Youth Involvement in School Decision-Making

• In Event: Working Toward Adult-Youth Solidarity: Understanding the Possibilities and Challenges in and Out of Schools

Abstract

Purpose:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, school leaders used collaborative approaches to address issues like technology access and student wellbeing (Bingham, 2021; Brown et al., 2023; Grooms & Childs, 2021). However, high school students were often excluded from decision-making processes (Bingham, 2021), with few documented cases of student involvement (Ojeda, 2022; Rocha et al., 2022). This study investigates the role of high school youth in school decision-making during the pandemic at “Sandoval School,” a K-12 school in a metropolitan area in the Western United States. Using Mitra’s pyramid of student voice (Mitra, 2006; Mitra & Gross, 2009), we explore youth voice opportunities, their impact on online schooling changes, and the constraints limiting youth influence in school decisions.

Framework:
This study applies Mitra’s pyramid (Mitra, 2006; Mitra & Gross, 2009) of student voice to assess the evolution of student voice opportunities at Sandoval School during the pandemic. Mitra's (2006) model categorizes student voice into three levels: listening, collaboration, and leadership, illustrating the increasing involvement and agency of students within educational settings. The study delves into how these tiers—ranging from adults hearing students' perspectives to students and adults collaborating on transformative actions, up to students leading initiatives—facilitate youth development and empowerment. Building on this theoretical framework, our study specifically investigates how student voice was manifested during remote learning caused by COVID-19, analyzing the types of opportunities that arose, their impact, and the limitations encountered.

Methods & Data Analysis:
In this qualitative study (Creswell, 2013), our data collection spanned from October 2020 to August 2022 and included semi-structured interviews with students (grades 7-12) and school staff, systematic observations, and artifact collection. We employed two semi-structured interview guides (Brenner, 2006), focusing on youth involvement in school leadership at Sandoval School. The study involved 39 participants: 23 students–all students of color–and 16 staff members–primarily people of color. The racial demographics of participants reflected the school’s overall racial demographics. Data collection included 48 interviews, 36 observations (mostly online), and 70 artifacts. Data analysis combined inductive and deductive methods, identifying six main categories and 49 subcategories, with coding facilitated by MAXQDA software and triangulation of findings.

Results & Significance:
Our research examined how diverse youth voice initiatives influenced online schooling changes and explored the constraints that limited the impact of youth on school decision-making. We discovered that these initiatives were dynamic, crossing all levels of Mitra’s pyramid of student voice and blending different roles—from being heard to leading initiatives. This fluid interaction suggests a need for a shift from a hierarchical model to a more interconnected, circular model of youth engagement. Despite an increase in opportunities for youth to voice their opinions and lead, challenges such as tokenism and adult resistance sometimes hindered the effectiveness of these initiatives, particularly at higher engagement levels where youth influence was anticipated to be more significant. Our study underscores the need for a deeper understanding of integrating youth voice into decision-making, especially in crisis situations.

Authors

• Thaina Ferrari Deolindo, University of Arizona

• Melanie Bertrand, University of Arizona

• Ashley D. Domínguez, University of Arizona

• Leyda Waleska Garcia, University of California - Los Angeles