High school is a collaboration between young people and adults, and everyone should have a seat at the table. Students need to be included regularly in key conversations and decisions about their schools and how they operate. They have a stake in issues at every level of decision-making, from hallway decorations to social activities, from schoolwide projects to disciplinary policies. Students often have great ideas to contribute, and they deserve a chance to do so. It is particularly important that they understand their school policies and have a voice in decisions that affect their futures, such as equitable access to courses that meet college requirements.

Educators are responsible for helping students develop the skills needed to have agency. These skills—like any other learning experience—need to be developed gradually and intentionally, with students playing increasingly larger roles. This process doesn’t just improve school design, it is essential to becoming an independent, self-directed, lifelong learner.

Most teachers think students should have a greater say in school decision-making. In a 2018 Gallup Poll, only one in three U.S. teachers said students have a great deal or a moderate amount of input, but three in four teachers said they believed students should have that much say in school decisions.

XQ Student Voice
Visit the High School Life category on Rethink Together for articles and videos about student engagement, teen activism, mental health, and more.