Governor Hochul mandates student representation on New York education boards starting 2025

The Yorktown Central School District Board of Education convened on February 10, 2025, to discuss several key agenda items, including the implementation of a new student representative policy mandated by New York State.

The meeting began with a discussion on the recent legislation signed by Governor Kathy Hochul, which requires all school districts to include at least one ex officio student representative on their boards starting July 1, 2025. The board reviewed a sample policy from the New York State School Boards Association and considered various methods for selecting the student representative. Options included election by the student body, selection by the high school principal, or appointment by the board.

Board members expressed a strong preference for a student-elected representative, emphasizing the importance of student voice in the decision-making process. There was also a suggestion to include middle school students in the representation, although the law specifies that the representative must have attended high school in the district for at least one year. The board discussed the possibility of having two representatives—one from the high school and one from the middle school—to ensure broader student input.

The board agreed to further explore the selection process and gather input from students on how they would like their representative chosen. They planned to conduct a spring election to have a student member in place for the organizational meeting in July.

In addition to the student representative discussion, the board approved several policy updates, including accommodations for parents with disabilities and procedures for board member resignations. They also addressed personnel matters, including the retirement of a long-standing assistant and various appointments.

The meeting concluded with a resolution to award a contract for the Yorktown High School rooftop HVAC replacement project and a review of the pupil personnel service plan for the upcoming school year. The board plans to continue refining policies and procedures related to student representation in future meetings.