(a) The State School Superintendent shall be the executive officer of the State Board of Education and the administrative chief executive officer of the Department of Education. The State School Superintendent is authorized to organize and reorganize the Department of Education and the various offices, divisions, sections, and units thereof and to prescribe the duties, functions, and operations of each at such times and in such manner as the State School Superintendent deems necessary or desirable for the more economical or effective organization, administration, or functioning of the department. He or she shall also be responsible for the administration and enforcement of this article and other school laws in accordance with such laws and with rules, regulations, policies, and standards adopted or prescribed by the state board for the implementation, administration, or enforcement of such laws.
(b) The State School Superintendent shall have the authority to employ persons to serve in the five senior staff positions within the Department of Education.
(c) The State School Superintendent shall have the authority to enter into contracts for the amount of $50,000.00 or less on behalf of the Department of Education. The State School Superintendent may delegate to the chief financial officer the authority to execute such contracts on behalf of the State School Superintendent.