How to Meaningfully Involve Students in Leadership

What do we mean when we talk about “student voice” in schools? For me as a superintendent, it means giving students space to examine real issues that they care about and allowing them to develop solutions to address them. It also means sharing power with students and trusting them with the complexities and challenges of effecting change in school systems. 

In the Uniondale Union Free School District, we have created multiple opportunities for students to have a say in important district initiatives. Students participate in hiring committees, the accreditation committee, school safety committees, and the district’s new committee on artificial intelligence.

Through these initiatives our team has learned the importance of honoring students’ perspectives, even when they are critical of our work. What follows are some concrete examples of how our school district has given students opportunities to lead. 

Setting the Stage for student leadership

Like everything else in schools, creating an environment that fosters student voice begins with shared beliefs about the value of student input. For many years, our school board has had a student board member who is elected by the high school student body. We are also expanding access and opportunity for student leadership throughout our school district. We began this process through our strategic planning process in which students worked side by side with teachers, parents, and school leaders to determine the district’s priorities for the next five years. 

We also administer school environment surveys to students in grades three to 12 annually to solicit their feedback on topics ranging from school safety to student expectations and respect for cultural differences. After the surveys are completed, we discuss the results with school staff and student leaders in order to create shared accountability and transparency regarding our areas for growth. These surveys have allowed us to identify key areas of focus during our annual planning process. 

Convening a student council

Four years ago, when I became superintendent, I committed myself to involving students in genuine leadership. Performative work around student voice looks like students being invited to meetings but not having a part of creating the agenda. It looks like not seeking the input of disengaged or marginalized youth. I wanted to engage our students in authentic and meaningful ways.

One of the first things I did when I became superintendent in my district was create a Superintendent’s Student Council (SSC). Our council is composed of middle school and high school students who are reflective of our student body, including students with individualized education programs, English language learners, and students who have mixed academic performance. A goal of the SSC is to foster empathy and create a sense of belonging for all young people regardless of their ability level. 

One of the benefits of the SSC is that it provides me with feedback about how the district is doing from the students’ point of view. As they discuss real issues they want to address, the council provides a vehicle for them to develop strategies in real time that will improve conditions for them and their peers. SSC members have worked on issues such as the high school student orientation, school lunch, school culture, and student mental wellness.

Youth Empowerment Project

Last year, our district launched a new youth-led initiative aimed at developing an action project in the high school. The students named their project the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP), and they worked with the support of a social worker and a school counselor, who facilitated planning sessions over a period of four months. The students developed a project that tackled youth mental wellness, and two initiatives emerged from their planning sessions. First they decided to create a student wellness and mindfulness space at the high school where students could go when they needed a cool-down period. Second, they decided to create the first-ever social and emotional learning (SEL) day at Uniondale High School. 

From idea to implementation: Having great ideas is one thing, but implementing a schoolwide project in a high school of over 2,300 students is another. The YEP students devoted a great deal of time after school and during breaks to plan their projects. During the first YEP meeting, I talked to students about project goals and told them that their voice and ideas would drive this work.

In order to create a student wellness room, the students had to work with the school administration to identify space in an already crowded building. Once we found a room, the YEP facilitators organized field trips for them to visit other student wellness centers in other school districts, and then they met with our district’s architect to discuss their ideas. The students proposed a budget to buy furniture such as rugs, flexible seating, and decor. They also developed protocols for how the space would be managed. 

Launching the high school’s inaugural SEL Day brought on its own set of challenges. The students planned to host SEL Day in June during the school day right before final exams. The YEP students said they wanted to do something to alleviate the stress, anxiety, and burnout for students, faculty, and staff.

There were some staff members who had concerns about taking precious time away from instruction so close to the exam period. We left it up to the students to convince the faculty, and they presented their proposal at a faculty conference to garner support for their idea. With the support of the school’s faculty, the students planned a “day off” from classes that provided space for a different kind of learning. The YEP students invited local social service agencies to provide workshops on healthy relationships, goal-setting, self-advocacy, managing stress, and test-taking tips. They also enlisted teachers and administrators to provide workshops in areas such as yoga and Latin dancing.

For students, these activities were more than just fun: The day was an opportunity to feel heard. Justin H., a high school sophomore, said, “SEL Day was a day for us to reflect, have a great time at the end of the school year, not worry about regents, and it meant a lot that I was able to give my ideas and see my ideas come to life.” 

Inviting students into the decision-making process is the best way to teach and model collaborative leadership. Every leader has the ability to elevate student voice in your schools, and it is easy to start. Gather a group of students, ask them to discuss what issues they care about, and partner with them on developing solutions. Let their voices lead the way.