§ 4602. Career education. 1. The board of education of each school
district shall provide secondary school pupils and adults access to
programs of career education, commensurate with the interests and
capabilities of those desiring and having a need for preparatory
training, retraining or upgrading for employment, and develop realistic
programs in accord with manpower needs in existing and emerging
occupations for present and projected employment opportunities.

2. Career education programs and classes shall be organized and
conducted by boards of education or arranged through shared services as
provided by boards of cooperative educational services, in accordance
with the rules of the board of regents and the regulations of the
commissioner of education. Boards of education that are designated by
the commissioner as major career education providers shall submit to the
commissioner every two years, no later than the date specified by the
commissioner, a career education program plan, in a form specified by
the commissioner, which shall be revised annually.

3. Programs may include pre-vocational activities, career classes,
apprentice related instruction, cooperative education, work experience,
continuing adult career education, and other effective means of
preparation and of upgrading employment capabilities. Classes for
out-of-school youth sixteen years of age and over and for adults may be
conducted during the day and/or evening.

4. The board of education of each school district maintaining programs
in career education, practical arts, vocational and educational
guidance, or continuing career education for adults has full power and
authority:

a. To employ properly certified directors, supervisors, principals,
teachers and counselors and assign them to serve in the schools and
classes authorized by this article.

b. To establish approved courses of study.

c. To purchase or acquire sites and grounds; to purchase, acquire,
lease or construct and to repair suitable shops and buildings or to
arrange for shared services.

d. To purchase necessary machinery, tools, apparatus, books and
supplies.

e. To enter into agreements with one or more financing agencies to
provide for the acceptance by such board of credit cards as a means of
payment of course fees or tuition when required for instructional
programs. Any such agreement shall govern the terms and conditions upon
which a credit card proffered as a means of payment of such fees or
tuition shall be accepted or declined and the manner in and conditions
upon which the financing agency shall pay to such board of education the
amount of such fees or tuition paid by means of a credit card pursuant
to such agreement. Any such agreement may provide for the payment by
such board of education to such financing agency of fees for the
services provided by such financing agency. For purposes of this
paragraph, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(i) "Credit card" means any credit card, credit plate, charge plate,
courtesy card, debit card or other identification card or device issued
by a person to another person which may be used to obtain a cash advance
or a loan or credit, or to purchase or lease property or services on the
credit of the person issuing the credit card or a person who has agreed
with the issuer to pay obligations arising from the use of a credit card
issued to another person.

(ii) "Financing agency" means any agency defined as such in
subdivision eighteen of section four hundred one of the personal
property law;

(iii) "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation or any
other legal or commercial entity.

5. School days spent in legal employment by pupils enrolled in
approved career cooperative education programs who are in part-time
school attendance shall be included in the average daily attendance and
average daily membership for apportionment of state aid under provisions
of section thirty-six hundred two of this chapter.