Whenever, under any act of the congress of the United States, federal aid to education is made available to the states:

A. the superintendent of public instruction [secretary] shall:

(1) enter into any agreements with the proper federal agency or agencies necessary to procure for this state all benefits which may be available under any such act of congress;

(2) provide for and install an adequate system of auditing for the expenditure of funds to be received through the provisions of any such act of congress and to be apportioned to local school jurisdictions and teacher-training institutions, to educational agencies and institutions, conducting adult education, and to the state educational authority for any other purpose or purposes;

(3) provide an adequate system of reports to be made to such superintendent from local school jurisdictions and teacher-preparation institutions, from educational agencies and institutions conducting adult education, and from such other jurisdictions, institutions and agencies as may be required;

(4) develop and provide a plan of apportioning among local school jurisdictions any funds received for expenditure within such jurisdictions in such manner as to assist effectively in equalizing educational opportunities in public elementary and secondary schools within the state, such plan to conform as near as may be to any requirements of the act of congress and rules and regulations issued thereunder;

(5) develop and provide a plan of apportioning any funds received for expenditures in eligible institutions based on recommendations of the board of educational finance;

(6) develop and provide a plan for apportioning funds received for expenditure for adult education among public educational agencies and institutions in this state in such manner as will effectively contribute to the development of an economical, effective and comprehensive program of adult education; and

(7) make surveys and prepare and maintain state standards for the development of improved administrative units and attendance areas for the public elementary and secondary schools in anticipation of the availability of funds for the construction or alteration of buildings in connection with the public elementary and secondary schools, and for such purpose the superintendent may cooperate with any other public agency which he may designate; and

B. the state librarian of this state is hereby authorized and directed to:

(1) enter into any and all agreements with the proper federal agency or agencies necessary to procure for this state all benefits for rural or other library service which may be available under any such act of congress;

(2) make and administer all plans which may be necessary to carry out any provisions of any such act of congress which offers aid to library service;

(3) provide for and install an adequate system of auditing of the expenditure of funds to be received through the provisions of any such act of congress and to be apportioned to libraries and library services;

(4) provide for an adequate system of reports to be made to him from libraries and library services; and

(5) develop and provide a plan for apportioning any funds received for expenditure for library service which will provide for maintenance of a cooperative and integrated system of library service throughout the state, for suitable cooperative arrangements with school systems, cooperative agricultural extension services, and other appropriate agencies, and in such manner of apportioning as will effectively lessen inequalities of opportunity for library service.

History: Laws 1939, ch. 162, § 4; 1941 Comp., § 55-521; 1953 Comp., § 73-6-34; Laws 1961, ch. 126, § 10; 1961, ch. 217, § 1; 1977, ch. 246, § 48.

Cross references. — For references to the former state superintendent, see 9-24-15 NMSA 1978.

For the state librarian, see 18-2-3 NMSA 1978.

For powers of public education department when designated as sole educational agency of state for administration of state plans established for funds received pursuant to federal statutes, see 22-9-3 NMSA 1978.

For disbursement by state librarian of federal funds for rural library services, see 22-9-7 NMSA 1978.