USD 398 board adopts new representation boundaries years ago
A new Kansas law signed in May of this year requires Kansas unified school districts to either reapportion member districts to reflect the census data or ask voters to create a different configuration of board members and number of voting districts.
Since USD 398 consolidated in the late 1960s, it has had three districts with two members from each district. A seventh board member was elected at-large from anywhere in the district. Members of the current board decided to stay with that approach when electing board members.
The only difference is that the boundary lines had to be redrawn to equalize the population in each district. This approach will change some of the board positions and the portion of USD 398 that they represent. New members for the coming year will have to make sure which district they will be able to represent when they file in January.
The new positions will be described in the resolution by the school board that is published in this issue of the Peabody Gazette-Bulletin.
The districts will be changed from the City of Peabody, rural Peabody, and Burns districts to the Northwest district, the Southwest district, and the East district. The information on exact locations of the boundary lines will be covered with the county clerk in an effort to help the process run smoothly as people file for board positions.
