Ohio Student Voice Work Group
Schools and districts can incorporate “student voice” which includes student thoughts, ideas, opinions, and values in educational plans. Utilizing student voice in decision making helps schools and districts design programming and policy that engages and supports the unique needs of each school and district’s student population.
Student Leadership in Family-School Partnerships shares three strategies schools can use when implementing opportunities for student voice:
- Soliciting student voice and responding to feedback;
- Engaging students as equal participants and collaborators; and
- Preparing and supporting students to lead through skill development.
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce values student voices and launched the Ohio Student Voice Workgroup in December 2023. The workgroup is a forum for a select group of Ohio students to provide the Department with feedback and suggestions concerning education policies and initiatives. In 2024, students learned more about trending education topics in the state of Ohio including attendance, literacy, mental health, and math. The Ohio Student Voice Workgroup meets once a month from September 2024 through April 2025. Meetings are held during the week after schools have dismissed. Date and time for the meeting is determined by Department staff and majority of student availability.
Student Voice Workgroup Nominations
For school staff interested in nominating a student for the 2025-2026 Student Voice Workgroup, nominations will open in Spring of 2025. Participants for the new cohort will be announced and invited to attend in September 2025.
As a participant in the Student Voice Workgroup students have the opportunity to:
- Learn about policy and initiatives directly from state and local agency members
- Ask questions about state educational policy
- Participate in discussions around content presented at each meeting
- Participate in group activities designed to gather feedback from students
- Share suggestions for how they believe the state can make their experience better
- Meet and connect with students from different places in Ohio
Partnerships and Resources
The Department partners with The Ohio Association of Student Leaders to provide student voice workgroup participants with opportunities to attend leadership events. The Ohio Association of Student Leaders (OASL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Ohio’s middle and high school students identify and develop their leadership capacity to make positive change in their schools and communities.
Each participant in the Student Voice Workgroup is eligible to attend all student leader events coordinated by OASL throughout the school year. Participating schools are also eligible to enlist other students and lead an OASL section in their schools.
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws. To request a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Katie Barnes, ADA coordinator, at ADAaccommodation@education.ohio.gov or 614-387-7716 (voice) no later than 14 days before meeting date.
Last Modified: 2/3/2025 10:02:57 AM