ATLANTA – Superintendent Woods selects 79 Georgia students to serve on the 2025-2026 Student Advisory Council.
Release:
State School Superintendent Richard Woods has selected 79 Georgia students from 1,235 applicants to serve on his 2025-2026 Student Advisory Council. Throughout the year, these students will meet with Superintendent Woods to provide feedback on the impact of state policies in the classroom.
Members of the Student Advisory Council will also discuss other education-related issues, serve as ambassadors for the Superintendent to their respective schools, and participate in service projects that benefit schools and students. The service project allows students to engage with their community, develop leadership skills, and contribute to meaningful causes. Service projects can vary widely, ranging from local community clean-up efforts and charity fundraisers to educational workshops. By participating in these initiatives, council members fulfill their service requirements and cultivate a sense of civic responsibility and teamwork. This experiential learning helps students understand the impact they can have on their community and encourages them to continue engaging in service activities beyond their time on the council.
“I am excited to welcome the students who will serve on the 2025-2026 Student Advisory Council,” Superintendent Woods said. “This council is about hearing directly from students – the ones experiencing our schools every day. These outstanding young leaders bring experiences and perspectives from every corner of our state, and their viewpoints and ideas will guide our work, ensuring we stay focused on what matters most: supporting every student’s success. I look forward to learning from them and working together throughout the year.”
Each year, any student in grades 10-12 attending a Georgia public school (including charter schools) may fill out an application to be considered for the Student Advisory Council. The application includes short essay prompts that allow students to share their ideas for public education. This year, as part of a pilot effort to broaden perspectives, the Superintendent has also invited two students from private schools to participate. Their perspectives will help enrich conversations and broaden our understanding of how education in Georgia impacts students across various settings, as well as how public-school education can continue to innovate to meet the needs of all students.
“As State School Superintendent, my role is to listen to our students and communities, gather multiple perspectives, and determine how public school education can move forward in our state with the ultimate goal of preparing all students for life,” Superintendent Woods said. “The more we learn from each other, the stronger we are.”
Students selected for the council wrote essays addressing a wide variety of issues in education, including curriculum and graduation requirements; the impact of federal- and state-mandated assessments in the classroom; the importance of teacher recruitment and retention efforts to students’ classroom experience; and access to opportunities and resources for students in rural areas.
The council comprises at least four students from each of the Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) regions in Georgia, representing schools in rural, suburban, and urban areas. Because GaDOE works to ensure the council is representative of students in all areas of the state and selects students based on the strength of their essay answers, multiple students from a district may be selected in some cases.
The first 2025-2026 Student Advisory Council meeting will be held in November at the Georgia Department of Education’s offices. Selected students will receive details via email.
