July 21 Message to AUHSD Community Informing of the Transition

BACKGROUND

At the Wednesday, July 9, 2025, Special Meeting of the Governing Board, the Board considered and adopted Resolution 25-26-01 initiating a transition to a "By-Trustee Area" election system commencing with the 2026 Governing Board Election. Please see the timeline below for opportunities for public input.

Please note, that this process has no impact on student and school attendance boundaries.

In 2002, the California State Legislature enacted the California Voting Rights Act ("CVRA"), which prohibits the use of at-large elections of governing board members for a school district if it "impairs the ability of a protected class to elect candidates of its choice or its ability to influence the outcome of an election…."  (Elections Code § 14027, emphasis added.)  Under the CVRA, the only election system that provides an accepted “safe harbor” from a potential CVRA claim is a “by-trustee area” election system.  Under a “by-trustee area” election system, a school district is divided into separate trustee areas and one governing board member is elected by the registered voters in that particular trustee area, rather than the community at-large.  Acalanes Union High School District (“District”) currently employs an “at-large” election system for the purposes of electing Governing Board members.

Adopting this resolution begins a 90-day window for the District to complete the required steps for a transition to a “by-trustee area” election system (Elec. Code § 10010(e)(3)(B)).  Pre-Map Public Hearings must occur over a period of no more than 30 days (Elec. Code § 10010(a)(1)).  Map Public Hearings must occur over a period of no more than 45 days (Elec. Code § 10010(a)(2)).

The District will be utilizing the services of a professional demographer to prepare draft trustee voting area plans for community and Board review.  The demographer will work with the District’s legal counsel to ensure that all draft trustee area map options comply with the CVRA and other districting requirements.  The process of establishing the trustee areas will involve using the demographic data from the 2020 Census, in addition to other, accepted population and demographic information. 

This website will include updated information as the Governing Board goes through this transition and decision-making process including draft trustee area maps for consideration.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Live Feedback Opportunities (Prior to Creation of Map Options)

Live Feedback Opportunities (After Creation of Map Options)

NOTE:  The Governing Board vote on trustee area boundaries will immediately follow the third map Public Hearing on October 15, 2025.

*These Governing Board meetings and public hearings will be video streamed and recorded. The live streaming and subsequent video recordings will be posted on Board Meeting Video Broadcast page of the District Website.

**The public hearing shall begin at the fixed time regardless of its order on the agenda. The Governing Board may first conclude any item being discussed or acted upon at the time posted, including any associated public comment.