Student Advisory Council

Recommended Election Procedures & Timelines for Regional Student Advisory Council Representatives

SSAC Mission Statement:

The Massachusetts Student Advisory Council (SSAC) to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE or Board) is comprised of democratically elected students from across the Commonwealth. The SSAC supports the interests of all K–12 students in Massachusetts by building and promoting critical awareness around priority issues of concern to students, and by helping advance the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (DESE or Department) educational vision and strategic priorities through the lens of students. The SSAC seeks to improve the quality of the educational experience through student-led recommendations and initiatives and collaboration with the educational community. The SSAC's goal is to ensure that the largest stakeholder group in public education, students, is represented in decision-making processes.

In accordance with SSAC's goal and DESE's responsibility to oversee the council and its elections, DESE is committed to promoting election processes and practices that cultivate regional and state advisory councils that are built on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

To support the goal of developing councils with a diverse group of students who are representative of the diversity of the students in the Commonwealth, DESE needs the help of schools to ensure that the opportunity is open to all students and geared towards increasing participation for traditionally underserved and underrepresented students.

General Information

There shall be annual elections held by schools for the purpose of electing student representatives to the Regional Student Advisory Councils (RSACs). Each secondary school shall elect two student representatives to serve a one-year term providing they remain enrolled in school throughout the length of the term. The term of said regional representatives shall begin on or about June 1. The enforcement of the procedure governing the conduct of the school-based election shall be the responsibility of the principal.

Each school is asked to designate a staff member to serve as the school-based advisor for the student representatives. Prior to the official start of the council year:

  • Students and school advisors will participate in an orientation meeting.
  • Student representatives will attend a meeting to elect their regional council leadership.

Information to share with Prospective Candidates

Please share the following information with students to ensure their understanding of the commitments of the representative position:

  • The Council is charged with:
    • Representing the needs and the ideas of all students in Massachusetts and providing a communication link from the Board to the student population.
    • Student representatives will attend a meeting to elect their regional council leadership.
  • Students are expected to attend and actively participate in all designated meetings and activities for their RSAC. Students need to consider if they have the bandwidth to participate and be an active member in the council(s) as an attendance and participation policy will be upheld.
  • RSAC meetings will be held in-person or virtually throughout the school year either on a monthly or bi-monthly schedule and are typically during school hours.
  • Submission of a parental/guardian consent form is required for participation.
  • Students will have an opportunity to run for a regional council leadership position.
  • Students elected to a regional leadership position, will also become a member of the State Student Advisory Council (SSAC) which entails:
    • Attending a multiple day leadership training held typically during the first or second week of August.
    • Attending both RSAC and SSAC meetings (SSAC meetings are held monthly).
    • Working in partnership with DESE Regional Advisors to advance the work of their respective RSAC, including but not limited to, separate meetings to check in with advisors and plan for full council meetings.
  • In order for a student to have the opportunity to be elected as the student member of BESE, the student must first be elected to a regional council leadership position.

Eligibility

Any student who is enrolled in a secondary school and has been a resident of the Commonwealth for at least six months shall be eligible for election to the RSAC.

No student shall be prevented from running for election for three successive terms.

The Department seeks the inclusion of a representative group of students from across the Commonwealth. We suggest intentional outreach and promotion of this opportunity to students of all backgrounds and experiences to help ensure that all voices are elevated and included. We ask that when conducting your elections, you employ non exclusionary practices by assessing:

  1. Have you ensured there are no barriers to participating for all members of your student body?
  2. Has the opportunity been extended to students across all grades served?
  3. Has the opportunity been extended to students with varying educational backgrounds and experiences?
  4. Has the opportunity been extended to students from all racial and ethnic identities and backgrounds, including but not limited to Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)?
  5. Has the opportunity been extended to students with different abilities?
  6. Has the opportunity been extended to students who are Multilingual Learners?

Election Timeline

In or around the month of March, enrollment for the upcoming council year starts. All secondary principals and charter school leaders will receive information from DESE on the council which includes deadlines for submission of student representatives.

The following is a recommended election process to meet given deadlines:

  • Within a week of receiving council information, share this opportunity with the student body including nomination and election procedures.
  • Provide a minimum of one week for students seeking to become representatives for their school to campaign.
  • After campaigning has concluded, hold elections within a week.

Please plan your election period with enough time to submit student representative's information to DESE by the given deadline, typically by early May.

Voting and Election Results

  1. Every student enrolled in the school shall have an opportunity to vote unless absent.
  2. The two candidates who receive the first and second highest number of votes on the ballots cast will be deemed elected to the RSAC.
  3. The ballots and a record of the election should be kept on file in the school for 30 days following the election.
  4. Once elected, the student representatives shall not be denied participation in any RSAC function or penalized in any way for such participation. The school may consider awarding the elected students academic credit for their participation in the Student Advisory Council.
  5. In the event that an elected representative unenrolls from the school, that students will cease to be a member of the RSAC. In this case, or if a member resigns, the vacancy should be filled by an election held to select a new representative. Please notify the state council advisors, sac@doe.mass.edu , as soon as possible to ensure timely transition and engagement of new representatives.

Notification to DESE of election results

  1. Schools must notify DESE by submitting their student representative's (up to two) information by the posted deadline in order for the representatives to have an opportunity to run for a regional leadership position.
  2. Schools must notify DESE of their student representatives in accordance with the process outlined in the annual memo sent to all secondary principals and charter school leaders.
  3. Once registered, students and school advisors will receive a congratulatory email from DESE with more information and next steps.

RSAC Representation Post-Spring Elections

Schools are able to elect representatives for RSAC through January of a given school year, if needed.

All elections, regardless of when they are held, are subject to the same guidelines and principles described above.

Post-springtime election season: If a school holds elections outside of the suggested timeline above, they are asked to inform the state council advisors (see contact information below) of their intent to send representation and outline the alternate timeline for doing so. This ensures a timely transition and the engagement of new representatives in RSAC activities.

Please note that students joining an RSAC after elections have been held will not be eligible for a regional leadership positions unless a position is or becomes vacant during their tenure on the council.

Contact Us:

Student Advisory Council
Massachusetts Dept. of Elementary & Secondary Education
135 Santilli Highway
Everett, MA 02149
sac@doe.mass.edu

In any area not covered in this delineation, action shall be taken consistent with local ordinance and state statute.

Last Updated: February 9, 2026

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