School districts examine boundaries

ALMA D. SHARPE, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published November 7, 2001

TUMWATER -- The most recent U.S. Census data are prompting school officials throughout South Sound to update the boundaries of each of their school board members' districts.

While school board members are elected at large, each resides in a different area within the school district's overall boundaries.

The shifts in most areas are minor, switching a few hundred residents from one school board member's district to another. But updating each district is an important part of ensuring equal representation, educators say.

"Each director will represent the same amount of people," said Susan Haskin, spokeswoman for Tumwater Public Schools. "You don't want to have one district larger than another."

In Tumwater, officials tried to divide each district into clusters of about 6,533 residents each. The most dramatic change is likely to happen in District 2, which could go from having 7,391 residents to 6,503, with the adjustment scheduled for later this month. That's a loss of 888 residents.

In Shelton, the changes could be a bit more dramatic. District 4 now has 6,467 residents, and it's expected to have 4,153 after the adjustment. District 5 will go from 2,888 residents to 4,114. The target population for each district is 4,138.

"My guess is that it's the effect of population growth in some areas. It's been awhile since we last did this," said Ken Olson, Shelton's deputy superintendent.

The changes in North Thurston Public Schools' boundaries will be minor in most areas. District 1 will see the biggest gain, going from 12,242 residents to 15,092. District 4 will see a loss, from 17,362 residents to 14,941. The target population for each district is 14,947.

Olympia School District school officials are waiting for final election results before redrawing district boundaries. Incumbent school board member Barbara Roder and challenger Russ Lehman live so close that it could affect where the line is drawn, district spokeswoman Shelley Carr said.

The target population for each of district is 10,820 residents.

The boundaries will be an item on the agenda of next Tuesday's board meeting.

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