States Boards of Education Innovate to Better Engage Students

Alexandria, VA – Student representation on state boards of education is pivotal for uplifting student voice in education policymaking. But students need to take initiative and require strong mentorship opportunities to be effective in their roles, writes Naomi Porter in a new NASBE analysis. She shares lessons from her experience as a former California State Board of Education student member and highlights innovative strategies that states like Maine, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Washington are using for more effective student engagement.

In Nevada, student board member, Michael Keyes, worked alongside Nevada’s 2024 Teacher of the Year to create a state student advisory board. This advisory board allows Keyes to more easily reach students from all over the state and also ensures the state board has continuous access to many student voices.

Pennsylvania and California’s student board members lead discussion groups with students of all ages, including kindergarteners. They host virtual “office hours” for students to share their concerns and views on key issues.

To increase student engagement, Washington’s state board hires two high school students to serve as communication interns and leverages social media to connect with younger audiences.

Having had student board members since 2008, Maine intentionally designed the structure of the student board to have a built-in mentorship component. Such support creates an environment where the student member feels included and valued.

“Having a state student board member is an important way for state boards to demon-strate they value student input,” writes Porter, who is a NASBE policy intern and a student at Vanderbilt University. “In many states, adults and students are linking arms to innovate how they involve students in the decision making that affects their K-12 experience.”

Read “Strengthening Student Engagement and Adult Support.”

NASBE serves as the only membership organization for state boards of education. A nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, NASBE elevates state board members’ voices in national and state policymaking, facilitates the exchange of informed ideas, and supports members in advancing equity and excellence in public education for students of all races, genders, and circumstances. Learn more at www.nasbe.org.

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