Students should have say in schools chief

Student involvement drives educational success.

That’s a fact we’ve both learned, one as a member of the HISD Student Congress (StuCon) and the other as a teacher.

Through StuCon, students have helped administrators understand how the lack of internet access can significantly decrease the quality of the education a low-income student receives. After sustained advocacy from students, HISD formed partnerships with Sprint and Comcast to increase accessibility.

Even at a classroom level, student input can make for better schools. For example, Raj’s former students created the Pre-Calculus Advisory Council, which was a group of 20 students who provided feedback on the previous week’s lessons and advice regarding the upcoming lessons. This group of students, who had collectively seen hundreds of teachers, provided invaluable advice that improved the outcomes in Raj’s class.

While these are just two anecdotes, there is significant research showing that schools and districts that create formal channels for student voice in school improvement achieve higher and more sustainable outcomes. The Houston Independent School District should build on this research and harness the power and insight of students as it selects its new superintendent. This is a particularly opportune time for student involvement given HISD faces several looming challenges. We highlight two particularly salient ones.

First, due to state’s recapture system and Hurricane Harvey, HISD faces a shortfall of more than $115 million for the 2018-2019 year, and thus will likely have to make real cuts to balance its budget.

Second, under HB 1842, if a campus is on the Improvement Required list for five consecutive years, TEA must either close the school or take over the school district. HISD has 10 campuses that are at risk of triggering this law. While schools can get an exemption if districts partner with a nonprofit, higher education institution or charter school, HISD will have to make decisions about with whom to partner or whether to risk school closure or district takeover.

While we may agree student voice is important, one question is: How should HISD involve its more than 215,000 students? We offer two specific recommendations.

One, HISD should provide StuCon a vote in the selection of the superintendent. StuCon is a student-run, student-led nonprofit organization that is officially recognized as a student advisory board to the board of trustees. For years, StuCon has been leading civic engagement efforts. They lobbied in Austin, wrote an amicus cures brief, held a TedX event, wrote the preamble for the district’s student code of conduct, and earned a $12,500 donation from the Simmons Foundation to create a civic engagement program.

Their clear impact on the district and strong track record for advocacy demonstrate why they ought to have a vote. If providing StuCon an official vote is not feasible, the HISD School Board could consult a student adviser. This student could serve as consultant who advises the board on major decisions, such as the next superintendent. The board could select this adviser from StuCon itself or perhaps via an application.

In the final analysis, the exact mechanics of incorporating student voice (StuCon or a student advisor) is less critical than actually seeking student input. Students like Martha or those who served on Raj’s Pre-Calculus Advisory Council prove that students have much to offer policymakers. Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders. So HISD, rather than neglecting them, should harness student leadership and voice to make critical decisions, including selecting the next superintendent.