(a) Said board shall have general supervision and control of the educational interests of the state, which interests shall include preschool, elementary and secondary education, special education, vocational education and adult education; shall provide leadership and otherwise promote the improvement of education in the state, including research, planning and evaluation and services relating to the provision and use of educational technology, including telecommunications, by school districts; shall adopt state-wide subject matter content standards, provided such standards are reviewed and revised at least once every ten years; shall prepare such courses of study and publish such curriculum guides including recommendations for textbooks, materials, instructional technological resources and other teaching aids as it determines are necessary to assist school districts to carry out the duties prescribed by law; shall conduct workshops and related activities, including programs of intergroup relations training, to assist teachers in making effective use of such curriculum materials and in improving their proficiency in meeting the diverse needs and interests of pupils; shall keep informed as to the condition, progress and needs of the schools in the state; shall develop or cause to be developed evaluation and assessment programs designed to measure objectively the adequacy and efficacy of the educational programs offered by public schools and shall selectively conduct such assessment programs annually and report, pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, on an annual basis; and shall establish and keep an inventory account, in accordance with the provisions of § 4-36, of all property owned and in the custody of the Department of Education, secure such inventory to prevent theft or loss and establish controls over the disposal of such inventory.

(b) Said board shall submit to the Governor and to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education an account of the condition of the public schools and of the amount and quality of instruction therein and such other information as will assess the true condition, progress and needs of public education.

(c) Said board shall prepare every five years a five-year comprehensive plan for elementary, secondary, vocational, career and adult education. Such comprehensive plan shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) a policy statement of the State Board of Education’s long-term goals and short-term objectives, including, for any comprehensive plan prepared on or after July 1, 2018, a policy statement that the demographics of educators in the public schools should reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the total population of the state, (2) an analysis of cost implications and measurement criteria and how said board’s programs and operations relate to such goals and objectives, and (3) specific action plans, target dates and strategies and methods of implementation for achieving such goals and objectives. The State Board of Education shall establish, every five years, an advisory committee to assist the board in the preparation of the comprehensive plan. Members of the advisory committee shall be appointed by the State Board of Education with representation on the committee to include, but not be limited to, representatives of the Connecticut Advisory Council on Vocational and Career Education, education organizations, parent organizations, student organizations, business and industry, organized labor and appropriate state agencies. Notwithstanding any requirement for submission of a plan for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1984, pursuant to § 10-96a of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to January 1, 1983, the State Board of Education shall not be required to submit the master plan for vocational and career education but shall submit, pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the comprehensive plan for elementary and secondary, vocational, career and adult education to the Governor and the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education on or before September 1, 1996, and every five years thereafter provided, the master plan currently in effect shall remain in effect until the comprehensive plan is submitted. The State Board of Education shall be responsible for annually updating the progress in implementing the goals and objectives of the comprehensive plan and shall report on such progress to the Governor and to said standing committee annually. The State Board of Education shall provide opportunity for public comment prior to its adoption of a plan.