The Sweetwater Union High School District discussed three drafted maps at board meeting on Nov.8 to with adjusted trustee areas based on 2020 census data.
All board trustees were present at the meeting with an exception of board member and representative of trustee area 3, Frank Tarantino. Three map scenarios were presented by attorney Peter Fagan of Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost Law Firm and Senior Project manager of Davis Demographics, Scott Torlucci who aided in analyzing census data.
According to SUHSD Superintendent Moises Aguirre, the redistricting is specifically for trustee areas and does not impact school, nor student boundaries.
Council members delayed a decision until Dec.13 at their next board meeting to allow for a full vote on the item. It was clear the board favored Scenario C, which demonstrated minimum variance, or difference, at 1.5 percent.
Every 10 years a new census is released and in order to comply with the law, the “trustee areas have to be as close and equal to people in population as practical” according to Fagan. The board must enact any required adjustments to the trustee map by March 1, 2022.
In 2014, the district transitioned to a trustee area elections system in order to ensure compliance with the California Voter Rights Act, which prohibits the use of “at-large” election systems. The map currently utilized by the district was approved April 9 that same year and contains a population variance of over 27 percent.
The intent is to “adjust” the map rather than freshly redraw it’s boundaries. If there is an imbalance in trustee areas, the district demographer will ensure compliance. Any variance within the map must fall below 10 percent.
The district reports a significant overpopulation in Trustee Area 3 (District C). Populations within that boundary will shift out and into other trustee areas. Currently there are three maps for the board’s consideration demonstrating the possibilities district boundaries may be adjusted.
In Scenario C, two trustee areas use the highway 125 boundary. Trustee area 4 spilled into Trustee area 3, resulting in westward expansion.
Social media outlets and other media platforms were used to allow opportunities for the public to comment on the maps. An interactive map is available on the district’s website that can locate respective trustee areas based on an address.
Delays due to the pandemic halted the release of census data until September 2021 when the California Department of finance approved it’s release. The district’s deadline for submission of a finalized map is Feb.28, 2022.
