The superintendent of public instruction may appoint assistant superintendents of public instruction, a deputy superintendent of public instruction, and may employ such other assistants and clerical help as are necessary to carry out the duties of the superintendent and the state board of education. However, the superintendent shall employ without undue delay the executive director of the state board of education and other state board of education office assistants and clerical help, appointed by the state board under RCW
28A.305.130, whose positions are allotted and funded in accordance with moneys appropriated exclusively for the operation of the state board of education. The rate of compensation and termination of any such executive director, state board office assistants, and clerical help shall be subject to the prior consent of the state board of education. The assistant superintendents, deputy superintendent, and such other officers and employees as are exempted from the provisions of chapter
41.06 RCW, shall serve at the pleasure of the superintendent or at the pleasure of the superintendent and the state board of education as provided in this section. Expenditures by the superintendent of public instruction for direct and indirect support of the state board of education are valid operational expenditures by and in behalf of the office of the superintendent of public instruction.