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A study of the inclusion of students' perspectives in Ontario school board improvement planning through student trustee representation

Year: 2017
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Students are the largest stakeholders in education and school board improvement plans have a direct impact on their educational experience. This study examined the inclusion of students’ perspectives in improvement planning as represented by student trustees. Based on an adaptation of Fielding’s (2012) framework for student engagement. The study was guided by the assumption that the nature of student trustee engagement in the improvement planning process related to the ways in which education leaders created the conditions to invite students’ input. Responses to on-line questionnaires completed by a sample of 26 English school board supervisory officers and 28 former student trustees all of whom served in their respective roles prior to September 2014 in English school boards in the province of Ontario provided the primary source of data. Both supervisory officers and former student trustees indicated a high level of agreement about the importance of including students’ perspectives in improvement planning. However, overall, across all phases of the board improvement planning process, both supervisory officers and former student trustees indicated that student trustees were not very involved. The study concluded that both supervisory officers and former student trustees would like to see a more participatory role of student trustees in informing the improvement planning process. To do so would require overcoming the challenges identified by these groups. Articulating an appropriate and meaningful role for student trustees in an improvement planning process will be an important consideration when thinking about modifications to existing practices. Provision should be given for enhanced interaction between student trustees and their fellow peers and between student trustees and school board staff when developing improvement plans. Education leaders are encouraged to use an expanded framework for student trustee representation to include opportunities for student trustees to co-lead and co-learn with their fellow peers and staff. Student trustees are encouraged to advocate locally within school boards and provincially through student trustee organizations to elevate the importance of including students’ perspectives in the improvement planning process from students themselves in order to achieve a more authentic response to improving student achievement and well-being in Ontario’s publically funded school system.
Language: English
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2767336215
Cites: 17
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Related to: 10