Opinion ID: 1648991
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: school district reorganization methods

Text: There are two methods available to accomplish a school district reorganization: the petition method and the election method. [I]t is critical that one recognize the distinction between effecting a school reorganization by what is commonly referred to as the petition method as opposed to effecting a reorganization by the election method. The differences are important. While in both instances the electors of the affected districts have a voice, their manner of exercising that voice is significantly different. While the ultimate authority for changing the boundaries by either the petition method or the election method rests with the electors of the several districts involved, the effect of their action is quite different. Under the petition method, once a sufficient number of legal voters of each district have signed a petition, the superintendent [now the State Committee for the Reorganization of School Districts] must then act in accordance with the statute. See Neb.Rev.Stat. § 79-402 (Reissue 1976) [now codified at § 79-413]. Under the petition form of reorganization, the provisions of the statutes are mandatory and jurisdictional and the failure to comply with the requirements set out in the statutes generally causes the action taken by the county superintendent to be void. See State ex rel. Larson v. Morrison, 155 Neb. 309, 51 N.W.2d 626 (1952). Likewise, where proper petitions are filed, it is the mandatory duty of the superintendent to hold a hearing and, if the petitions are sufficient, to change the boundaries as requested. See School Dist. No. 49 v. Kreidler, 165 Neb. 761, 87 N.W.2d 429 (1958). On the other hand, under the election method, a plan of reorganization is not effected until it is submitted at a special election to all the electors of the districts within the county whose boundaries are in any manner changed by the plan of reorganization and approved by a majority of all electors voting within each voting unit included in the proposed plan. § 79-426.15 [now codified at § 79-447]. It is this final special election which causes the reorganization to take place, and requirements regarding the giving of notice and the holding of preliminary hearings prior to the special election, while important, are not jurisdictional. Eriksen v. Ray, 212 Neb. 8, 12-13, 321 N.W.2d 59, 62 (1982). The election method is governed by the Reorganization of School Districts Act, Neb.Rev.Stat. §§ 79-432 to 79-451 (Reissue 2003). That is not the method used by Twin Valley and Republican Valley to create the reorganized district in this case. Instead, our case arose from a reorganization accomplished by the petition method. The statutes governing the petition method are found at Neb.Rev.Stat. §§ 79-413 to 79-422 (Reissue 2003).