Raising Student Voice and Participation

"Engaged student councils can be a principal's best ally. They can help push reforms that will benefit students; they can develop strategies in answer to student concerns that will help improve school climate. Let them be one of your partners."—NASSP "

…Student Council … [provides] an excellent opportunity for the school to be a laboratory of practice in democracy in which the school is the community of operation. It must be an essential part of the overall school program."—NASSP Bulletin, October, 1944, p. 21.

What Is RSVP? Raising Student Voice & Participation (RSVP) – Overview PowerPoint presentation.

• Student engagement program aligned with school reform
• Easily integrated into existing student council programs
• Student council leaders plan and facilitate a series of Student Summits that engage the entire student body in dialogues
• Helps to assemble student action teams to carry out plans for resolving concerns identified in the summits
• RSVP asks students what they care about, what proposals they have for community and school improvement, and what actions can be taken, in cooperation with adults, to implement their ideas for positive change.

• Involves all students and student populations—specifically giving those students who are typically not involved an opportunity to share their voices and participate in civic-based activities.
• Provides principals with a way to utilize the leadership of their student councils to engage students more and personalize their school experience.
• Establishes a process and framework for developing and implementing student-directed projects.
• Brings abstract learning to life: "Students who learn about democracy in social studies courses but who fail to see it practiced in the classroom or school are given the message that democracy is a lofty ideal, but it is not for the real world. What is needed then is an approach to citizenship education that will not only prepare students for democratic participation but help them to appreciate the value of democratic institutions". (Power 1993, p190)
• Extends opportunities for leadership and involvement to non-elected students
• Brings civic education and service learning to life for all students

What are the Goals of RSVP?