Fresno Unified School District trustees want to draw maps to create new trustee districts in time for the 2010 school board election.
Under the new election method, trustee candidates would campaign only in a specific area, represent residents of that area and campaign against others who live in the same part of town.
The new plan was approved last week in a 7-0 vote by trustees.
The plan comes in response to a looming threat by civil rights lawyers opposed to the district's existing election method, in which trustees are elected by a majority of districtwide votes but represent a specific area.
Superintendent Michael Hanson said that method violates state and federal laws.
Federal law required the district to redraw boundaries after the 2000 census. In addition, the state Voting Rights Act requires trustees to be elected by district.
"The board has taken swift action to make sure we will be in compliance for the 2010 election," Hanson said.
The district will work with demographics experts and lawyers to draw up the new trustee district boundaries. Those boundaries will have to be redrawn for the 2012 election after 2010 census data are released.
The boundaries must be approved by the Fresno County Committee on School District Organization before going to the state Board of Education for approval.
Public hearings on the districting proposal will be held by the district, county and state boards.
Trustee Carol Mills said she asked for the change more than a year ago.
"I think it's the right thing to do, and we should do it as expeditiously as possible," she said.
Trustee Michelle Asadoorian said the new plan will even out populations in trustee areas.
Campaigns also will be less expensive for school board members, who will not have to seek votes citywide.
But Asadoorian said she is concerned about some of the changes.
"There could be a tendency for trustees to become very territorial rather than thinking about all the kids," she said.
Lawyers who were considering filing suit against Fresno Unified were happy to learn about the change.
"It sounds like a significant improvement for the school district and families that attend school there," said Catherine Lhamon, director of impact litigation for Public Counsel, a public interest law firm based in Southern California. "We celebrate and applaud the school district for doing the right thing."
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