resources, multimedia periodicals, and any other items deemed necessary to assist an automotive technology program in obtaining or maintaining NATEF certification.
(b) Automotive technology programs that will meet certification requirements within 2 years shall be given priority for funding. All other programs not eligible to be certified within the first 2 years shall be eligible for any remaining funding.
IV. When appropriate, the department of education shall include in its biennial capital budget request funding for the planning, construction, and renovation of equipment necessary for the operation of automotive technology curriculum in the regional vocational education centers.
V. Regional career and technology education centers which implement the automotive technology curriculum shall be responsible for maintaining the program with funding requests made through the budgetary cycle.
VI. Existing or new technical education centers that provide automotive technology education shall obtain program certification pursuant to paragraph II of this section prior to becoming eligible to receive state renovation and construction funds. All documentation relating to program certification shall be submitted to the automotive technology advisory council established in RSA 188-E:19 for approval prior to release of any such funding.
Source. 2003, 214:3. 2007, 361:18, eff. July 17, 2007.