(a) The Commissioner of Education shall administer, within available appropriations and in consultation with the Commissioner of Children and Families, a surrogate parent program. The Commissioner of Children and Families shall select any foster child, as defined in § 17a-110, who resides in the area identified as Region 3 by the Department of Children and Families for participation in the program, and the Commissioner of Education shall appoint a surrogate parent for such child. The surrogate parent shall represent the foster child in the educational decision-making process, provided the parent or guardian of the foster child: (1) Agrees or fails to object to the appointment of a surrogate parent; (2) receives identical notices as the surrogate parent; and (3) may revoke the appointment of a surrogate parent at any time.

(b) Not later than January 1, 2016, and annually thereafter, the Commissioners of Education and Children and Families shall jointly submit a report, in accordance with § 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children and education on the surrogate parent program.