Student Advisor Opportunities
The Oregon State Board of Education and the Oregon Department of Education encourage incoming high school seniors to apply for a one-year appointment as either a Student Advisor to the Board or a Student Rule Advisor. These appointments begin August 2024 and end July 2025. To qualify, students must be a current high school junior (senior during the 2024-25 school year) with strong leadership qualities and the ability to deliberate policy issues.
The Oregon State Board of Education works on providing equitable policies and practices that lead to the educational and life success of every Oregon student. It envisions an aspirational education system that honors its increasingly diverse student body and affirms every student to reach their full potential in a rapidly shifting global environment.
If you are interested in education initiatives, standards, policies, and rules being considered and voted into policy, you may be more interested in the State Board of Education Advisor role. If you are interested specifically more with rule updates, which are often used to implement education legislation in the State of Oregon, while considered by the Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) and State Board of Education, the Rules Advisory Committee may be of particular interest for you as the RAC is involved earlier on in the rule development process, prior to going to the Board for consideration. Both the RAC and State Board of Education are comprised of volunteers by appointment who want to be part of the broad review of education initiatives for the State of Oregon.
As you apply and consider your calendar for the next school year, and while calendars are still being finalized for the 2024-25 school year for both the RAC and State Board of Education, the RAC has been on Zoom on the first Thursday of every month this prior school year. The State Board of Education has had hybrid in-person and virtual meetings on various Thursdays of the calendar year, not meeting more than once a month.
As a State Board Advisor, students are expected to attend board meetings beginning in August 2024 and assist the Board in analyzing the policies, proposals and requests before it. You will join the Board's Administrator, School Board Member, and Teacher advisors in providing your unique perspective to the Board. Students who do not have direct experience or expertise on policy deliberations are still welcome to apply, and can receive coaching if selected.
The Oregon Department of Education provides statewide leadership for all elementary and secondary students in Oregon’s public school districts and education service districts. The Department’s Rules Advisory Committee is an advisory committee available to Department staff as they engage in the rulemaking process. Member organizations represent various perspectives within Oregon’s education systems, including school leadership, licensed and classified staff, student and parent voice, culturally specific and community based organizations, education service districts, tribal voices, and state education partners. The Rules Advisory Committee does not make formal decisions nor recommendations.
As a Student Rule Advisor, you will be invited to attend meetings of the Department’s Rules Advisory Committee beginning in August 2024 and participate in group discussions regarding the development and impact of Oregon Administrative Rules. You will join a group of diverse community partners representing every level of Oregon’s education systems and dedicated to supporting the success of every student.