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HomeEducation CodeDiv. 3Pt. 21Ch. 4Art. 1§ 35700 School District Reorganization Petition

§ 35700 School District Reorganization Petition

Education Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 35700 School District Reorganization Petition

Key Takeaways

  • •To change school district boundaries, a petition must be filed with the county superintendent of schools.
  • •The petition must be signed by enough people who live in the area that wants to change. For small areas, at least 25% of registered voters must sign. For big areas with over 200,000 students, at least 8% of the people who voted in the last governor election must sign.
  • •If the area has no people living there, the owner of the property can start the petition if they have plans to build something there.
  • •The petition can also be started if most of the school board members from each school district that would be affected agree to it.

Example

A group of parents in a small town want to change the school district boundaries so their kids can go to a different school.

They need to get at least 25% of the registered voters in their area to sign a petition and give it to the county superintendent of schools. If enough people sign, the process to change the boundaries can start.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 35700 School District Reorganization Petition

An action to reorganize one or more districts is initiated upon the filing, with the county superintendent of schools, of a petition to reorganize one or more school districts signed by any of the following: (a) At least 25 percent of the registered voters residing in the territory proposed to be reorganized if the territory is inhabited. Where the petition is to reorganize territory in two or more school districts, the petition shall be signed by at least 25 percent of the registered voters in that territory in each of those districts. (b) A number of registered voters residing in the territory proposed to be reorganized, equal to at least 8 percent of the votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the last gubernatorial election in the territory proposed to be reorganized, where the affected territory consists of a single school district with over 200,000 pupils in average daily attendance and the petition is to reorganize the district into two or more districts. (c) The owner of the property, provided that territory is uninhabited and the owner thereof has filed either a tentative subdivision map with the appropriate county or city agency or an application for any project, as defined in Section 21065 of the Public Resources Code, with one or more local agencies. (d) A majority of the members of the governing boards of each of the districts that would be affected by the proposed reorganization. (Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 267, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1996.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

petitionfinegovernorschoolpropertyelectionapplicationmajority

Related Statutes

  • § 74230 School District Reorganization Elections
  • § 88035 Part-Time Employee Benefits
  • § 5205 School District Governance Election
  • § 74108 District Territory Transfer Approval
  • § 15704 School Facility Funding Priority

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Education Code. Section 35700.
View Official Source