(a) The State Department of Education, in performing the identification, development, evaluation, dissemination, or adoption of projects and practices under any state or federal categorical education program, shall perform those functions in accordance with the procedure set forth in this article, as feasible and to the extent authorized by law.
(b) To the extent authorized by law, the department shall apply the funding made available under each of those categorical education programs for the functions described in subdivision (a) to the costs of performing those functions in the manner directed by that subdivision.