Elevating Student Voice in Education

• Published in: Policy File 2019
• Main Authors: Benner, Meg, Brown, Catherine, Jeffrey, Ashley
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Subjects: Center for American Progress; Children & youth/Families & family life; Education; Government

Students have the greatest stake in their education but little to no say in how it is delivered. This lack of agency represents a lost opportunity to accelerate learning and prepare students for a world in which taking initiative and learning new skills are increasingly paramount to success. When it comes to student engagement, there is a predictable and well-documented downward trajectory as students get older. There are limited studies that show a direct connection between student engagement and students valuing their education and opportunities to make their voices heard. Many advocates and researchers encourage schools to create opportunities for students to participate in decisions about their education as a means of increasing student engagement and investing students in their education. The authors of this report define "student voice" as student input in their education ranging from input into the instructional topics, the way students learn, the way schools are designed, and more. Increasing student voice is particularly important for historically marginalized populations, including students from Black, Latinx, Native American, and low-income communities as well as students with disabilities.