Each district board of trustees may adopt rules and regulations which are not inconsistent with State law or the rules and regulations of the State Board of Education governing the use of school buildings for purposes other than normal school activity.

Each district board of trustees may lease any school property for a rental which the board considers reasonable or permit the free use of school property for: (1)  civic or public purposes; or (2)  the operation of a school-age child care program for children aged five through fourteen years that operates before or after the school day, or both, and during periods when school is not in session, if the property is not needed for school purposes. Under this section the board may enter into a long-term lease with a corporation, community service organization, or other governmental entity, if the corporation, organization, or other governmental entity will use the property to be leased for civic or public purposes or for a school-age child care program. However, if the property subject to a long-term lease is being paid for from money in the district’s debt service fund, then all proceeds from the long-term lease must be deposited in that school district’s debt service fund so long as the property has not been paid for.

Each district board of trustees may adopt rules and regulations which are not inconsistent with State law or the rules and regulations of the State Board of Education governing the use of school equipment for purposes other than normal school activity.

This chapter may be cited as the Community Education Act of 1976.

The General Assembly finds that in recognition of the fact that the school, as the prime educational institution of the community, is most effective when it involves the people of that community in a process designed to fulfill their education needs, and since community education promotes a more efficient use of community facilities through an extension of buildings, personnel, and equipment, it is the purpose of this chapter to facilitate the provision of recreational, educational, cultural, social, health and other community services, in accordance with the needs, interests and concerns of the community, through the establishment of the community education programs, for such activities, in cooperation with other governmental agencies and community service organizations.

For the purpose of this chapter “community education” is a process by which public facilities are utilized as community centers operated in conjunction with governmental agencies and community service organizations to provide educational, recreational, cultural, social, health and other community services for all persons in the community in accordance with the needs, interests, and concerns of that community.

The State Department of Education shall promote the implementation and operation of community education programs throughout the State of South Carolina.

A nine member state community education advisory council, representing recreation, health, cultural, social services, community services, education, business-industry, aged and minority groups, shall be appointed by the State Superintendent of Education, for the purpose of promoting furtherance of this chapter and the advancement of recreational, educational, cultural, social and health opportunities through the maximum utilization of public facilities. Members of the council shall be appointed for a four year term; provided, that staggered terms shall be established so that after the first year no more than one-fourth of the members will be appointed in a given year. A minority of the council constitute a quorum.

The board of trustees of each school district of the State is hereby authorized to, but not obligated to, coordinate a community education program in its district. Each participating board shall provide the general supervision of the program.