From Feb. 27 to Feb. 29, high school students, representing the 6.3 million students in California, gathered in Sacramento at the State Capitol for the California Association of Student Councils’ (CASC) Student Advisory Board on Legislation in Education Conference (SABLE).
The purpose of SABLE, one of the four annual conferences held by CASC, is to empower students to enact changes in their education systems through legislative proposals that they create and present to the California Senate Education Committee. At the conference, student representatives collaborated with one another to create solutions to the issues they found most pressing at their schools. Students also met with their senators and Assembly members to open up dialogue.
For three days, the delegates engaged in small group council sessions and large group activities, heard speeches from non-profit organization representatives who specialized in education, and worked with trained CASC research team counselors to identify the top four issues they felt that most concerned them.
The four issues that were deemed most prevalent were: excused absences, teacher tenure, teacher incentives, and the lack of flexibility in categorical funding.
Delegates split into groups to specifically address each problem, and worked with others to develop solutions. On the last day, the groups coordinated four student panels and selected student speakers to present their recommendations, views, personal experiences, and ideas to the California Senate Education Committee during a televised board meeting on Feb. 29.
“Addressing the issue of teacher tenure to other students is one thing,” said Ronak Ahir, State Council President of CASC, senior, Leland High School. “But striking a discussion on tenure reform with the head chairman of the Senate Education Committee? That is an action on a whole new level. This is where we can make a difference.”
Every year for the past 13 years, the Senate Education Committee has allotted one hour, 30 minutes, specifically for the Student Advisory Board, to listen to the voices of California’s students. Attendees included state representatives such as Sen. Alan Lowenthal of Long Beach, Sen. Carol Liu of Pasadena, Sen. Curren D. Price Jr. of Los Angeles, and Sen. Loni Hancock of Berkeley.
“Every year that I have been in the legislature and sat on this education committee, [the delegates] have participated annually, and I really enjoy [their] thoughts and ideas,” stated Sen. Carol Liu during the board meeting. “Yes, we could always use some fresh ideas.”
In the past, the recommendations presented by the Student Advisory Board have been taken into consideration by the legislators. Results from SABLE have included alterations in curriculum, changes in statewide graduation requirements for high school students, and the passage of SB 1422, a bill that enables teachers to incorporate student feedback through the student-evaluation of teachers.
“These students are some of the most motivated people I have ever worked with,” said Victoria Leder, director of SABLE, senior, Lowell High School. “They really take our so called generation of ‘apathy’ and make it one of action. In the end, it is today’s youth who will determine this state’s tomorrow. Students are the largest group of stakeholders in the education system so it’s about time they [legislators] sat up straight and listened to us.”
