This qualitative phenomenological study explored elementary school principals in the northeastern United States perceptions of the influence of systems, structures and practices that incorporate student voice in the decision-making school governance structure, emphasizing Black and Latino students. Additionally, the study focused on understanding how incorporating student's voice contributes to increased student academic performance while contemporaneously promoting student leadership, agency, and activism. To investigate elementary school principals' perceptions of the influence of student voice within their school communities, twelve principals with at least one year of experience as a school leader were interviewed. The information gathered from the interviews examined how elementary school principals prioritize student voice. This study's collected and analyzed data may be used to support elementary school principals on ways to incorporate systems, structures, and practice within school communities that promote student voice. The results of this study highlight the significance of including student voice in elementary school, as early as pre-kindergarten. The key findings from this study revealed that districts and school mission, vision and initiatives emphasized the importance of student voice; however, there were no formal policies to guarantee its existence. Additionally, when principals developed school wide structures such as student councils that promote student voice, those structures contributed to actualizing student voice across classrooms. The study also highlights that student voice emerged as early as pre-kindergarten, materializing in different forms and student voice impact overall academic achievement. Further, principals detailed that student voice builds student engagement, school community and permeates an overall positive school culture and climate that prepares students to be global citizens. The principals in this study emphasized that Black and Latino student representation in all student voice activities was imperative. Activities such as student council and student discourse within classrooms were identified as initiatives where Black and Latino students were represented and their voices were heard. Finally, this study provided recommendations aligned to policies, programs, practices, and future studies. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]