Student participation in Schools: Legislation, Voices and Keys to Progress

Abstract

Spanish legislation in the field of education over the last fifty years has been characterised by its volatile nature, not having achieved a National Agreement for Education ensuring stability and solidity. Despite this, significant progress has been made in terms of student participation. The representative dimension of democracy has been incorporated by setting up participation bodies in schools; the implementation of active and participative methodologies in the teaching-learning processes has been promoted; efforts have been made to introduce education for citizenship and democratic values in a cross-curricular manner or as an independent subject; and some schools have been developing a participative ethos acknowledging the voice and authority of the students. In this article we review the changes that have taken place in terms of student participation in educational legislation over the last fifty years. Also, what the students of Secondary Education and High School perceive about the participation in their schools through their voices and experiences is researched. Finally, some keys for the advance in transforming student participation in schools into an institutional component that contributes to the construction of student citizenship are provided.