(a) The legislature finds that recruiting and retaining bus operators, including substitute bus operators, is a substantial challenge for county boards of education. Accordingly, county boards of education are hereby permitted to establish locally funded recruitment and training programs for prospective bus operators in accordance with this section.
(b) County board funded recruitment and training programs for prospective bus operators are subject to the following:
(1) The program is submitted to the West Virginia Department of Education and is approved;