Because Board of Trustee elections are staggered every two years, three trustee areas will go into effect during the November 2026 election, and the last two trustee areas will go into effect during the November 2028 election. 

Federal and state laws require that the trustee areas be nearly equal in population using the most recent Census counts. Some deviation is permitted, but the rule of thumb is that the difference between the most- and least-populous election districts should not exceed ten percent of the “ideal” district’s population, which is one-third, one-fifth, or one-seventh of the jurisdiction’s total population (depending on the number of trustee areas). We understand that courts have generally accepted this standard for population equality (in school districts).

Federal law also requires that election districts be drawn to respect protected race/ethnic groups so that their communities are neither divided nor overly concentrated in individual districts. Protected groups are race/ethnic/language groups, including Latinos, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans (as well as some others).

In addition, the California Elections Code (Section 22000) lists criteria that may be considered during the redistricting (and initial districting process): In adjusting the boundaries of the divisions, the board may consider the following factors: (1) topography (2) geography, (3) cohesiveness, contiguity, integrity, and compactness of territory, and (4) community of interests of the division.

CJUSD has hired Woolpert, a professional demographer, to draft and revise maps for the public and the trustees' consideration. Revisions of these draft maps will be based on feedback from the trustees and the community during the public hearings, board meetings, or any input sent to the designated district staff member. Members of the public will be able to provide input about boundaries, as well as possible revisions of plans. The districting process will be transparent, and it is important that everyone will have the opportunity to suggest draft maps or map revisions.

Members of the public can use info@centerusd.org to provide comments about the redistricting maps, communities of interest, the process, etc. This feedback will be conveyed to the Board and our demographers.

The two most essential datasets used to follow federal law are the 2020 US Census and the Citizen Voting Age Population (CVAP) datasets. Plans for election district boundaries will be based on the total population counts from Census 2020, which ensures that the district will draw relatively equal trustee areas. 

 

The CVAP dataset is used to comply with the federal Voting Rights Act. This dataset comes from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). When drafting plans for consideration, the demographers use the CVAP data (citizens 18+, by race/ethnicity) to check for Federal Voting Rights Act compliance. Estimates from the ACS survey are also used to help identify communities of interest.

 

Every map drawn by the demographers will include both Census and CVAP datasets.

While not federally required, a highly important dataset for the District is the public testimony from residents. All pieces of testimony, whether emailed, spoken, or written, will be carefully reviewed by the District and demographers and used throughout the districting process.

By law, election district boundaries must be evaluated after each decennial census. The 2030 U.S. Census redistricting population counts will be released in 2031. If the trustee areas adopted in 2025, in full effect in 2028, still have equal total population counts, the boundaries will not need to be adjusted. If the total populations are not equally distributed, the trustee area boundaries will need to be adjusted so that the 2030 population is distributed evenly in the five trustee areas.

Current Board Members will continue in office until the expiration of their terms and their successors are elected. The first elections using the new boundaries will be in November 2026. Because Board elections are staggered (some trustees elected in 2026 and the rest elected in November 2028), the new plan will be implemented entirely in 2028.