By then, all the buildings, which were constructed under the controversial private finance initiative (PFI), which included primaries, secondaries and special schools, are expected to have reopened.
The inquiry is likely to examine every aspect of the closures including the finance contract and the construction process.
The discovery of structural faults forced the schools to remain shut after the Easter holidays, affecting more than 7,000 pupils.
About 4,000 of them are due back in their schools before the end of this term.
Andrew Burns, leader of Edinburgh council, said: “It is important we have an independent chair for this inquiry – one who commands respect within the construction industry. The terms of reference will be thorough and we want the report to get to the heart of this issue and see what lessons can be learnt, not just here in Edinburgh, but across Scotland.”
He continued: “When the issue came to light, our first priority was safety of pupils and staff, the second was getting pupils back into education, the third is getting the schools reopened and it is not until this has happened that the inquiry will begin.”
Last week a second local authority in Scotland, South Lanarkshire, confirmed that two of its schools had similar faults to the Edinburgh schools: Trinity High in Rutherglen had missing wall ties and Duncanrig Secondary had problems with bracket heads.
However, a council spokeswoman told SecEd that both remained open.
Mr Burns said he expected the results of the inquiry to be available within months to give parents across the city “the answers they deserve”. He added: “Feedback is that the current exam arrangements are working well and I’m pleased to say we are still on schedule to have three schools reopening next week, five in June and the remaining nine by the middle of August for the start of the new term.”
The Edinburgh schools PFI will reportedly cost the taxpayer £529 million by 2032 – which would be more than double the publicly declared figure.