The board's action came in response to a new Kansas law signed in May that requires unified school districts to reapportion member districts to reflect census data or to ask voters to create a different configuration of board members and number of voting districts.

The action will change some of the board positions and whom they present, USD 398 officials said.

Since the district consolidated in the late '60s, USD 398 has had three districts with two members from each district.

A seventh board member was elected at-large from anywhere in the district.

Members of the current board decided to stay with current approach to electing board members.

New members for this coming year will have to make sure which of the districts they will be able to represent when they file in January.

According to the resolution, the three districts will be changed from the City of Peabody, rural Peabody and Burns districts to the Northwest district, the Southwest district and the East district.

The information on exact locations of the boundary lines for the districts will be covered with the county clerk in an effort to help the process run smoothly as people file for board positions.