No building facilities for school use authorized under the provisions of section 703.1, shall be leased by any school district until such lease agreement has been approved by the Department of Education. Such approval shall not be given unless the building facilities to be leased meet the standards required to operate public school buildings in use in the Commonwealth: Provided, however, That Department of Education approval of any lease agreement shall not be required for any lease agreement for which Commonwealth reimbursement is not requested.
24 P.S. § 7-731.1