HARRISBURG, Pa.—Pennsylvania's high school and college students now have an opportunity to serve on the State Board of Education.

The board voted unanimously Thursday to include current students or recent graduates as members for the first time in its 45-year history.

Under changes to the board's bylaws, its chairman appoints four students to one-year terms: one member and one member-elect each representing high school and college students. The board plans to have the student representatives in place during the 2008-09 school year or sooner, if possible.

The two member-elect positions give newly appointed student representatives a one-year orientation period on the board. At the end of that period, members-elect will then serve one-year terms as full members.

None of the students would have voting privileges, but board chairman Karl Girton said their input on education policy and regulatory decisions would be valuable to the board.

"It helps you make better decisions," Girton said Thursday.

The 22-member board includes 17 members who are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate. It also includes four lawmakers who are the ranking Republicans and Democrats on the House and Senate education committees, and the chair of the state's teacher disciplinary board, who is a nonvoting member.

Sixteen other states, the District of Columbia and Guam currently have students serving on their state education boards

Advertisement
in varying capacities.