2024 Legislative Briefing at the Massachusetts State House
On March 5, 2024, high school students from TLPI’s Students Speak project participated in a legislative briefing, Students Speak 2024: Humanizing Our School Communities providing the opportunity for members of the Massachusetts Legislature to hear from secondary students from across the Commonwealth about what they need in order to do well in school and why the current moment presents a critical time to support funding for the Safe and Supportive Schools line item.
Students’ testimony focused on both the moments when they do best in school, characterized by the experience of feeling seen and heard by the adults around them and by moments where they struggled, characterized by the experience of times when they feel less than or when their full humanity was not recognized by the adults around them. Students emphasized the critical importance of including student voice in addressing ongoing challenges in schools including student and staff wellness concerns, learning loss, and more.
Audience members also had the opportunity to hear from young people and a district leader who have engaged in work to elevate student voice as a Safe and Supportive Schools grantee school funded through the line item. This school district used the resources provided through the grant funding to prioritize creating a school culture where students’ voices are listened to.
Visit each student’s page below to read his or her testimony in full and to see video clips from the legislative briefing.
