The Greater Victoria School District is passing through an enrollment priority motion that will help shape neighbourhood schools.
At meeting on Monday night, trustees voted on a priority list that will give children attending their neighbourhood catchment school priority over siblings who attend a school outside of their catchment.
Some parents are unhappy with the motion for fear that families will get split up.
“Ultimately in the end, we had to look at what’s in the best interest of neighbourhood schools and what’s in the best interest of our school district going forward with enrollment increases,” said Board chair Edith Loring-Kuhanga.
Loring-Kuhunga says the hope is to get students to attend their own neighbourhood catchment schools.
The changes come following survey of thousands of people earlier this year.
This is the full list of priority that school trustees voted on:
1. Re-enrolling students
2. A catchment area sibling
3. A new catchment area child
4. A non-catchment sibling
5. A non-catchment area child
6. A non-school district child
It will go into effect starting the 2018-19 school year.
The student body for School District 61 is expected to jump by 2,000 students in the next 10 years.