Providing for boards of directors of school districts to include nonvoting student representatives

This bill provides for boards of directors of school districts to include nonvoting student representatives. The bill requires the board of directors of each school district to appoint at least one nonvoting student representative to serve on the board for a term of one year if the student is enrolled in grade or for a term of two years if the student is enrolled in grade 10. The bill also requires the board to develop an application and selection process for the nonvoting student representative that is based on a model program the bill requires the director of the department of education to develop. The bill provides that a nonvoting student representative shall have a seat at the table of all board meetings and board subcommittee meetings, have access to all nonconfidential board meeting materials, and be allowed to participate in any orientation provided to administrators or members of the board. The bill authorizes a nonvoting student representative to advocate for student interests in board meetings, provide school administrators and board members with student viewpoints, assist in developing and monitoring the implementation of education policy, and volunteer to perform other functions of benefit to the students and the school district. The bill provides that students enrolled in a school district in either grade or may apply to the board to serve as a nonvoting student representative. Additionally, the bill provides that a vacancy in the position of a nonvoting student representative shall not be filled until the expiration of the nonvoting student representative’s term. The bill requires the board to notify the parents or guardians of a nonvoting student representative if the nonvoting student representative’s grade point average falls during the period in which the nonvoting student representative serves on the board. The bill provides that a nonvoting student representative shall have been enrolled in the school district for at least one year prior to the student representative’s appointment.