LEXINGTON, Ky. — Two Fayette County Public Schools students have been named to the Kentucky Department of Education's 2026-27 Commissioner's Student Advisory Council, joining 14 other new members selected from across the state.

Saachi Thomas, a rising junior at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, and Ezra Anglin, a sophomore at Lafayette High School, were selected from approximately 70 applicants statewide. They will join nine returning members, including Tejas Basneth, a senior at Dunbar.

The council is designed to gather student feedback on critical issues impacting students and schools, connecting Kentucky high school students with Kentucky Department of Education staff to develop ideas that strengthen student voice and transform education.

The group meets regularly throughout the school year, both in person and virtually, with Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher to discuss how decisions made at the state level affect students across Kentucky. The council includes representatives from each of Kentucky's seven Supreme Court districts, as well as students from specialized schools such as the Kentucky School for the Deaf and Kentucky School for the Blind.

The newly selected members will serve during the 2026-2027 school year and, if eligible, may serve again in the fall of 2027. The council also includes student members enrolled in career and technical education pathways, reflecting the state's emphasis on diverse educational opportunities.