As part of PA 15-5, the CT Commissioner of Education was charged with developing a new individualized education program (IEP) form by January 1, 2017 to provide easier use for practitioners and clearer communication for families and students that enable better understanding of the IEP. The completion date for the work of the council has been extended to January 1, 2018. The role of the IEP Advisory Council is to provide input into the development of this form.

The State Education Resource Center (SERC) is providing administrative support to the IEP Advisory Council.

Sec. 267. (Effective July 1, 2015)

• (a) The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Individualized Education Program Advisory Council established pursuant to section 268 of this act, shall develop a new individualized education program form that is easier for practitioners to use and easier for parents and students to understand. Such individualized education program form shall include a brief description of, and contact information for, 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, and the Bureau of Special Education within the Department of Education in a conspicuous place on the first page of the individualized education program form using at least twelve-point Times New Roman font.
• (b) Not later than January 1, 2017, the commissioner shall submit the new individualized education program form developed pursuant to this section to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes.

Sec. 268. (Effective July 1, 2015)

• (a) There is established an Individualized Education Program Advisory Council that shall assist the Commissioner of Education in the development of a new individualized education program form that is easier for practitioners to use and easier for parents and students to understand, pursuant to section 267 of this act.
• (b) The advisory council shall consist of the following members:
  • (1) Two members appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be an advocate for parents or guardians of children requiring special education and related services and one of whom shall be a special education teacher in a public school who is a member of the American Federation of Teachers-Connecticut;
  • (2) Two members appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall be a superintendent of schools and one of whom shall be a representative of the Connecticut State Advisory Committee on Special Education;
  • (3) Two members appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be a principal of a public school and one of whom shall be a teacher in a public school who is a member of the Connecticut Education Association;
  • (4) Two members appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, one of whom shall be an advocate for parents or guardians of children requiring special education and related services and one of whom shall be a representative of the RESC Alliance;
  • (5) Two members appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be a director of pupil personnel and one of whom shall be a representative of the State Education Resource Center, established pursuant to section 10-357a of the general statutes;
  • (6) Two members appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, one of whom shall be a representative of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education and one of whom shall be a representative of the American School for the Deaf; and
  • (7) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee.
• (c) All appointments to the advisory council, pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, shall be made not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.
• (d) The Commissioner of Education may appoint any employee of the Department of Education with expertise in special education to serve as a nonvoting member of the council.
• (e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the advisory council from among the members of the advisory council. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the advisory council, which shall be held not later than sixty days after the effective date of this section.
• (f) The State Education Resource Center, established pursuant to section 10-357a of the general statutes, shall provide administrative support to the advisory council.
• (g) The advisory council shall terminate on the date that the Commissioner of Education submits the new individualized education program form to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 267 of this act, or January 1, 2017, whichever is later.