1.  Authorization to administer funds.  The department may administer all allotments of federal funds pertaining to schools, educational programs and institutions of higher education. The commissioner shall act for the department except where otherwise specified in the law.  

2.  Award of subgrants.  The department may award subgrants to school administrative units, private schools, nonprofit corporations, institutions of higher learning or other persons for purposes related to education out of federal grant funds when those subgrants are permitted by the terms under which the federal funds are available. Those subgrants shall be made in conformity with applicable federal requirements and with appropriate state accounting requirements and in accordance with rules of the department.  

3.  Rulemaking.  The department may adopt rules to implement this section.  

4.  Rural school administrative unit.  For purposes of allocating federal funds under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, 20 United States Code, Chapter 70, Subchapter V, "rural school administrative unit" means a school administrative unit in which no single municipality within the school administrative unit has a population over 8,000 residents for purposes of federal funding under the Every Student Succeeds Act.