The Atlanta Public Schools Student Advisory Council presented its annual End-of-Year Recommendations and Celebration on April 29, bringing together the superintendent, district leaders, and board members. The event marked the culmination of a year focused on student engagement and provided a roadmap for future improvements in partnership with students.
The gathering highlighted the importance of including student voices in shaping school policies and practices. According to Dr. Kyra Caldwell Templeton, Program Director of Student Engagement and Co-Advisor of the Student Advisory Council (SAC), “when students are given a real seat at the table, the results are transformative.”
This year’s SAC cohort consisted of 30 student delegates from 15 schools who met monthly to discuss concerns and ideas raised by their peers. Their activities included participation in Breakfast with the Board, Student Office Hours with the Superintendent, civic events such as SAC Day at the Capitol, and service projects like MLK Day of Service. Through these engagements, SAC identified seven recurring themes impacting students: academic pathways; support resources; school culture and safety; advocacy; financial barriers; communication effectiveness; and systems alignment.
Key recommendations from five standing committees addressed areas such as academics—calling for structured advisement with mentorships—and budget issues like increased arts funding to remove participation barriers. Students also advocated for equitable technology access across schools, improved transportation reliability, stronger anti-discrimination policies, safer environments through standardized ID systems, expanded dual enrollment support, better teacher preparation for advanced coursework, more career exposure opportunities, and consistent engagement from district leadership.
During a collaborative work session at the event, students worked alongside district leaders to analyze recommendations based on cost and feasibility—a shift described as moving “from students presenting to adults to students and adults solving problems together.” Special awards were presented: board member Alfred “Shivy” Brooks received individual recognition for supporting student involvement in policy discussions while the APS Office of Equity + Social Justice was honored for promoting student leadership development.
Looking ahead, organizers said that implementing these recommendations aligns with Atlanta Public Schools’ strategic priorities such as fostering strong relationships within schools. The council concluded that meaningful change will depend on translating student-informed insights into system-wide action.
