There are nine members on the DC State Board of Education who are directly elected by voters within the District. Board members’ terms are four years and are staggered so no more than five board members are selected in any one election. To learn about our committee assignments, please visit the 2019 Committee Assignments page.

 

 

 

SY2018-2019 Student Representatives

 
Dayja Burton (left), Alex O'Sullivan (right)

Dayja Burton, a rising senior at McKinley Technology High School, and is a McKinley Technology Zelinger award winner, a recipient of the Perseverance Award, and a member of the Principal’s Honor Roll and National Honor Society.

Alex O’Sullivan is a rising sophomore at BASIS DC PCS. He is also a member of Youth and Government, co-founder and president of his school’s poetry club, and a volunteer tutor at his local elementary school.

For the length of their term, the Student Representatives will join the nine elected State Board members in policy discussions and community engagement efforts, bringing the voice of students directly to decision-makers. With their direct experience in the classroom, student representatives provide a unique voice during policy discussions and offer a vital perspective on teacher retention, education standards, and our state accountability system. As Student Representatives, Burton and O’Sullivan will also co-chair the 2019–20 Student Advisory Committee (SAC), a volunteer group of students from District high schools in both D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) and the public charter sector.