(a) There is established the Connecticut Achievement and Resource Equity in Schools Commission to provide analysis and recommendations concerning state funding for education and resources needed to ensure that all public school students in the state have an opportunity to succeed. The commission shall develop a strategic plan that includes recommendations for implementing a system for distributing state public education funding, that (1) includes a funding formula that (A) makes use of an appropriate foundation level, (B) addresses the issue of unequal local tax burdens and reduces the reliance on unequal local property taxation to fund services, (C) increases equity and fairness, and (D) reduces segregation; (2) depends on a stable, fair, reliable and identifiable funding source; (3) addresses students’ educational needs from preschool through grade twelve, and (4) provides predictability and sustainability in grant allocations to towns and school districts.

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(b) The commission shall consist of the following members who shall reflect the state’s geographic, population, socio-economic, racial and ethnic diversity:

(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education and one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Education Association;

(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom is a representative of the RESC Alliance and one of whom is an economist with expertise in measures of poverty;

(3) Two appointed by the Senate Republican president pro tempore, one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Federation of School Administrators and one of whom is a representative of a regional agricultural science and technology education center;

(4) Two appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents and one of whom is a representative of the American Federation of Teachers-Connecticut;

(5) Two appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Council of Administrators of Special Education;

(6) Two appointed by the deputy Senate Republican president pro tempore, one of whom is an employee of the bureau of choice programs within the Department of Education and one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut PTA;

(7) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Association of Schools and one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Administrators of Programs for English Language Learners;

(8) One appointed jointly by the speaker of the House of Representatives and the minority leader of the House of Representatives who shall be a representative of the Connecticut Association of School Business Officials; and

(9) One appointed jointly by the president pro tempore of the Senate and the Senate Republican president pro tempore who shall be a representative of the State Education Resource Center.

(c) All appointments to the commission shall be made not later than thirty days after October 31, 2017. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d) of this section, any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.

(d) There shall be two chairpersons of the commission appointed as follows: (1) The speaker of the House of Representatives shall select a chairperson of the commission from among the members of the commission, and (2) the president pro tempore of the Senate and the Senate Republican president pro tempore shall jointly select the other chairperson of the commission from among the members of the commission. If the chairperson appointed pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection becomes vacant, the president pro tempore of the Senate and the Senate Republican president pro tempore, or the president pro tempore of the Senate, as the case may be, shall fill such vacancy. The chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the commission, which shall be held not later than sixty days after October 31, 2017.

(e) Not later than April 1, 2018, the commission shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.