A MAP 150 Demonstration Project
Project Overview
In May 2007, the Citizens League launched a youth civic engagement Web site called Students Speak Out designed to gather authentic student input about declining enrollment and school closings in Minneapolis. Students and adults are working together at Students Speak Out to bring student voices into education policy discussions.
A key feature of Students Speak during the summer of 2007 was “Students Take a Turn”. In addition to lively forums, interactive polls, and information sharing on the site, “Students Take a Turn” connects a diverse panel of students to adult education policy makers. Adults ask questions of the students that will help inform and guide their work. The contributions of the students have been described as insightful and informative.
Students have weighed in on numerous topics, including technology in the schools, standards and testing, respect and discipline. Here are a few samples:
Gayle Smaller graduated from Patrick Henry in June and is now attending UW Madison. He wrote, “The schools definitely need to nurture the interests of the students rather than constantly shutting them down because eventually the students will begin to give up hope and their dreams are killed… the community and the schools have to realize that they are a type of support that the student yearns for.”
Annie Wood was an eighth grade student at St. Anthony Middle School last year. She wrote, “My middle school was really no help [with planning for college.] They’d stress the importance of post-secondary education whatever chance they got, but they never really helped us in figuring out what we wanted to do… All they would tell us was, “You have to get ready for college.”
To read more, check out the forums section on the Students Speak Out website.
This fall, Students Take a Turn will enter a new phase by putting students in the driver’s seat. The Citizens League will continue their Students Speak Out work in Minneapolis, as well as partner with the Minnesota Association for Alternative Schools (MAAP) to work with a team of student “fellows” who will choose and research a topic of their own choosing. We’ll then work with the students to help guide and connect them with the resources necessary for finding a solution to their issue.
Goals
- Effectively involve student voices in the education debate in Minnesota
- Demonstrate that students provide credible and important perspectives on education policy matters
- Show that including students in education matters leads to better education policy and ultimately better outcomes
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