The School District Review Progrram

School District Review Program
TIGERweb Map Viewer for Review of School Districts

Issued
August 2015

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) Statement:
A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty
for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the
Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information displays a current valid
OMB Control Number. This collection is voluntary. The authority for conducting this
collection comes from Title 13 U.S.C, Sections 16, 141, and 193.
The OMB Control Number for this information collection is 0607-xxxx. Public reporting
for this collection of information is estimated to be approximately 30 hours per response,
including the time for reviewing instructions, completing and reviewing the collection of
information.
Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden and suggestions for reducing the
burden should be directed to: Paperwork Reduction 0607-xxxx, United States Census
Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Room 3K138, Washington, DC 20233. You may email
comments to paperwork@census.gov; use “Paperwork Project 0607-xxxx” as the subject.

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School District Review Program
TIGERweb Map Viewer for Review of School Districts

Table of Contents
Purpose................................................................................................................................ 4
Getting Started with TIGERweb......................................................................................... 5
Available Map Layers ......................................................................................................... 6
Selecting a Map Layer ........................................................................................................ 7
Move Around/Zoom In/Zoom Out of Map Display ........................................................... 8
TIGERweb Symbology....................................................................................................... 8
Locating Your School District ............................................................................................ 9
Identify Tool ..................................................................................................................... 16
Changing Transparency .................................................................................................... 17
Viewing Satellite Imagery for Your Entity....................................................................... 17
Reviewing and Reporting your school district boundaries ............................................... 18
Printing a map ................................................................................................................... 19

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Purpose
The U.S. Census Bureau is providing its TIGERweb online map viewer as an option for
state and local education officials participating in the School District Review Program
(SDRP) to review the Census Bureau's 2013-2014 school district information and to
provide updates and corrections to the school district names, Federal Local Education
Agency identification numbers (LEA), boundaries, and the grade ranges for which a
school district is financially responsible. TIGERweb allows viewing, at street level detail,
features such as roads, waterways, county, place, city, and school district boundaries.
You can use the TIGERweb map viewer http://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/tigerweb/ to
locate a school district and compare it to a local source for school districts to determine if
you need to make boundary changes. You may provide boundary changes to the SDRP if
the map does not correctly depict the school district boundary in effect as of January 1st,
2016. More information about the SDRP is available from the Census Bureau’s SDRP
website http://www.census.gov/geo/partnerships/sdrp.html.
To review the boundary of a school district you will need either the name of the school
district or the seven-digit GEOID numeric code for the school district. You will find the
GEOID in the School District Inventory and Grade Range File (SD_Inventory.xls)
located on the 2015-2016 SDRP Data disc. The GEOID is comprised of the two-digit
FIPS 1 State code for the state in which the school district is located followed by the fivedigit Federal school district LEA 2 code assigned to the school district. TIGERweb will
use the GEOID to zoom directly to the school district.
If you are a state SDRP mapping coordinator, we ask that you please provide local
education officials with these instructions, which can be downloaded from the 2015-2016
SDRP website under the Annotation Phase Program Materials hyperlink.
If you are a local education official, and determine that you have changes to report for the
2015-2016 SDRP, you will report the changes to your state SDRP mapping coordinator
who will submit your changes to the Census Bureau. The SDRP Mapping Coordinator is
the liaison between your state department of education and the Census Bureau. You can
find contact information for your state’s mapping coordinator on the SDRP website
http://www.census.gov/geo/partnerships/sdrp.html under the Contact Information
hyperlink. You can print paper maps or capture screen images of the areas where
boundaries require update; you can annotate your changes; and forward them to your
state SDRP mapping coordinator for update and submission to the Census Bureau.
The Census Bureau will not accept school district boundary changes:
a. Submitted directly to the Census Bureau by local education officials
b. Annotated on maps printed using the TIGERweb map viewer.

1
2

Federal Information Processing Standards
Local Education Agency

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Getting Started with TIGERweb
Go to the TIGERweb Applications page
http://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/.
TIGERweb currently supports Microsoft Internet
Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, and Google
Chrome internet browsers.
Click on the TIGERweb link under TIGERweb
Applications tab on the left side of the screen. Do
not click on the TIGERweb Decennial link. The
TIGERweb link includes 2014 American
Community Survey (ACS) data that contains school
district updates submitted during 2013-2014 SDRP.
TIGERweb contains the geographic school district
boundary updates for your state school districts
submitted during the 2013-2014 SDRP which we
want you to review.
The TIGERweb application offers the ability to
view:
- Roads, highways, and railroads
- Rivers, lakes, streams and other “single-line”
drainage
- Boundaries for legal and statistical
geographic entities
- Selected special land use areas such as
military reservations and national parks
- Satellite imagery
Figure 1: Select TIGERweb from the TIGERweb Applications tab.

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After opening TIGERweb, you will see the map display and navigation tools, layers
panel, and map vintage.

Figure 4: TIGERweb Opening screen with Map Layers panel

Available Map Layers
The Layers panel shows the list of available features and geographic areas. Labels,
Hydrography, States, and Counties are displayed by default at startup. The layers are
organized into separate groups, called map services, based on geographic type. You will
have to expand each map service by clicking on the “+” symbol to see all of the available
layers that include physical features such as roads and water features, as well as legal and
statistical boundaries, such as census blocks and incorporated places. You can limit the
amount of data on the map by selecting only the types of linear features and geographic
entities you want to see. Click on the “+” sign to expand a map layer and view the
‘Slider’ tool to make the layer more or less transparent.

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Figure 4: Vintage selection box

Figure 5: Layers Slider tool to make layer
more or less transparent.

Figure 3: Layers panel

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Selecting a Map Layer
The ‘Select Vintage’ dropdown in the Layers panel shows the vintages of TIGERweb
geography that are available for display in the application. Select Current, if not already
selected, to view the geographic updates for your entity submitted during the 2015-2016
SDRP. Click on the ‘+’ sign next to each map service in the Layers panel to expand the
map service and view the layers within it. Click on the small boxes (check/uncheck) to
select the Transportation, Places and County Subdivisions, and School Districts map
layers.

Figure 6: The Transportation, Places, and
School District layers are selected.

Move Around/Zoom In/Zoom Out of Map Display
You will notice the features and geographic areas contained in the map services
do not immediately appear. This is because each layer has a range of zoom
levels at which it will display. In other words, visibility is scale dependent. As
you zoom in on the map, more details will appear.
You can use the ‘Zoom In’ scrollbar tool located on the vertical Scale Bar to
zoom in to see more detail on the map or zoom out to see less detail. Click on
the “+” to zoom in for more detail or click on the “-” to zoom out for less detail.
You can also zoom in or out using by rolling the wheel on your computer
mouse.
At Zoom level 6, counties appear; at Zoom level 7, school districts begin to
appear; at Zoom level 9, Places appear; and at Zoom level 10, Roads and
Railroads appear. The current Zoom level is shown on the scale bar in the lower
left of the Map display.

TIGERweb Symbology
Click on the ‘Legend’ tool at the top of the screen to view the symbology used for each
layer.

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If the layer you selected does not appear in the legend, zoom in on the map for the feature
to appear on the map and on the legend. Click on ‘Detailed Legend’ to see at what zoom
level the layers and labels appear.
If you want to see boundaries for only some types of place and county subdivision
features, you can turn them off or on by clicking on the appropriate item in the Layers
panel.

Figure 7: Check-boxed map layers are
selected for display.

As you zoom into the map, more detail will appear. You can select the Transportation
Map Service to display road and rail features to help recognize local areas.
Locating Your School District
TIGERweb allows SDRP participants to quickly locate an entity visually using the
‘Zoom In’ tool or by using the ‘Query’ tool to search for a school district by its name or
unique GEOID. The seven-digit numeric GEOID code is listed on the School District
Inventory and Grade Range Listing (SD_Inventory.xls) located on the 2015-2016 SDRP
Data disc. The GEOID is comprised of the two-digit FIPS State code followed by the
five-digit Federal LEA code assigned to the school district. Type the seven-digit GEOID

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in the “Enter GEOID of Feature” box. You can also search for a school district by typing
its name in the ‘Enter Name of Feature’ box. Enter a GEOID or a Name; but not both.
Select the ‘Query’ Tool from the toolbar. Select the ‘Attribute’ Tab.
From the ‘Select Map’ dropdown, select one of the following map services:
States and Counties to locate a county
Places and County Subdivisions to locate a city or town
School Districts to locate a Unified, Secondary, or Elementary school district

Figure 8: Query tool.

Use the Query examples shown below to locate your own entity. Searching by unique
GEOID will take you directly to your entity. Searching by Name could produce a list of
school districts with the same.

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Example for locating a Unified School District, using West Prairie Community Unit
School District 103, Illinois - GEOID 1700314.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Select the ‘Query’ tool.
From the ‘Select Map’ dropdown, select School Districts.
From the ‘Select Layer(s)’ dropdown, select Unified School Districts.
Enter the GEOID for the school district in the ‘GEOID’ field.
Click ‘SUBMIT’ to search for the unified school district.

Figure 9: Using Query tool to
locate a School District by its
unique GEOID. Select Map –
School Districts.

Figure 10: Using Query tool to
locate a School District by its
unique GEOID. Select Layer School Districts. Enter GEOID.

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TIGERweb displays the result(s) of the query under the ‘Query Results’ tab to the left of
the map. TIGERweb also displays the ‘Info’ panel containing attribute data for the
entity. Minimize or close the ‘Info’ panel by clicking on the ‘-‘ or ‘x’ symbols in the top
right of the ‘Info’ panel.

Figure 11: Query found West Prairie
Community Unit School District
103, Illinois, using its unique sevendigit GEOID.

Figure 12: TIGERweb Info
panel with attribute data for
West Prairie Community
Unit School District 103.

Click on the name of the result listed under the ‘Unified School Districts’ heading of
Query Result(s) and TIGERweb will display the school district highlighted in the center
of the map display.

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Figure 13: Query Result West Prairie Community Unit
School District 103, Illinois, highlighted in center of map
display.

To start a new Query, click ‘Clear Map’ on the navigation toolbar above the
‘Zoom-In’ scrollbar. The Query window reappears and the located entity is no
longer highlighted.

Example for locating a school district named Bridgeport in Connecticut without
knowing its school district level.
1. Select the ‘Query’ tool.
2. From the ‘Select Map’ dropdown, select School Districts.
3. From the ‘Select Layer(s) dropdown, hold down the Control or Shift Key and
click on Unified, Secondary, and Elementary. All three will display as
highlighted.
4. Enter the name Bridgeport in the Name of Feature field.
5. Click ‘SUBMIT’ to search.

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Searching by name could produce a list of school districts with the same or similar
names. The Query result will include the state in which the entity is located.

Figure 15: Query by Name
produces multiple results.

Figure 14: Query by Name could
produce multiple results.

TIGERweb displays the selected entity highlighted in the center of the map display, along
with the ‘Info’ panel containing attribute data for the entity. Minimize or close the ‘Info’
panel to view the entire map and Query Result(s) box.

Figure 16: Bridgeport School District in Connecticut
located using its name.

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You can view additional layers such as Transportation and Places by clicking the small boxes
next to the map services in the Layers panel. You can use the same action to de-select layers you
no longer want to view.

You can search for other entities as well in TIGERweb.
Example for locating the City of Sweetwater, Tennessee (Incorporated Place).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Select the ‘Query’ tool.
From the ‘Select Map’ dropdown, select Places and County Subdivisions.
From the ‘Select Layer(s)’ dropdown, select Incorporated Places.
Enter the GEOID for your Incorporated Place in the GEOID field.
Click ‘SUBMIT’ to search for your Incorporated Place.

TIGERweb displays the located entity highlighted in the center of the map display, along
with the ‘Info’ panel containing attribute data for the entity. Minimize or close the ‘Info’
panel to view the entire map and Query Result(s) box.

Figure 17: Sweetwater Incorporated Place located using its GEOID.

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Identify Tool
Click on the
You can identify features on the map by using the ‘Identify’ tool.
‘Identify’ tool at the top of the screen and click on the area of the map or feature you
want to identify. In the ‘Identify Results’ panel you can click on any of the features to
get attribute information about the area or feature. When you click on a feature, its area
on the map is highlighted. The ‘Identify’ tool shows attribute information only for
visible layers (checked in the Layer dropdown).

Example using the ‘Identify’ tool to get Attribute data for the Fairfield School
District adjacent to the Bridgeport School District.
To get Attribute data for the Fairfield School District, click on the ‘Identify’ tool on the
toolbar (cursor changes from a pointer to crosshairs “+”) and click inside the boundary of
Fairfield School District. Identify Tool returns information on all entities selected in the
Map Layers panel. Click on an entity in the Identify Results list to get more information.
Clicking on Fairfield School District displays the Info panel and attributes about the
school district including grade range, and land and water area.

Figure 18: Identify Results list all entities
in the area selected.

Figure 19: Attribute info is displayed,

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Changing Transparency
When multiple layers are displayed, one layer may obscure another layer. You can
change the transparency of each layer by moving the sliding bar below the layer name to
the left or right.

Figure 20: Move Layers panel slider to
change transparency of a layer.

Viewing Satellite Imagery for Your Entity
TIGERweb allows the user to select landmass, satellite imagery, or terrain as the
background for the map display. Landmass displays by default when you open
TIGERweb. After you locate and zoom into your entity, click on the Topography
button (upper right corner of the Map Display) until the ‘Satellite’ icon appears
and imagery overlays your entity. This dual view allows you to see the
relationship between the location of a boundary in our file to the location of
real-world features such as roads and property lines.

School District Review Program: TIGERweb Map Viewer

Figure 21: Use the
Topography Button to
display satellite
Imagery.

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Reviewing and Reporting your school district boundaries
After you use the TIGERweb Query Tool to locate your school district, you can compare
the TIGERweb map of your school district to a local source for your school district
boundary.
You can use the TIGERweb Terrain Tool to view satellite imagery for
your school district as well as the entire country. Click on the Terrain
Tool at the top of the screen then click on the Imagery icon to overlay
your school district with satellite imagery.

Figure 22: Viewing satellite imagery using the TIGERweb Terrain Tool.

This dual view allows you to see the relationship between the location of a boundary in
our file to the location of real-world features such as roads and property lines.
You need to provide boundary update information to your state mapping coordinator if
the TIGERweb map does not correctly depict the school district boundary shown in your
local source.
If you are a local education official, and determine that you have changes to report for the
SDRP you will report the changes to your state mapping coordinator who will submit
your changes to the Census Bureau. You can find contact information for your state
mapping coordinator on the SDRP website at:
http://www.census.gov/geo/partnerships/sdrp.html.

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Printing a map
After using TIGERweb to review your school district boundary, you can use the
application to print paper maps or capture screen images of the areas where your
boundary needs to be updated, annotate your changes, and forward them to your state
mapping coordinator.

Figure 23: Print a section of boundary, mark changes, and submit to mapping coordinator.

The Census Bureau will not accept boundary changes for the SDRP submitted
directly to the Census Bureau annotated on maps printed using the TIGERweb map
viewer.
If you are a state mapping coordinator, we ask that you provide local education officials
with these instructions, which can be obtained from the SDRP website:
http://www.census.gov/geo/partnerships/sdrp.html under the Annotation Program
Materials hyperlink.
For further information about the SDRP, visit our website:
http://www.census.gov/geo/partnerships/sdrp.html.

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