New attendance boundaries at 18 elementary schools will shift students out of crowded classrooms and trailers and into schools with more room. Some children will transfer this fall. Others will switch schools next year or in fall 2002.

"We've got to get the right number of students to the right schools,'' said Chairman Daniel D. Edwards before the meeting. "Otherwise we've got buildings that are overstressed and students that are overstressed.''

Nine of the board's 11 members voted in favor of most of the boundary changes. For Christopher Farms Elementary, however, the board voted 7-2 to delay moving students for one year. Vice Chairman Arthur T. Tate and board member Donald F. Bennis voted against the motion. Tate wanted to make an exception to allow some students at Christopher Farms to stay where they are, while Bennis wanted more research on the entire proposal.

School Board members H. Les Powell Jr. and Robert C. Spadaccini missed the meeting because they were working out of town.

Once students move, school officials will remove 32 trailers that serve as classrooms. The boundary changes will relieve crowding at seven elementary schools: Newtown Road, Bettie F. Williams, College Park, Windsor Woods, Windsor Oaks, Green Run and Christopher Farms.

Only parents of Christopher Farms students spoke out Tuesday night. They made one last plea not to approve the changes.

"I'm less than a mile away from it (the school) and you're going to send my kid somewhere else,'' said Robert J. Guenthner.

Parents at the meeting said they will use the one-year delay to keep fighting. "We're not going to give up on it,'' said Cynthia D. Shutter. "It's just not fair.''

Tuesday's vote wrapped up a yearlong process to assess elementary school enrollment and crowded classrooms. A committee charged with analyzing enrollment data came up with a list of schools that needed to be redistricted. School officials posted the proposed changes in schools and held public hearings.

Many parents argued that they had purchased their homes in particular school zones. Neighborhoods would be split, others said. For many military families, redistricting would mean another new school for their children.

Of the hundreds of parents who attended the hearings, few spoke in favor of redistricting.

But board members said they believe there are taxpayers who would rather see children moved than millions spent to build classroom additions.

"You're never going to hear from those who agree we should be making the changes,'' Edwards said.

Neil L. Rose, who is the only board member who has opposition in the May 2 election, said, "I'm going to make each decision based on the facts as to what's in the best interest of the children in our city. And if that prevents me from being re-elected, so be it.''

Tuesday's vote will not be the last time the School Board takes up redistricting. School officials are working on a plan to move students out of Red Mill Elementary. The proposal is to be presented in May. Middle and high schools will be looked at next.

Although the board has yet to discuss zones for high schools, parents already are calling.

"There are lot of rumors flying that we've already moved lines,'' said Donald E. Greer, the school system's demographer. "We haven't even started looking at it.''