(a) There shall be an Advisory Council for Special Education which shall advise the General Assembly, State Board of Education and the Commissioner of Education, and which shall engage in such other activities as described in this section. On and after July 1, 2012, the advisory council shall consist of the following members: (1) Nine appointed by the Commissioner of Education, (A) six of whom shall be (i) the parents of children with disabilities, provided such children are under the age of twenty-seven, or (ii) individuals with disabilities, (B) one of whom shall be an official of the Department of Education, (C) one of whom shall be a state or local official responsible for carrying out activities under Subtitle B of Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 42 USC 11431 et seq., as amended from time to time, and (D) one of whom shall be a representative of an institution of higher education in the state that prepares teacher and related services personnel; (2) one appointed by the Commissioner of Developmental Services who shall be an official of the department; (3) one appointed by the Commissioner of Children and Families who shall be an official of the department; (4) one appointed by the Commissioner of Correction who shall be an official of the department; (5) one appointed by the director of the Parent Leadership Training Institute within the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity who shall be (A) the parent of a child with a disability, provided such child is under the age of twenty-seven, or (B) an individual with a disability; (6) a representative from the parent training and information center for Connecticut established pursuant to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, 20 USC 1400 et seq., as amended from time to time; (7) the Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services, or the commissioner’s designee; (8) five who are members of the General Assembly who shall serve as nonvoting members of the advisory council, one appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, one appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, one appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate and one appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; (9) one appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate who shall be a member of the Connecticut Speech-Language-Hearing Association; (10) one appointed by the majority leader of the Senate who shall be a public school teacher; (11) one appointed by the minority leader of the Senate who shall be a representative of a vocational, community or business organization concerned with the provision of transitional services to children with disabilities; (12) one appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives who shall be a member of the Connecticut Council of Special Education Administrators and who is a local education official; (13) one appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives who shall be a representative of charter schools; (14) one appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives who shall be a member of the Connecticut Association of Private Special Education Facilities; (15) one appointed by the Chief Court Administrator of the Judicial Department who shall be an official of such department responsible for the provision of services to adjudicated children and youth; (16) seven appointed by the Governor, all of whom shall be (A) the parents of children with disabilities, provided such children are under the age of twenty-seven, or (B) individuals with disabilities; (17) the executive director of the nonprofit entity designated by the Governor in accordance with section 46a-10b to serve as the Connecticut protection and advocacy system, or the executive director’s designee; and (18) such other members as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 USC 1400 et seq., as amended from time to time, appointed by the Commissioner of Education. Appointments made pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be representative of the ethnic and racial diversity of, and the types of disabilities found in, the state population. The terms of the members of the council serving on June 8, 2010, shall expire on June 30, 2010. Appointments shall be made to the council by July 1, 2010. Members shall serve two-year terms, except that members appointed pursuant to subdivisions (1) to (3), inclusive, of this subsection whose terms commenced July 1, 2010, shall serve three-year terms and the successors to such members appointed pursuant to subdivisions (1) to (3), inclusive, of this subsection shall serve two-year terms.

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(b) The advisory council shall elect annually its own chairperson and other officers as deemed necessary. The council shall meet at least once during each calendar quarter and at such other times as the chairperson deems necessary or upon the request of a majority of members in office. The State Board of Education shall meet at least annually with the council to review the state plan for the provision of special education. A majority of the members in office, but not less than ten, shall constitute a quorum. Any member who fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during any calendar year shall be deemed to have resigned from office. The member appointed by the Commissioner of Education who is an official of the department shall meet with and act as secretary to the advisory council. Members of the advisory council shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. The Department of Education shall provide secretarial and administrative assistance to facilitate the activity of the advisory council. The Board of Regents for Higher Education shall appoint a liaison person to the advisory council.

(c) The advisory council shall: (1) Advise the Department of Education of unmet needs in educating children with disabilities and on the administration of the provisions of sections 10-94f to 10-94k, inclusive; (2) review periodically the laws, regulations, standards and guidelines pertaining to special education and recommend to the General Assembly and the State Board of Education any changes which it finds necessary; (3) comment on any new or revised regulations, standards and guidelines proposed for issuance; (4) participate with the State Board of Education in the development of any state eligibility documents for provision of special education; (5) comment publicly on any procedures necessary for distributing federal funds received pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 USC 1400 et seq., as from time to time amended; (6) assist the Department of Education in developing and reporting such data and evaluations as may be conducted pursuant to the provisions of said act; (7) report to the General Assembly not later than January fifteenth in the odd-numbered years and not later than February fifteenth in the even-numbered years, concerning recommendations for effecting changes in the special education laws; and (8) perform any other activity that is required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 USC 1400, et seq., as from time to time amended.