The first deputy county superintendent of schools shall have authority to approve transfers if the county superintendent shall be unable to act due to illness or absence from his office. If there is no person serving as county superintendent or deputy county superintendent in a county, the State Board of Education may legally disburse state aid funds to the school districts of the county, and said State Board of Education shall have authority to designate one of its employees to perform the duties that are prescribed by law to be performed by the county superintendent.
Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 4-105