The State Department of Education shall make a study, with the assistance of the Board of Corrections, of the requirements of establishing and operating schools at the various units of the Board of Corrections.

The State Department of Education shall establish and operate such schools when funds are provided for this purpose.

(a) A formula for the determination of professional units and other operating expenses, based upon eligible students, shall be developed by the State Department of Education. An eligible student under this subsection shall be a person who has not graduated from an accredited high school and who is able to benefit from the instructional programs offered.

The total number of professional units provided shall be the sum total of units necessary for classroom teachers, vocational teachers, librarians, teachers of exceptional students, supervisors, counselors, principals and a director. Any funds provided for such units where such units are not employed shall revert to the Alabama Special Educational Trust Fund.

(b) The qualifications of teachers shall be determined by the State Department of Education and shall be similar to the qualifications of teachers in the regular schools.

(c) The State Department of Education in cooperation with the Board of Corrections shall determine the minimum number of hours a student must be in attendance each week.

(d) The minimum monthly salary rates for classroom teachers and special positions shall be in accordance with the current minimum salary schedule in effect in the regular public schools.

(e) Vocational teachers, counselors, supervisors and special education units shall be provided in addition to classroom teacher units in accordance with the policy of the State Board of Education for the allocation of such units in the regular public schools and in accordance with the ability of the Board of Corrections to provide adequate facilities for such programs and the ability of the students enrolled to benefit from such instruction. The facilities of the technical schools at Atmore and Speigner shall be used to the extent practicable.

All persons incarcerated in the Board of Corrections units who are not high school graduates shall be eligible to attend such school.

(a) The total costs of operating the schools authorized by this chapter shall be borne entirely by the state and shall be paid from the Alabama Special Educational Trust Fund.

(b) Such costs shall be considered annually, upon the recommendation of the State Department of Education, by the joint interim committee made up of the Ways and Means Committee of the House and the Finance and Taxation Committee of the Senate. An estimate of costs for the 1977-78 school year and each succeeding year shall be made to the above mentioned committee when the budget estimates are presented by the State Department of Education.