UPDATED BY-TRUSTEE AREA BOUNDARIES:
The Moreland School District completed the process to transition from at-large to by-trustee area elections in 2019. In a by-trustee area election system, each trustee is required to reside within a defined trustee area and is elected only by voters in that trustee area. The 2019 trustee area map that was used for the 2020 Board election was developed utilizing the most recent census data available at the time, which was from the 2010 U.S. Census.
Upon the release of the 2020 U.S. Census, school districts that use by-trustee area elections are required under Education Code section 5019.5 to evaluate whether the current trustee areas have approximately equal populations using the new census data. The variation in total population among trustee areas generally should not exceed 10%; any percent of variation lower is legally presumed to be acceptable, absent extenuating circumstances. If the total peak variation is less than 10%, no changes are generally legally required. If the total peak variation exceeds 10%, existing trustee area boundaries may need to be adjusted. This process is referred to as redistricting.
The Moreland School District worked with the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) to conduct a study of the recently released 2020 Census data to determine whether the current trustee areas are population balanced. After evaluating the data, SCCOE determined that the Moreland School District's total peak variation exceeded 10%, and therefore, adjustments were made.
*Revised By-Trustee Area Map adopted by the Moreland School District Board of Trustees on March 8, 2022 and adopted by the Santa Clara County Committee on School District Organization on April 11, 2022.
Public Hearing & Presentation
October 22, 2019 Board of Trustees Meeting Decision:
Tina Mirzazadeh of Lozano Smith presented an overview of the Trustee Area Map Adoption transition process for the 5th Public Hearing. The presentation reviewed the Districting process and timeline, various maps considered, and next steps. No one spoke during the public hearing. After discussion from the Board Members, the Board voted in a 4-0 vote on a resolution recommending the orange map for adoption. Board Members liked that this map had multiple trustees per school boundary, aligned better with natural city lines, and was more representative of the Board as a whole.
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Several Public Hearings to consider these proposed maps have taken place at the District Office Board Room, 4711 Campbell Avenue, San Jose (see schedule on the right). A 5th and final Public Hearing to consider these proposed maps took place on October 22, 2019 at 6:00PM at the District Office Board Room, 4711 Campbell Avenue, San Jose.
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Interactive review map: (Click here to view all of the proposed by-trustee area maps and to zoom in and out to see the map details.) |
At the September 10, 2019 Board Meeting, the Board of Trustees adopted Resolution #6-2019/2020 which established the criteria to guide the demographer and District staff in the development of draft trustee-area maps for Board and public consideration. The criteria options are identified in a checklist format as Exhibit A to the resolution, allowing for Board choice. One additional criteria was added by the Board (see Criteria #11).
October 22, 2019 at 6:00 PM
Public Hearing to Seek Input Regarding Content of Draft Maps and Proposed Sequence of Elections
On October 22, 2019, the Board will consider choosing a preferred trustee-area boundary map and adopting Resolution #11-2019/2020, Resolution Approving Transition to Trustee Areas, which would then be submitted to the County Committee for consideration.
October 8, 2019 at 6:00 PM
Public Hearing to Seek Input Regarding Content of Draft Maps and Proposed Sequence of Elections
On October 8, 2019, the Board held the second of two statutorily required public hearings to receive community input regarding the content of the draft trustee-area maps and the proposed sequence of elections, pursuant to Elections Code section 10010(a)(2).
September 24, 2019 at 6:00 PM
Public Hearing to Seek Input Regarding Content of Draft Maps and Proposed Sequence of Elections
On September 17, 2019, the District timely published three (3) proposed trustee area maps on the District’s website for consideration by the Board and the community. On September 24, 2019, the proposed trustee area maps were presented to the Board. Following the presentation, the Board held the first of two statutorily required public hearings to receive community input regarding the content of the draft trustee-area maps and the proposed sequence of elections, pursuant to Elections Code section 10010(a)(2). After thoughtful discussion, the Board narrowed down their focus to the green and orange map.
September 10, 2019 at 6:00PM
Public Hearing to Seek Public Input Prior to Drafting By-Trustee Area Maps
The Board of Trustees hosted their second public hearing during the regularly scheduled board meeting on September 10, 2019. At the meeting, the District’s demographers, National Demographics Corporation, presented on the map development process and criteria for drawing the trustee-area boundary maps. Following the presentation, the Board hosted a public hearing to receive input from the community on the trustee-area map creation process, pursuant to Elections Code section 10010(a)(1).)
August 27, 2019 at 6:00PM
Public Hearing to Seek Public Input Prior to Drafting By-Trustee Area Maps
The Board of Trustees hosted their first public hearing during the regularly scheduled board meeting on August 27, 2019. At this meeting, the District’s demographers, National Demographics Corporation, presented on the map development process and criteria for drawing the trustee-area boundary maps. Following the presentation, the Board hosted a public hearing to receive input from the community on the trustee-area map creation process, pursuant to Elections Code section 10010(a)(1).)
Public Hearing to Seek Public Input Regarding Waiver from the State Board of Education
During their regularly scheduled board meeting on August 27, 2019, the Board of Trustees considered submitting a waiver request to the State Board of Education, relating to Education Code section 5020, which requires an election to approve a transition from an at-large method of election to a by-trustee area method of election. To avoid the costs associated with an election and to ensure timely implementation, the Board considered seeking a waiver from the State Board of Education of this election requirement, as well as certain other Education Code sections related to the election requirement. The public was invited to participate and make comments during the public hearing. With no comments during this public hearing, the Board of Trustees adopted Resolution #3-2019/2020, Authorizing the Superintendent to Seek a Waiver from the State Board of Education.
On August 13, 2019, the Moreland School District’s Board of Trustees considered and adopted Resolution #2-2019/2020, declaring its intent to transition from at-large elections to trustee-area board elections. By adopting this resolution, the Board of Trustees initiated the process of transitioning to trustee area elections, in full compliance with all appropriate procedures and policies provided in law, with the intention of completing the process within 90 days of the resolution’s passage. While moving to a by-trustee area election system will involve creating five trustee areas, this change will not impact either the overall boundary of the District or existing school attendance areas. Additionally, incumbent Board members’ terms of office are not reduced as a result of the transition.
Currently, the Board of Trustees are elected under an “at-large” election system, where trustees are elected by voters for the entire District. Under the California Voting Rights Act (Elec. Code, § 14026, et seq.) (“CVRA”), at-large elections are impermissible if they result in racially polarized voting. Racially polarized voting is defined as “voting in which there is a difference . . . in the choice of candidates or other electoral choices that are preferred by voters in a protected class, and in the choice of candidates and electoral choices that are preferred by voters in the rest of the electorate.” (Elec. Code, § 14026, subd. (e).) To minimize the potential for impermissible racially polarized voting, many public agencies in California conduct “by trustee-area” elections, where each trustee must reside within the designated trustee area boundary, and is elected only by the voters in that trustee area. While the District does not believe that its current form of elections violates the CVRA, it does believe that it is in the public interest to begin the process to transition from at-large to trustee-area elections.