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Albany board adopts ex‑officio student board member policy; student selection to begin this year
Summary
The Board adopted a policy creating a primary and alternate ex‑officio student representative seat, to be selected this year by an interim process and via student government in future years.
The City School District of Albany Board of Education on June 4 voted unanimously to adopt a policy establishing two ex‑officio student representatives — a primary and an alternate — to the board, fulfilling a state requirement for student representation.
Austin Wolfgang, who spoke during public comment and said he supports the district’s draft policy, urged that student members be chosen by Albany High School’s student government and recommended committee participation for student representatives. "The student is selected by the Albany High student government instead of being selected by an administrator or the board," Wolfgang said during public comment, and he asked the board to consider allowing student representatives to serve on committees.
Policy committee chair Miss Krejci and other board members said the policy requires the high school student government to select the representative and makes clear the role represents the district’s student body rather than just the high school. For the coming 2025‑26 school year, because the district could not complete the full selection timeline, the high school principal and the superintendent will work with Albany High Student Government Association to appoint the initial representatives from students who signaled interest during the ad hoc committee’s work.
The policy requires buildings to address transportation needs and communications access for students and families, and delegates specific selection criteria (for example, any minimum grade requirements) to a regulation to be drafted by the administration. Board members said the regulation will set the routine academic or participation criteria and the timeline for subsequent years. The board expects the regulation and implementation details to return to the board by July (the administration said it hopes to be back by July 24).
Board members and staff identified other implementation details the regulation will address: transportation support for students who must travel to board meetings, mentorship and a team operations manual describing board expectations for the student representative, and accommodations for student schedules. The policy allows exemptions already required by law for student participation and does not grant the student board member the right to vote on board business.
The motion to adopt the policy was made by Vicky Smith and seconded by Dr. Chachor; the chair announced the vote as unanimous. Board members said the district will continue work this summer to finalize the regulation and selection timeline for the 2026‑27 school year.
