(1) The Director of the Department of Corrections shall appoint an unclassified employee to the position of Administrator of Correctional Education.

(2) The Administrator of Correctional Education shall be employed full-time with authority over, and responsibility for, statewide corrections education programs. The administrator shall:

(a) Plan, design and implement the correctional education system required in ORS § 421.081; and

(b) Recommend to the Director of the Department of Corrections rules as necessary to carry out the responsibilities of the office of Administrator of Correctional Education.

(3)(a) The Department of Corrections, through the Administrator of Correctional Education, may negotiate contracts with organizations and agencies to implement the provisions of ORS § 421.081 and 421.084 and this section. The Department of Corrections, in discharging its duties under this section, shall honor provisions of existing collective bargaining agreements with current employees of the department that provide for contracting out.

(b) All moneys appropriated to the Department of Corrections for general, professional and technical education instruction shall be expended only for those purposes. [1977 c.435 § 7; 1987 c.320 § 213; 1989 c.363 § 4; 1991 c.855 § 1; 2007 c.15 § 4]