• Consists of nine voting members who serve staggered four-year terms, the commissioner of higher education who serves as a nonvoting ex-officio member, and two nonvoting student members who serve one-year terms.

• Appoints the commissioner of education, who administers the Department of Education.

• Has general supervision and control of the educational interests of the state, including preschool, elementary, and secondary education; special education; and vocational education. The educational interests of the state, as defined by law, are that (1) each student have an equal opportunity to receive a suitable program of educational experiences; (2) each school district finance at a reasonable level at least equal to the state's minimum expenditure requirement an educational program designed to achieve this end; (3) in order to reduce racial, ethnic, and economic isolation, each school district provide educational opportunities for its students to interact with students and teachers from other

racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds and may provide such opportunities with students from other communities; and (4) statutory mandates relating to education within the State Board of Education's jurisdiction are implemented.

• Sets state educational policy in collaboration with the governor and the General Assembly.

• Oversees the state technical high schools.

• Authorizes charter and interdistrict magnet schools.

• Adjudicates complaints against local boards of education that fail to implement the state's educational interests.

• Serves as the final administrative appeal board for issuing and revoking teaching certificates and other educational credentials needed to work in Connecticut public schools.