Departmental duty toward exceptional children

(a) It is hereby declared to be of vital concern to the State that all exceptional children residing in the State be provided with instruction, special facilities, and special services for education, therapy, and training to enable them to live normal competitive lives. In order to effectively accomplish this purpose, the department shall establish and administer instruction, special facilities, and special services for the education, therapy, and training of exceptional children, and provide in connection therewith corrective therapy, together with academic, occupational, and related training. The department shall cooperate with other agencies of the State charged with the administration of laws providing any type of service or aid to the exceptional child, and with the United States government through any appropriate agency or instrumentality in developing, extending, and improving the foregoing instruction, special facilities, and special services. (b) This program shall include boarding facilities, when necessary, special classes in schools or homes, and such other facilities as shall be required to render appropriate services to the exceptional child. Existing facilities, buildings, and equipment belonging to, or operated by, the State shall be made available for these purposes when use thereof does not conflict with the primary use of the facilities.