Background of Madera Unified

For The Madera Tribune

Lincoln School, shown here, was closed by the time of Madera’s unification.

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Our readers have read ad nauseam that Madera Unified was created by a vote of the people on May 25, 1965, but the idea has a long history that reaches way back in California’s past.

The state’s educational needs grew at a rapid pace after statehood. By 1935 there were over 3,500 school districts in California, and educators convinced the politicians that this was an awkward situation. The legislators agreed, and serious school district reorganization in California began in 1945 with the passage of the Optional Reorganization Act.

One result of the Optional Reorganization Act was the formation of the Commission on School Districts. This commission was created to make recommendations to the State Board of Education, and one of its first concerns was the number of tiny school districts in California.