Students on School Boards in Alaska

Here are different facts about roles for students on school boards in Alaska. This page was updated in May 2020.

In Alaska, two students are selected by the Alaska Association of Student Government and the Alaska State Board of Education to advise the state board.
Title 4 of the Alaska Administrative Code requires the Alaska State Board of Education & Early Development to include two nonvoting public high school student members.
Students are required to have two years of high school remaining at the time of appointment.
Students are required to serve a two-year term.
During the first year, the selected student serves as advisory member-elect, and may participate in the work of the board, including debate and deliberation, but may not cast an advisory vote.
During the second year, the advisory member-elect becomes the advisory member.
The student advisory member may participate in board deliberation and debate, and casts a non-binding advisory vote, which is recorded but is not counted in determining the disposition of board matters.
Students are eligible for appropriate state reimbursement.
There are 7 voting members (9 members total) of the Alaska State Board of Education.
Two student advisors and a military advisor are non-voting members.

There is no specific law addressing whether students can legally join or vote on district or state-level school boards in Alaska.
Students do not vote on district school boards in Alaska.
Students are appointed by school boards to serve on local school boards.
Their terms vary from one to two years based on local policy.
Student Board members receive all non-confidential board materials, attend public sessions of boards and cast and have recorded a preferential vote that is not counted in the board vote.
In 1972, the Alaska state department of education reported that they encouraged local school boards to consider roles for students on school boards.

Students are formal members of the state school board association, and can receive specific training to support their involvement.
There are two student leadership programs in Alaska, one during the annual school board conference and the other during the Legislative Network program.
Students in Alaska are allowed to attend any addition state school board association programs with local board approval.

You Might Like…