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Lancaster School District elections (2013)
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Three seats on the school board for Lancaster School District were up for elections that were held on November 5, 2013. Chris Grado, Sandy Price and Diane V. Grooms defeated Keith Giles, William "Bill" Buck, and John Michael Rosario to win the three at-large seats.
About the district
Lancaster School District is located in the Northern Los Angeles County, California in Lancaster, California. As of the 2010 Census, it was home to 159,055 residents.[1]
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Demographics
As of 2013, Lancaster had the same percentage of residents over the age of 25 with a high school diploma as the rest of the state of California. The median household income in Lancaster was $52,290 compared to $61,632 for the state of California. 16.5% of Lancaster residents aged 25 years and older attained a bachelor's degree compared to 30.2% in California. The US Census also showed the poverty rate in Lancaster was 20.2% compared to 14.4% for the entire state. The US Census also found that 80.8% of Lancaster residents aged 25 years and older attained a high school degree compared to a 80.8% in California.[3]
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Method of board member selection
Lancaster School District School Board consists of five members, all of whom are elected to four year terms. All board members represent the district at large. Board member terms are staggered so that at least two members, but no more than three are to be elected each odd numbered year on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November. There are no primary elections. Three seats were up for election on November 5, 2013. The two remaining seats were up for election on November 3, 2015.
Elections
2013
Candidates
- William "Bill" Buck
- Retired school district employee
- Keith Giles
- Incumbent, Business manager
- Chris Grado
- Incumbent, school principal
- Diane V. Grooms
- Incumbent board member
- Sandy Price
- Retired school teacher
- John Michael Rosario
- Sales Representative
Election results
On November 5, 2013, Chris Grado, Sandy Price and Diane V. Grooms defeated three challenging candidates for three seats on the Lancaster School District Board of Education.
| Lancaster School District Board of Education, At-large General Election, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Chris Grado |
22.1% | 2,596 | |
| Nonpartisan | Sandy Price |
21.1% | 2,484 | |
| Nonpartisan | Diane V. Grooms |
18.6% | 2,193 | |
| Nonpartisan | Keith Giles | 17% | 1,996 | |
| Nonpartisan | William "Bill" Buck | 13.9% | 1,640 | |
| Nonpartisan | John Michael Rosario | 7.2% | 850 | |
| Total Votes | 11,759 | |||
| Source: Los Angeles County Clerk, "NOVEMBER 5, 2013 - LOCAL & MUNI CONSOLIDATED ELECTION Final Official Election Returns" accessed December 13, 2013 | ||||
Funding
No contributions or expenditures were reported during the election, according to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
Election history
2011
On November 8, 2011, two seats on the Lancaster School District Board of Education were up for election. Candidates Merle E. "Mel" Kleven and John Lee Miller were unopposed and won the uncontested election.
What was at stake?
Three at-large seats were up for election on November 5, 2013, including the seats of the President and Board Clerk. Incumbent President Chris Grado, Clerk Diane V. Grooms, and member Keith Giles filed seeking re-election.
Issues
Test cheating allegations
On September 23, 2013, the Los Angeles Times reported Piute Middle School in Lancaster School District had been accused of wrongdoing after more than 70 students reported a teacher had worked through test questions on the chalk board. More than half also reported that the teacher "stated it was OK to go back and correct their answers." The report was gathered along with reports of misconduct from other districts, which showed the cases of cheating were usually isolated, with one teacher acting alone.[4]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Lancaster School District election in 2013:[5]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| July 15, 2013 | First day to file a petition of candidacy |
| August 9, 2013 | Close of filing period for petition of candidacy |
| October 21, 2013 | Last day to register to vote in school election |
| October 29, 2013 | Final day to apply to vote by mail |
| November 5, 2013 | Election Day |
Additional elections on the ballot
The ballot for the November 5, 2013 election in Los Angeles County also featured elections for local and municipal positions, such as elections for City Clerk, City Treasurer, Mayor and City Council.[6]
See also
- California school board elections draw over 200 candidates
- School board elections review: Voters opt for experience over new blood in nation's largest school districts
- School board election wrap-up: Incumbents re-elected overwhelmingly in November 5 elections
- California
- Lancaster School District, California
- List of school board elections in 2013
- Los Angeles County, California ballot measures
- Local ballot measures, California
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ US Census Bureau, "Lancaster, California Quick Facts" accessed August 29, 2013
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedCensus1 - ↑ US Census Bureau, "Baldwin Park, California Quick Facts" accessed August 23, 2013
- ↑ Howard Blume LA Times, "Schools lose academic ratings after claims of cheating," September 23, 2013
- ↑ LA Votes, "TENTATIVE CALENDAR OF EVENTS " accessed September 30, 2013
- ↑ LA Vote, "FINAL LIST OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES TO APPEAR ON THE BALLOT" accessed September 30, 2013
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