194:21 Joint Maintenance Agreements. –
I. Two or more adjoining districts in the same or different towns may make contracts with each other for establishing and maintaining jointly a high school or other public school for the benefit of their pupils, and may raise and appropriate money to carry the contracts into effect; and their school boards, acting jointly or otherwise, shall have such authority and perform such duties in relation to schools so maintained as may be provided for in the contracts.
II. (a) The school boards of the component school districts shall hold at least one public hearing in each district. Reasonable notice of each hearing shall be provided no less than 10 days prior to the date of the hearing. Upon adoption of the joint maintenance agreement by the component districts, a copy of the agreement executed by each component school board shall be submitted to the state board of education for approval. If the state board of education approves the agreement, it shall forward it to the clerks of the component school districts for submission to the voters as soon as may be reasonably possible at an annual meeting or a special meeting called for the purpose. A majority of voters present and voting in each component district shall be required for approval of the joint maintenance agreement.
(b) If after review the state board of education determines that the joint maintenance agreement fails to comply with the provisions of this section, the state board shall forward written notice of its findings, including specific areas of deficiency, to the school boards of the component school districts. Such school boards shall correct any deficiencies and resubmit the agreement to the state board for review within 30 days of the state board's deficiency notice.
(c) The state board shall act on all joint maintenance agreement proposals within 30 days of receipt.
III. The school boards of the component school districts shall be authorized to incur indebtedness by the issuance and sale of bonds or notes, or otherwise, in the name of the joint maintenance agreement subject to approval by the legislative body of the component districts pursuant to RSA 33. The school boards of the component school districts shall be authorized to engage in collective bargaining pursuant to RSA 273-A and to hire staff in the name of the joint maintenance agreement, as may be necessary.