The governing board of any school district which establishes and supervises a work experience education program in which mentally retarded pupils are employed in part-time jobs may use funds derived from any source, to the extent permissible by appropriate law or regulation, to pay the wages of pupils so employed.
The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the authority granted by the provisions of this section is necessary to ensure that the work experience education program will continue to provide maximum educational benefit to students, particularly mentally retarded pupils, and that such program is deemed to serve a public purpose.