Lance Evans, Mississippi Superintendent of Education | Mississippi Department of Education
The Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) has announced it is accepting applications from high school sophomores interested in serving as the junior student representative for the 2026-27 academic year. The application deadline is January 30, 2026.
This initiative, now in its eighth year, allows one high school junior and one senior to serve as non-voting members on the SBE. These students provide their perspectives on policy decisions that affect public schools across Mississippi.
Michelle Xie of Oak Grove High School, who currently holds the position of junior representative, will move into the senior representative role for 2026-27. A new junior representative will be selected through a competitive process to begin a two-year term starting July 1, 2026.
Among applicants, the top ten semi-finalists—including the chosen junior representative and an alternate—will also join the State Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council. For the current selection cycle, there were thirty eligible applicants for the position.
A policy adopted by the SBE in 2018 established criteria for student participation on the board. Student representatives are expected to attend monthly meetings and participate in any assigned committees or subcommittees. They are excused from regular classes when attending these meetings as part of their official duties and act as liaisons between their peers and board members.
Application materials must be mailed and postmarked by January 30, 2026. Students can access further details about eligibility requirements and download application forms at mdek12.org/mbe/student-representatives-of-the-mississippi-state-board-of-education/. Applicants are also required to upload a video component by 5 p.m. on January 30, 2026.
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