By Jose Herrera
Signal Staff Writer
In September, the California Department of Finance released validated Census data that prompted school districts under a by-trustee area election system to begin the process of redistricting.
Sulphur Springs Union School District, Saugus Union School District, Newhall School District and Castaic Union School District began to reassess and make adjustments of trustee area boundaries according to major changes in population. The redistricting process is necessary to ensure the population in each trustee area is nearly equal and represented under the California Voting Rights Act.
School districts must submit their final trustee area maps by March 1, 2022, to comply with the California education code.
The Saugus district’s governing board received a presentation from staff on Tuesday discussing its demographics and two conceptual maps. The overall population grew 14.4%, a total of 14,680, in the district.
Sulphur Springs district also received a presentation from staff discussing the initial analysis and assessment of the census data on Wednesday. The district hired Cooperative Strategies to assist in the redistricting process.
Cooperative Strategies, a consultant company dedicated to creating equitable environments for students, created three trustee area maps for the district to decide upon.
The Newhall district’s overall population grew 0.3%, or about 186 new people.
There was not a significant change in the total population within the trustee areas, so the Newhall district has approved a resolution to adopt the previous trustee map, according to Sheri Staszweki, assistant superintendent of business services.
The Castaic district is expected to discuss redistricting in future board meetings.
School districts are open to public input from constituents as part of the redistricting process.
The school boards have distinct timelines, but in the next few months, board members, with input from the public will review, revise and adopt finalized trustee-area maps.
The next governing board meetings are scheduled to take place in December:
- Sulphur Springs district on Dec. 8 and Dec. 15 at 7 to 9 p.m.
- Castaic district on Dec. 13 at 6 to 8 p.m.
- Saugus district on Dec. 14 at 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
- Newhall district on Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
