School safety has become an increasing concern for education leaders, especially as recent years have marked record highs for shootings, wildfires, and other emergencies on school campuses.

A few Youth Advisory Team members described how school staff tend to emphasize order, control, and hierarchies in their exchanges with students, which harms their ability to express themselves and build relationships at school. Part two of this two-part brief  examines the role that school safety plays in students’ classroom experiences in addition to the overall well-being of school communities.

Featured Speakers:

• Alexa Southall, 10th grade student
• Jubia Chavez, 12th grade student
• Amiya Farias, 11th grade student
• Julian Berkowitz–Sklar, 12th grade student
• Aisha Bilgrammi, 10th grade student

View the transcript from this audiocast

Download the brief

Partnering with students, caregivers, and community partners is crucial in creating environments that are safe, supportive, and inclusive. School leaders can achieve a higher level of participation by offering students collaborative roles in affecting change based on their critical examinations of learning conditions. Collaborating with students is especially important for secondary students, as creating opportunities for youth to practice decision-making skills aligns with the neurological and developmental needs of adolescents.

The CCSC has prioritized youth engagement through the creation of the Youth Advisory Team (YAT), a group of six high school students who provide input on climate needs based on their lived experiences in public schools throughout the state.

Featured Speakers:

• Alexa Southall, 10th grade student
• Jubia Chavez, 12th grade student
• Amiya Farias, 11th grade student
• Julian Berkowitz–Sklar, 12th grade student
• Aisha Bilgrammi, 10th grade student

View the transcript from this audiocast

Download the brief