(1) The district school board of every school district operating any elementary schools may establish a child development specialist program.
(2) If a district school board establishes a child development specialist program, the school district must meet the following requirements:
(a) The school district shall submit a written plan describing the program to the Department of Education and the program must be approved by the department.
(b) Upon approval of a program, a school district shall submit child development specialist candidate applications for department approval.
(c) The school district shall conduct an annual review of the program and submit an updated plan to the department for reauthorization of the program.
(d) Each child development specialist employed by a school district shall complete an annual evaluation of the specialist’s child development plan to be included with the school district’s updated plan.
(3) The department shall review the plans annually.
(4) School districts may provide the child development specialist program by contract with qualified state or local programs.