Prairie State Wire

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) held its inaugural Student Summit on March 13, 2025, at the Bone Student Center at Illinois State University in Normal. The event gathered around 125 students from 40 high schools across Illinois to discuss their experiences and advocate for educational improvements.

The summit aimed to incorporate student perspectives into policy discussions concerning education enhancement, school environments, and academic outcomes. Key topics included mental health, school engagement, and postsecondary opportunities.

"Students are at the heart of everything we do at ISBE," stated Dr. Tony Sanders, State Superintendent of Education. "When we truly listen to them, we unlock the full potential of our schools and communities. Their voices shape better policies, stronger classrooms, and more meaningful learning. We are grateful to all the Student Summit participants for sharing their insights and helping build a stronger, more inclusive education system."

Roundtable discussions were centered on issues identified by ISBE’s Student Advisory Council (SAC), such as mental health concerns like substance use and bullying, access to extracurricular activities for emotional wellness, college pathways, Career and Technical Education strengthening, experiential learning opportunities, curriculum resources improvement, school discipline practices, cell phone usage policies, attendance strategies, and enhancing student representation in communities.

Attendance was by invitation only; invites were extended to SAC members, the Illinois Career and Technical Student Organizations Board members, and students who applied for the 2024-25 SAC. Unlike previous virtual engagements by SAC members in past years, this event provided a platform for face-to-face collaboration with peers statewide.

“The Student Summit is a great way to represent my district and share some of the things we’re doing well at New Trier. I’ve had some really good conversations today with my peers from all around the state,” commented Marie Mohr from New Trier Township High School.

Dean Calhoun from O’Fallon Township High School expressed gratitude: “I’d like to thank ISBE for creating an environment for student leaders from across the state to come together to communicate and focus on the issues and strong suits that we have.”

Barrington High School senior Vidhi Trivedi added: “I’m excited to hear what students across the state have to say and take it back to my school so our student body is more engaged and enjoys school more.”

The insights gathered will contribute to recommendations made by the Student Advisory Council to the ISBE Board in May. This presentation aims to ensure that student voices influence policies affecting Illinois schools.

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