Youth Advisory Council

Introduction

In 2024, Oregon passed Senate Bill 1552, which mandates the creation of a Youth Advisory Council (YAC) under the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to ensure that the diverse experiences and needs of Oregon's youth are reflected in decision-making processes. The Youth Advisory Council will be responsible for the following*:

Setting Goals and Measuring Success - Develop clear goals for youth leadership in policy-making and set success criteria, while assessing and adjusting decision-making processes, work plans, and roles.
Reviewing Existing Programs - Review current youth leadership programs and suggest improvements for youth accountability at state and local levels, with a focus on evaluation and enhancement.
Connecting with Youth Leaders - Engage with youth leaders, particularly from diverse communities, and explore leadership networks to identify best practices.
Assisting with Surveys - Assist in reviewing and improving surveys to ensure accurate representation of youth perspectives.
Improving Reporting Processes for Bias Incidents - Evaluate and recommend improvements for how youth report bias incidents or hate crimes, ensuring better support for affected youth.

*These activities have been summarized from their original text in Senate Bill 1552 to improve access and understanding.

The Application for the 2026-2027 Youth Advisory Council is Officially OPEN!

Learn more about this opportunity and submit your application through Workday by May 31, 2026.

Eligibility

Youth ages 14-18
Youth and students from EVERY school type and educational environment is encouraged to apply.
Our council includes 2 representatives from each of Oregon’s Educational Service Districts (ESDs), and we welcome everyone to apply.
We have confirmed seats available in these ESD regions:
- Clackamas
- Harney
- High Desert
- Intermountain
- Jefferson
- Lake
- Linn Benton Lincoln
- Malheur
- Multnomah
- NW Regional
- Region 18 Wallowas
- South Coast
- Note: if your region is not listed above, you are still encouraged to apply and may be offered a waitlist position.

There are additional Youth Leadership Opportunities available at ODE! View the complete list with links to apply here. Youth may apply for multiple opportunities; there is no application limit. We encourage you to share with your network!