Edmund Buckley addresses the Round Rock ISD school board to advocate for single-member districts.

Donning fluorescent yellow shirts with the phrase, "S.M.D. Now!" emblazoned across the chest and back, members of the Round Rock Parents and Taxpayers Association called for Round Rock ISD to change the structure of its board.The members, who were part of the group opposing the May 2017 called bond , launched a petition to place a ballot initiative for single member districts on the November 2018 ballot.The current system includes seven at-large trustees and has no living requirements for trustees other than to live within the overall district boundaries. The system RRPTA is proposing would require each trustee to come from a different geographic district in RRISD. The voters from each district would be the sole constituents to choose their representative.The single member district model has been adopted by Hays CISD, Taylor ISD and Austin ISD, according to a release from RRPTA.This is the proposed ballot language RRPTA is seeking: “In order to assure adequate geographic representation of all areas of Round Rock ISD, the Board of Trustees shall consist of seven (7) trustees from single-member districts, the boundaries of which shall be drawn to create districts that are compact, contiguous and as nearly as practicable of equal population, pursuant to Texas Education Code EDUC § 11.052.”The group is looking to collect 15,000 signatures on its petition in order to get this language on the November 2018 ballot.Should voters approve the language, a map would be drawn in 2020 based on population, according to the RRPTA statement.Edmund Buckley, RRPTA's representative, said at the meeting this change would help the board improve accountability to local voters."The way our current board is structured has led many of us to believe that we have problems with accountability," he said. "We believe it is time for a government change in this system."RRPTA has a Facebook page and will be signing up residents on the petition through volunteers in the community.