Our Six-Step Model for Student Instructional Leadership
To create a sustainable and impactful student instructional leadership team, we developed a six-step process:
- Set the vision. Define what student leadership means in your school. Build a shared understanding focused on voice, ownership and collaboration.
- Recruit diverse leaders. Go beyond the “usual picks.” Seek students from various backgrounds who are thoughtful, curious and invested in improving school for everyone.
- Train students and set expectations. Equip students with the tools to lead by training them to give feedback, collaborate and operate professionally.
- Create real opportunities. Invite students to co-lead initiatives such as peer mentoring, classroom surveys or staff presentations. Their contributions need to feel real, not symbolic.
- Scaffold and support learning. Provide structure such as sentence starters, rehearsal time and adult coaching. Students lead best when they feel prepared.
- Celebrate and reflect on success. Showcase student contributions publicly. Recognition builds confidence and shows that their work matters.
You don’t need a formal program to begin. Start by asking questions. In what ways are students already shaping our classrooms? Where could we implement their leadership next? What would it look like to treat students as co-creators, not just recipients?
Even small steps can shift school culture.
Let Your K–12 Students Lead
When students take the lead, everyone benefits. Instruction becomes more responsive. Classrooms become more inclusive. Students gain academic skills as well as soft skills such as agency, empathy and leadership.
If you’re ready to elevate student voice in your school, start by trusting your students. They are ready. Let them lead.
UP NEXT: Workforce development and CTE programs open doors for K–12 students.