MPS BOE Approves New Board Seat Ward Map

Mustang Board of Education Approves New Board Seat Ward Map

(Mustang, Oklahoma – October 11, 2022) – Mustang Public Schools’ Board of Education approved new board districts Monday night in line with requirements set forth in State Statute.

State law requires school districts whose board seats are divided among wards, zones or districts to review and redraw their boundaries the year after the U.S. Census results are submitted to the President of the United States.  The results of the 2020 Census were delayed due to COVID-19, thus pushing back all Oklahoma districts’ completion deadline to December. 31, 2022.  State law also requires that new board districts be as close to equal in population as possible, with no more than a 10% variation between the largest and smallest districts.  “With the pace of growth in our area, the map had to be adjusted to comply with the State law,” Mustang Public Schools Assistant Superintendent of Operations Jason Pittenger said.  “The process is pretty specific in the law and allowed us to work with The University of Oklahoma’s Center for Spatial Analysis to slightly adjust the existing Ward boundaries to end up with our new map that meets legal requirements.”

Legal Descriptions of MPS Board Seat Wards can be found here:  https://www.mustangps.org/fs/resource-manager/view/37d4291f-1345-4df0-96c7-03ec6f49c8b1 

MPS Superintendent Charles Bradley also added that “due to the population increase, we will also see a change in the way that Mustang patrons are able to vote for Board seats/wards.”  The law requires that when a district student population reaches over 10,000 that individual wards must have their own elections with only the residents of those wards able to cast a ballot; previously any resident of MPS could vote for any/all of the wards/seats.  “This is a big change, and the Canadian County Election Board will be reaching out to patrons to let them know about this, and to advise them of any changes in polling stations as a result of the new status,” Bradley said.  “We wanted to get the word out now, so that when the Election Board contacts voters that there would be less of a surprise.”  The new status will not change voting for things such as school bonds, but will only impact the elections for school board seats/wards.  

An election for MPS Board of Education will occur for Seat/Ward #3 and Seat/Ward #5 on February 14, 2023.  Seat #3 is currently held by Jeff Landrith and is up for term election, while Seat #5 is currently held by Board appointee Travis Helling who was appointed after the resignation of Dedra Stafford and is up for election based on the laws surrounding Board appointments.  

 

About Mustang Public Schools

The Mustang Public School District covers over 72 square miles in Oklahoma and Canadian counties with the City of Mustang at its center. The district is the largest employer in Canadian County, with more than 1,500 certified and support employees. As one of Oklahoma’s Top Workplaces, the school district offers a comprehensive compensation package for full-time employees, in addition to a satisfying working environment. There are eight elementary schools (grades PreK-4), three intermediate centers (grades 5-6), three middle schools (grades 7-8), one high school (grades 9-12), and an educational center which houses pre-kindergarten and alternative education.

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