In addition to the duties imposed upon the higher education department by the Post-Secondary Educational Planning Act [Chapter 21, Article 2 NMSA 1978], the department shall plan and budget for the statewide adult basic education program and shall adopt and promulgate rules for all such adult educational programs. The department shall establish a uniform protocol for identifying, communicating with and providing direct and equitable access to funding for eligible agencies, which include:
A. local educational agencies;
B. community-based organizations;
C. volunteer literacy organizations;
D. post-secondary institutions;
E. public or private nonprofit agencies;
F. public libraries;
G. public housing authorities; and
H. a consortium of agencies, organizations, institutions, libraries or authorities as described in Section 203 of Public Law 105.