The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Oregon State Board of Education (SBE) are looking for incoming high school juniors and seniors to participate in Oregon’s K-12 administrative rulemaking processes as either a Student Member of ODE’s Ongoing Rules Community Advisory (ORCA) or a Student Advisor to the State Board of Education (SBE). These positions begin August 2025 and end July 2026. To qualify, students must be a current high school sophomore or junior (junior or senior during the 2025-26 school year). Linked here, you will find the Rulemaking Student Opportunities bulletin.

Both of these opportunities allow students to be directly involved in the development of Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs). These rules impact every level of Oregon’s education systems, including strategic investments by the Oregon legislature (OAR 581-017), selection of textbooks and other instructional materials (OAR 581-011), processes for complaints and appeals (OAR 581-075), and the improvement of school facilities (OAR 581-027). All rules must follow the requirements found in our Oregon Revised Statutes. Rulemaking is most often at the direct request of the Oregon Legislature. The Oregon Department of Education develops rules for consideration by the Oregon State Board of Education, which is the only body authorized to adopt, amend, repeal, or renumber our education-related rules.

If you will be a junior or senior in the 2025-26 school year, and are interested in weighing in on rules that may impact the behind-the-scenes and day-to-day operations of Oregon’s school systems, this opportunity is curated for students like you. Students who don’t have direct experience on policy deliberations are still encouraged to apply. We work with students in August and throughout the school year to teach them more about the rulemaking process.

Applications will be reviewed as submitted, and the department intends to select advisors by the end of July or early August 2025. Please note that both ORCA and SBE meetings occur during the school day. While ODE will notify your school district and principal for students selected into these positions, students are expected to work with their teachers and other extracurricular commitments to best approach these commitments. If you have any questions about these opportunities or the application, please contact Oregon Department of Education Rules Coordinator Haedon Brunelle by clicking here. For more information on these opportunities, refer to the Rulemaking Student Opportunities bulletin here. The bulletin will provide more context for these positions, as well as the Ongoing Rules Community Advisory (ORCA) and the State Board of Education (SBE).

Applications will be reviewed as submitted, and this form will stay open until positions are filled.