IDRA Civic Changemakers – Student-Led Policy Leadership
IDRA Civic Changemakers is a civic leadership initiative designed for high school students attending public schools. Over the course of this nine-month program, students grow into confident education policy advocates, equipped to speak directly to how policies impact their daily lives and learning environments.
At IDRA, we believe students are natural policy experts. They experience the outcomes of educational policies firsthand and are uniquely positioned to offer timely, authentic insights. Through Civic Changemakers, we aim to empower more students to take an active role in shaping the decisions that affect them, engaging as full partners in our democracy.
See flier. For more information, contact Mikayla Arciaga at mikayla.arciaga@idra.org.
What students learn!
- How to read and analyze school board policies and budgets
- How to use data to build evidence-based policy recommendations
- How to read, interpret and draft state-level education policy
- How to write impactful policy documents, such as policy memos, op-eds and one-page summaries
- How to develop and deliver public comment on local or state policy issues
- How to plan and lead a community engagement event that connects residents with elected officials
What we ask of our school and community partners
- Provide a regular meeting space for sessions every two weeks over a six-month period (Aug.-Jan.)
- Assist with recruitment and maintain communication with students about meetings and programming
- Support in coordinating with school administration, as needed
- Act as a co-point of contact for students and families throughout the program
What IDRA provides
- A six-month education policy and advocacy curriculum
- Sessions every two weeks led by IDRA facilitators and guest professionals
- At least one small-group shadowing experience at the Georgia State Capitol, where students will apply their policy skills in a real-world context
Note that the program does not include travel or transportation costs or lobbying credentials, which aren’t needed.
This project is made possible with the generous support of The Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Highlights from the 2025 Legislative Session
During Georgia’s 2025 legislative session, IDRA worked with over 30 students from two Georgia public high schools to share their personal experiences with public education at the state Capitol. We supported the students in preparing for testimony, speaking with their legislators in person, or observing the proceedings on the floor.
“Finding out that the Capitol doors are open to anybody was a shocker to me. Knowing that I could be included, that I could be in those spaces really made me feel empowered.”
– High School Student
News
Video: SB 120 Erases Our Stories and Our Truths – IDRA Student Testimony, by Laila Errold, Dunwoody High School, to the Georgia Senate Higher Education Committee, February 27, 2025
Video: Students Need Trusted Mental Health Supports in School – IDRA Student Testimony, by Sophie Biggs, Dunwoody High School, to the Georgia House Education Subcommittee on Policy, February 13, 2025
Video: School Safety Must Include Student Privacy – IDRA Student Testimony, by Anna Jean Lower, Dunwoody High School, to the Georgia House Education Subcommittee on Policy, February 13, 2025
Article: Civic Changemakers – Students and Advocates Join Forces at the Georgia Capitol, by Isabelle Philip, IDRA Newsletter, June-July 2025
