(1) In fulfilling their duties pursuant to this part 10, the state board and the commission, at a minimum, shall:

(a) Meet with interested persons throughout the state, including but not limited to:

(I) Early care and education providers;

(II) Representatives of early childhood councils;

(III) Elementary and secondary teachers, specialists in special education services, counselors, and administrators;

(IV) Boards of cooperative services;

(V) Local school boards and governing boards of district charter schools and institute charter schools;

(VI) Parents and students;

(VII) Precollegiate and postsecondary service providers and concurrent enrollment program managers;

(VIII) Career and technical education faculty and administrators;

(IX) Postsecondary faculty and administrators;

(X) Governing boards of institutions of higher education; and

(XI) Employers and other members of the business community and labor, workforce, and economic development experts;

(b) Take into consideration the recommendations of and consult with the P-20 council;

(c) Solicit and take into consideration information from local boards of education specifically regarding the input received by the local boards from their respective communities in developing the blueprints for the education systems in their respective communities pursuant to section 22-32-109 (1)(kk);

(d) Take into consideration, as applicable, the recommendations of the state graduation guidelines development council made pursuant to section 22-7-414, as it existed prior to July 1, 2008;

(e) Consult and collaborate with state and national organizations of early care and education providers and experts, state and national organizations of educators, and other state, national, and international academic organizations that specialize in creation, maintenance, and implementation of relevant and rigorous education standards and curriculum and in alignment of standards and assessments from preschool through postsecondary education.

(2) (a) Staff from the department of education, the department of higher education, the state board for community colleges and occupational education, the division of child care, and the early childhood policy team in the office of the lieutenant governor shall provide technical assistance and support for the state board and the commission in fulfilling their duties under this part 10.

(b) To further assist in fulfilling their duties under this part 10, the state board and the commission may appoint one or more task forces consisting of state, national, and international education experts.

(3) The department of education and the department of higher education are authorized to receive and expend gifts, grants, or donations of any kind from a public or private entity to carry out the purposes of this part 10, subject to the terms and conditions under which given; except that the department of education or the department of higher education may not accept a gift, grant, or donation if the conditions attached thereto require the use or expenditure thereof in a manner contrary to law.