As the Santa Barbara Unified School District prepares to shift from at-large to district elections, community and board members are split on what trustee-area configuration will provide the most equitable outcomes for voters and future board members.
The board narrowed the options for district layouts to three scenarios Tuesday night, electing Scenarios Five, Six, and A, which is a map submitted by the Central Coast Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) and the student group Future Leaders of America. These three maps will be discussed at the next board meeting on February 8, when the final decision will be made.
Scenarios Five and A both propose five districts, but Scenario Five creates one district to include all neighborhoods west of Carrillo and north to Goleta. Eastside districts would combine neighborhoods above Santa Barbara Street with those in Montecito and on the Riviera.