Why’s and How’s of Including Students as Education Leaders

A Formal Role for Our Students in District Governance

By Peter Hilts

In Colorado Springs’ School District 49, listening to students is more than a gesture. It is a system.

Through periodic surveys, town halls, advisory councils and other structured feedback channels, our district leaders have built what we call 49 Voices — a network of listening posts designed to ensure two-way dialogue across the organization.

In Colorado’s open school choice environment, where traditional, charter, online and college-preparatory schools compete for enrollment, understanding family and student perspectives is essential. The feedback we solicit helps us make better decisions about culture, programs and priorities.

Our 49 Voices initiative has attracted national attention. Earlier this year, the judges in the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program selected the district as one of four organizations nationwide (the only one in K-12 education) for a Best Practice Spotlight recognition, setting us up as a role model for other school systems. We were asked to present about our approach at Baldrige’s national conference in April.

Influencing Structures

District 49 began its Voice of the Students Listening Tour in 2015. The effort initially focused on hearing directly from students about their school experiences. But the conversations soon pointed toward a broader idea: creating a formal role for students in district governance.

Students proposed the concept themselves. We embraced the idea and worked with them to design the structure. The result was the 30-member Student Board of Representatives, known as SBOR, established in 2016.

The model reflects students’ study of American government. Each high school selects three representatives who meet monthly with district leadership, including me as superintendent, plus senior administrators and school board members. Students raise concerns, discuss district initiatives being considered or implemented and develop proposals of their own.

Each month, the student board also selects two representatives to participate in meetings of the elected board of education.

A Seat at the Table

At school board meetings and work sessions, two students sit alongside elected members at the dais. They review the same materials, join the same discussions and share student perspectives on policy decisions.

Their input has helped inform conversations on issues ranging from COVID-19 guidelines to cellphone use policies and gender participation in athletics.

This process has clarified student concerns and strengthened the school board’s understanding of how decisions affect the classroom.

Expanding Listening

Student leaders quickly recognized that their perspective reflected mostly high school experiences. They proposed expanding the listening process to include younger students.

Working with principals, SBOR members organized student-led learning tours in Colorado Springs’ elementary and middle schools. The visits gathered feedback from younger students and carried those perspectives into district discussions.

Some collected insights were simple, such as favorite cafeteria options. Others pointed to operational improvements, including greater emphasis on security patrols at elementary campuses and expanded interest in after-school clubs and activities.

Student leaders also have extended their work into the civic arena. Beginning with the 2023 school board election cycle, SBOR members partnered with the League of Women Voters to host candidate forums. Students screen candidates, develop questions, moderate discussions and manage the technical production of recorded events.

The experience has sparked deeper interest in civic participation. Some students have begun exploring the possibility of running for school board themselves once they are eligible at age 18.

A System Fueled

We credit the 49 Voices framework with helping improve school culture, academic performance and student satisfaction in Colorado Springs. The district collects systematic feedback from employees and parents as well, yet we believe student perspectives bring a unique clarity to our work.

Students themselves value the opportunity. Maxx Vega, a senior at Vista Ridge High School, describes the experience this way: “I am honored to have attended district board meetings, learning and engaging with members of my community. To have the administration we have at D49 is so special. I am a much more well-informed member and participant in the community.”

For us in district leadership, the lesson is straightforward: When students are invited into the conversation and given real responsibility, they do more than speak. They help shape the system designed to serve them.

Peter Hilts is superintendent of School District 49 in Colorado Springs, Colo.