The Nature and Extent of Student Involvement in Educational Policy-Making in Canadian School Systems

Abstract

What is the role of students in educational policy-making in Canadian school systems? This question was the basis for my doctoral thesis in 1999. A study was conducted at school, school district and departmental levels across Canada. This article provides a brief account of the literature and methodology used and discusses the findings of the study in terms of what provision is made for student involvement in policy-making at each level in education, the nature of that involvement, the mechanisms used for recruiting student involvement in policy-making, the perceptions of stakeholders on student involvement, and the constraints to be overcome in Canadian school systems. It shows that education systems across Canada involve students in policy-making at the department, school district, and school levels, but in an advisory capacity: involvement is restricted to providing policy-makers with information.