Do you know a high school sophomore looking for leadership opportunities? The State Board of Education is accepting applications for student representatives. If selected, a student would serve on the Board of Education for the 2025-2027 term.
The applications are funneled through the Association of Washington Student Leaders (AWSL), which boasts nearly 70 years of providing leadership education to Washington students.
“Students on the Board play an important role in decision-making, providing firsthand insight into our schools that adults may not have,” said former student representative Pavan Venkatakrishnan.
Venkatakrishnan spoke before the Legislature in support of Senate Bill 5497, which granted students voting rights on the board.
What does it mean to be a Student Board Representative?
If chosen, a student would become one of sixteen Governor-appointed and community-elected representatives on the Board of Education. He or she would give a students’ perspective on education matters and ideally represent his/her demographic and communities. He or she would vote on matters important to Washington education, and would make current issues known to the board.
Who is eligible to be a Student Board Representative?
Eligible students must be a sophomore in high school and attend a public or private school in Washington State through the academic years of their term.
According to the application webpage, eligible students must also:
- Have a passion for improving K-12 public education.
- Be able to devote sufficient time to the responsibilities of the board, including, but not limited to, participating in all scheduled State Board of Education Board meetings.
- Have a positive academic and/or extracurricular record, which may be demonstrated by grades, activities, accomplishments, and/or recommendations of peers, educators, or community members.
- Commit to making up for missed school work while attending scheduled meetings and other board functions.
Who would make a good Board Representative?
Students who thrive on busy schedules and who display good time management will be most successful, as meeting weeks could entail up to 20 hours of board work, though most weeks will only require a few hours.
Students who are passionate about improving the education system in Washington will bring an important voice to the Board of Education. When sworn in, student representatives become vote-holding members of the board, able to influence policy making at the state level.
Student representatives must also display strong communication skills. They must be willing and able to hear differing viewpoints and communicate their own views clearly and effectively to their fellow board members.
What are the responsibilities of the Board Representative?
Students should expect travel, including overnight stays, conferences, and retreats. The Board of Education reimburses students for travel expenses and provides stipends of up to $100 per day for board meetings and other required board activities.
Student representatives are expected to prepare for meetings (reading meeting agendas, researching education issues affecting students across the state, etc.) and serve on committees, prepare statements, connect with communities, and so much more.
The 2025 meeting schedule can be viewed on the State Board of Education website.
What is the application process?
Applications are officially open and must be submitted by Friday, March 28, 2025. Finalists will be selected and notified on April 7. From then, finalists will undergo an interview process that will conclude before May 1.
More information can be found on the AWSL website.
Author: Olivia Thiessen
