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4/10/2026
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Rep. Morales, youth groups push for passage of legislation to give students and teachers a vote on the Board of Education
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 STATE HOUSE — Rep. David Morales joined youth leaders from the Providence Student Union, Young Voices and ARISE at a State House event Thursday to call for passage of legislation to increase the role of students and educators in setting education policy by making the Rhode Island Teacher of the Year and the chair of the Student Advisory Council full voting members of the state’s Council on Elementary and Secondary Education.
“This bill is all about having youth and educator representation. It only makes sense that decisions that are made within the walls of government be directly influenced by the students and teachers who are experiencing our public school system each and every day,” said Representative Morales (D-Dist. 7, Providence). “And specifically, when we think about our K-12 state council, where decisions are made impacting the future of funding for our schools, the distribution of resources to libraries or social workers and curriculum standards including standardized tests, I believe that students and teachers on the front lines should be helping to shape those decisions directly. It is not enough to have honorary seats on the board for a student and for the teacher of the year. These positions should be able to vote on the decisions made by the board that will directly impact them and their peers.”
Currently, the most recent Rhode Island Teacher of the Year and the chair of the Student Advisory Council serve as nonvoting members on the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education. The bill (2026-H 7097) would make both these positions full voting seats.
Sen. Alana M. DiMario (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown, New Shoreham), who also spoke at the event, has introduced companion legislation (2026-S 2077) in the Senate. She also sponsored the legislation 2023-S 0182A, 2023-H 6052A) that first added the Rhode Island teacher of the year to the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education as a nonvoting member in 2023.
IN PHOTO: Rep. David Morales speaks at the event Thursday.
For more information, contact:
Tristan Grau, Publicist
State House Room B20
Providence, RI 02903
401.222.4935
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