In Victoria, it is mandatory for all government secondary schools to have two elected student members on school council.
Student members on school council are:
Full voting members of the school council
Elected by the student body specifically to school council (not for school captain or other leadership positions)
The opportunity to nominate and vote for school council student members should be open to all students from year 7 to 12. School council elections happen every year in February and March.
Even if students on school council is not mandatory at your school, these resources will be helpful in understanding the importance of including students in education decision-making and supporting them to do so.
What is a school council?
School councils are made up of elected members from school staff, the school community, the local community, and students. They are responsible for:
Setting the direction and vision for the school, including creating a strategic plan
Leading school community conversations about key issues and challenges in education
Developing and updating school policies, such as student safety and behaviour, curriculum development and uniform
Making sure that the school is responsive to the needs of the local community
Why is it important that students are included on school councils?
Students are the biggest group of stakeholders in a school, and in education systems. It is important that students are involved in making decisions that affect them, and that decision-makers consider student needs, wants and perspectives when making decisions.
