CPSB to start redistricting process for its board members

Published 6:25 am Wednesday, February 9, 2022

 The Calcasieu Parish School Board will soon begin the process of redistricting for the purposes of board member representatives. Based on the 2020 Census data, South Sulphur-Carlyss and Southeast and Southwest Lake Charles have grown requiring lines to be redrawn.

“This does not affect school attendance zones — where students go to school does not change. This does not affect bonding districts. This is only the districts from which school board members, the 15 of you, are appointed,” Cade Cole, presenting attorney, said.

The entire district saw a population increase of 216,780 or 12.45 percent. “We were projecting the parish at 225 (thousand), so the effect of the hurricanes did affect the numbers a little bit,” Cole said.

Redistricting maps and models will continue to be worked on over the next few weeks with a deadline of mid-March for completion.

In other news, the district is still awaiting FEMA funds and reimbursements, Karl Bruchhaus, superintendent, said. “We’re still working on trying to get money on our permanent projects. We haven’t really gotten any money on any permanent projects yet.”

To try and remedy the situation and adhere to FEMA’s additional requests, Bruchhaus said the district has chosen its “top 20” projects to try and push through. Valued at $20 million to $25 million worth of reimbursements, the district hopes to see funds within the next eight weeks.

“That will carry us into the summer,” he said.

Ideally, if the top 20 projects are approved per FEMA’s guidelines and feedback, it should be smooth sailing for the remaining projects, he added.