“Just Listen to Us”: Prioritizing Student Voice in School Psychology Research and Practice

Despite robust literature that student voice positively impacts youth development and equitable school climates, school psychology has yet to integrate student voice in research and practice. Guided by a critical school psychology (CSP) framework, this study examines how high school students seek to be change agents. We present findings from a qualitative study of 23 high school students’ experiences with student advisory councils at 4 schools in a Midwestern city. Findings illustrate how all youth seek to have their voices heard through themes of Youth-Driven Knowledge Creation, Collaboration and Transformation, Awareness and Advocacy, and Being Heard. Students also need authentic adult collaboration, autonomy in issue selection, and transparent pathways to participation. Guided by CSP’s dimensions of new knowledge and new spaces, results demonstrate how partnering with youth can transform school psychology into a site of social justice with implications for practice and research. Impact Statement Integrating student voice into school psychology practice and research can lead to more equitable, student-centered decision-making in schools. Using a critical school psychology framework, we demonstrate how practitioners, researchers, and school leaders can cocreate knowledge with youth—rather than for youth—to address challenges. This approach empowers students as change agents, fostering more just school environments and improved student wellbeing and outcomes.