Success factors for students’ agency

Participation is not a matter of all or nothing.

Promoting students’ agency and offering them a voice requires meaningful structures of participation that evolve in line with students’ experiences, capacities, and interests. For this dynamic process, Esteban (2022) proposes a gradual model of participation that can serve as a valuable framework for fostering students’ agency within inclusive democratic educational communities. 

At the heart of this model lies the idea of a progressive partnership and co-leadership between learners and professionals. The level of student participation can and should expand over time, in alignment with their growing knowledge, skills, and familiarity with participatory processes. This approach values students not just as recipients of education, but as co-constructors of their learning journey and learning environment. 

The model identifies different degrees of participation, which can serve as orientation points for schools seeking to strengthen students’ agency: 

1. Joint Deliberation and Co-Design 
   At the foundational level, students are encouraged to participate in decision-making processes about their own learning: they can define learning objectives, organize their study time, and adapt learning pathways to their individual and collective needs. 
   Furthermore, students can contribute to the design of physical learning spaces, proposing arrangements that reflect their needs and promote inclusion and wellbeing.
   Moreover, students are encouraged to participate in classroom management and activity planning. This involves co-responsible decision-making with peers and teachers around issues such as classroom rules, group activities, or the use of free time. 

2. Co-Leadership in School Management 
   Building on these initial steps, students can take part in teacher and school leadership meetings, where they discuss and influence decisions on matters that directly affect them. This level of involvement acknowledges students as capable of engaging in institutional governance and policy discussions. 

3. Co-Governance 
   At the highest level of participation, students are not only informed and consulted but also act proactively in the management of school life. Their voices and votes are considered equal to those of adults, reflecting a deep commitment to democratic principles. This empowers students to develop a strong sense of responsibility, civic engagement, and collective ownership of their education. 

To implement this model effectively, schools should begin to open spaces for reflection on current participation practices and to jointly explore pathways for expanding these practices in a gradual and meaningful way.

Meaningful participation implies that students not only have the right to be involved but also the responsibility to engage in shaping their learning journey and environments. The Voice into Action project emphasizes that student participation must be grounded in core values and supportive structures to truly make a difference. 

Building on this, Lundy, McEvoy and Byrne (2011) identify four interrelated elements that are essential for authentic and impactful participation: Space, Voice, Audience, and Influence. These components provide a practical and ethical foundation for fostering students’ agency: 

• Space 
  Students need safe, inclusive, and enabling environments where they feel valued and respected. Only when students perceive that they have the freedom to reflect, form opinions, and engage in dialogue without fear of judgment or exclusion can authentic participation begin. 

• Voice 
  It is not enough to offer space; students must also be actively supported in expressing their views—in whatever medium suits them best. Whether through speaking, writing, art, digital media, or other forms of expression, the process should respect individual preferences and communication styles. 

• Audience 
  A student’s voice must not fall into a void. Participation only becomes meaningful when there is someone genuinely listening. This means that teachers, school leaders, and peers must create a culture of attentive listening, where students' contributions are not only heard but appreciated. 

• Influence 
  Finally, for participation to be truly empowering, student views must be taken seriously and acted upon where appropriate. This doesn’t mean every idea must be implemented, but students should receive feedback and see how their input contributes to decisions and changes.

The following graph illustrates how the core values can be expressed in practice by aligning them with meaningful actions. 

In a Community of Practice, it is important to keep these essential elements in mind and reflect on what is needed to provide conditions that facilitate these four aspects in every meeting. 

To inspire you, we would like to share the following video:

In this short film, learners and their families talk about their personal experiences and reflect on how participating in educational decision-making has influenced their lives. The video also introduces the VIA Framework for Meaningful Participation and presents the accompanying Online Toolkit.

For more information about the VIA project, please visit: https://www.european-agency.org/activities/voices-into-action-including-the-voices-of-learners-and-their-families-in-educational-decision-making

Reflection task

Esteban (2022) describes student participation as a gradual, evolving process — from shared reflection in the classroom to active co-governance at the school level. This model emphasizes progressive partnership between learners and professionals in inclusive democratic learning communities. 

Now, we invite you to relate the newly gained knowledge to your personal experience. 

Where do you currently locate your practice? 
Think of a recent example where students were involved in decision-making.

• Which of Esteban’s levels best describes this situation?
  i. Joint Deliberation
  ii. Co-Design
  iii. Co-Leadership
  iv. Co-Governance 

• What was the role of the students? What was your role as educator? 

What factors made this level of participation possible?

• What conditions (e.g. time, culture, support, flexibility) enabled it?

• What were the limitations or challenges? 

How could you support a shift to a higher level of participation?

• What skills, structures, or attitudes would need to develop—among students, staff, or school leadership?

• What role could you play in initiating or supporting this shift?