In CPS, student voice is the valuing and prioritizing of youth values, beliefs, perspectives, participation and influence in all aspects of schooling.
Student voice & engagement is core to classroom, schoolwide, district, & community improvement & decision-making.
Build A Foundation for Student Voice and Engagement
Youth Voice and Expertise: As CPS’s majority stakeholder group, youth should have a voice in all aspects of their schooling and in their communities. Youth perspectives are a necessary component for true inclusive partnerships and equitable decision-making. In order for classrooms and schools to promote student agency and authority, youth voices must be valued and elevated, and students should have opportunities to share power with adults. We do this through a 360 degree approach to student voice, practices and structures for classrooms, schools, and district-wide impact:
- The Powerful Practices are how we strengthen student voice and engagement in all classrooms and schools
- Student Voice 360 Toolkit provides strategies and evaluation tools for quality
- Student Voice Committees are school-level student leadership groups that work with admin for school improvement
- Student Voice and Activism Fellows (SVAF) is a team of student leaders working to strengthen youth-adult partnerships across the district
- Student Advisory Council (SAC) is a team of student leaders that work directly with the CPS CEO to strengthen policy
