ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County Public Schools is considering a proposal to create an Intra-County Student Council that would give high school students a direct way to share input with district decision-makers.
The proposed council would include elected student representatives from every Orange County high school. Those students would work together, debate issues and present recommendations directly to the School Board.
District leaders said the proposal is still being developed by district staff and School Board members.
The council, also referred to as the ICSC, would train students in deliberative dialogue and debate. Members would discuss issues affecting students, including student experience, school policies and other topics students believe deserve the district’s attention.
“The school board as a whole is such an important thing that makes so many decisions for OCPS, and we see those changes every day,” said Javier Aldana, a senior at Timber Creek High School.
Aidan Hu, also a senior at Timber Creek High School, said student input is important, particularly on issues such as safety.
“It’s always good to have more student voices, especially, like, at this time with safety and everything,” Hu said. “I think it’s always good to hear students input and how they feel about certain things.”
Orange County School Board member Angie Gallo said student feedback could help board members better understand what is happening inside schools beyond what they hear during formal board meetings.
“There’s a lot of policy decisions that we make that directly impact them,” Gallo said. “From CFE testing all the way to the curriculum that is offered. What schools have what. Like that’s the information that we need as a board member. What’s working well, what’s not working well.”
The proposal is also raising questions from some parents.
Jessica Popov, an OCPS parent, said she supports giving students an opportunity to be heard but wants more information about how the council would operate.
“I think that having a student voice is important, how we’re getting that student voice, especially in a time where there are so many constraints on budget, we need to think very creatively and find solutions that may not bog down other areas,” Popov said.