The application window for the student seat on the State Board of Education is now open, Gov. John Carney announced Wednesday.

Applications will be open through April 26 and can be found on the State Board of Education website.

“When we make big decisions that impact schools in our state, it’s important Delaware students have a seat at the table,” Gov. Carney said. “I have been pleased to hear positive experiences from the Board and the young members year after year. I encourage rising juniors and seniors to consider applying for this opportunity.”

One qualified student applicant will be appointed to the board to serve as a non-voting member. The student must be a Delaware resident and enrolled in 11^th or 12th grade at a Delaware public school during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Applicants who "demonstrate a commitment to ensuring quality education for Delaware students" will be given priority consideration, according to a press release.

The first-ever student representative was appointed to the state board in 2019.

The non-voting student seat was approved by the General Assembly in 2018 with the passage of House Bill 455, which was sponsored by Rep. Stephanie T. Bolden, D-Wilmington, and Sen. Jack Walsh, D-Stanton.

For the state board, the governor also annually appoints a former Delaware Teacher of the Year who is a current educator. The applications for the non-voting former teacher of the year seat will open later this spring.