NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: April 7, 2026
State Board of Education selects 11 semifinalists for 2026-27 State Board Student Representative Program
JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) has selected 11 semifinalists for the SBE junior student representative in the 2026-27 school year.
The SBE student representative program includes one high school junior and one high school senior who serve as non-voting SBE members and provide input on policy decisions that affect Mississippi public schools. The current junior SBE representative, Michelle Xie of Oak Grove High School, will serve as the senior representative in 2026-27.
The eligible applicant pool for the rising junior representative included 33 students.
SBE student representatives are responsible for attending monthly SBE meetings and any standing committees or subcommittees to which they are assigned. Student representatives are excused from school to attend SBE meetings as official school business.
The SBE adopted a policy in 2018 outlining the criteria for adding student representatives to the State Board.
Semifinalists will be interviewed, and up to four finalists will be named. The SBE will interview the finalists and appoint one rising junior.
The 11 semifinalists are as follows:
Find all MDE news releases at mdek12.org/news.
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Jean Cook, APR
Chief of Communication
601-359-3515
jcook@mdek12.org
Shanderia Minor
Public Information Officer
601-359-3515
sminor@mdek12.org
