The breakdown
The change comes after a lawsuit was filed against the district in 2022 by plaintiff Paige Dixon, who ran for a spot on the LISD school board in 2021 and lost. Dixon and her attorneys, of the Brewer Storefront firm, claimed Lewisville ISD violated the Voters Right Act of 1965 by “not fairly representing [the] diverse student body.”
In the 2021-22 school year, the district’s population of 49,113 was 30.7% Hispanic, 15.7% Asian, 12% African American, and 4.6% two or more races. The system with seven at-large members allowed citizens to vote for each board position, while the new system will include “at least one single-member district comprised of a majority of eligible minority voters,” according to a statement by the Brewer Storefront.
The lawsuit was settled Aug. 18, 10 days before the meeting.
All trustees were elected at large and will continue to serve their full terms, meaning that the May 2024 elections will only be for the positions of Single-Member DIstrict 1 and At-Large Place 6. In 2025, elections will be held for single-member districts 2 and 3, and At-Large Place 7; in 2026, the single-member dIstricts 4 and 5 positions will be up for election.
Quote of note
“So many families in this district were underrepresented, and what I found during my race was cities like Lewisville and The Colony were getting the short end of the stick in one of the greatest districts in the state,” Dixon said during the Aug. 28 meeting. “Our board didn’t reflect the beautiful diversity of this district. I pray that this new electoral system helps to close gaps in the district, and gives every student, staff member and parent an advocate.”
