Gwinnett County Public Schools: Public Invited To Give Feedback On Board District Map Options By Jan. 4

Press release from Gwinnett County Public Schools:

12.17.21

Links to the proposed maps

Map 1*—This map provides minimal changes to the existing School Board district boundaries, affecting only about 27,000 citizens.

Map 2*—This map presents districts in a more compact manner, meaning a shorter distance from the center of each district to its boundary. This map also provides closer alignment to cluster boundaries and it would affect approximately 32% of Gwinnett County residents (close to 304,000 citizens).

Current Board District Map*—This map is being provided for context as you review Map 1 and Map 2. Again, based on the Census, changes must be made to balance the populations in the current five School Board districts.

Demographic Tables—Demographic information related to the current Gwinnett County Board of Education districts, and the two draft maps (Map 1 and Map 2).

* Note that these maps are large and it may take a few seconds for them to load.

Once every 10 years, the U.S. Census counts every resident within the country. This information is used to adjust districts for elected officials at all levels of government—including Board of Education districts—to ensure equal representation. Between 2010 and 2020, Gwinnett County’s population grew by almost 150,000 residents, resulting in the need for changes to School Board district boundary lines to ensure that each of the five Board of Education districts represent approximately the same number of residents. Members of the Gwinnett County Board of Education worked in a bipartisan fashion with the Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Office to draft map proposals to balance populations among the Board members’ districts. From that work, two maps have emerged for consideration. The maps provide two different approaches to the equitable distribution of citizens in each of the five districts in a balanced and fair manner.

Members of the Gwinnett County Board of Education believe it is essential that the process to review the two proposed maps be inclusive, providing opportunities for citizens to share their thoughts on electoral districts as these maps will have an impact on voters, future elected officials, and decisions that affect our community’s schools and students.

Families, staff, and other community stakeholders are invited to participate in a survey to gather feedback on the maps. The survey will remain open through 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 4, 2022. 

Feedback on this survey is not a vote on which map will be shared with the Gwinnett Legislative Delegation as both maps will be shared. Input will help Gwinnett legislators in determining what map they will present to the Georgia General Assembly. The Gwinnett Delegation could decide to use one of these maps or propose a different map.

Once the survey closes, the feedback gathered—along with the two maps—will be forwarded to the Gwinnett County Legislative Delegation to inform its deliberations about a final map to place before the Georgia General Assembly for adoption.

This press release was produced by Gwinnett County Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.