Edmonton family struggles to find a school for their 3 kids: ‘This is ludicrous’

School is back in session, but not for every student. One family in northwest Edmonton’s Castle Downs area says they can’t get their three children into any school.

Krista Butler and Jerome O’Brien have been told there is no space for their three children. So they’re at home, waiting to see if they’ll have a school at all this year.

Last year, the boys aged six to 10 went to Namao School, north of the city in Sturgeon County. The school was full and since the family doesn’t live in the county, they were told they needed to find a new school.

“When we’re told at the end of June that your kids can’t go back —registration is closed — so it’s basically, ‘Tough luck, figure it out,’” Krista Butler said.

So they began looking back in the city, closer to home.

The parents were trying to get the kids back into their designated school, which the boys attended two years ago near their home in Castle Downs.

“Naively maybe, we assumed because Baturyn School is a two-minute walk and they’re in that district, they’ll just go back to Baturyn School. I guess that’s not how it works,” said Jerome O’Brien.

“In my experience, everywhere else I lived, if you live in the district that’s the school you attend and the children have to be accommodated.”

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Edmonton Public Schools says Baturyn is a level 2 school, meaning it’s near capacity. Therefore, it can only welcome students registered before the deadline or ones new to the area.

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“To plan for this fall, pre-enrolment and registration for the 2024–25 school year was open to families from Feb. 1 to March 22, 2024. Families were encouraged to choose their preferred school during this timeframe. If a family chooses to pre-enroll or register after the deadline, it may limit their options to schools that have available space,” the school board said in a statement.

The family said when they started calling around this summer to get into other nearby schools, they were told the same thing: they’re full.

The family says they aren’t sure what to do from here.

“Education’s a human right in Canada and no child left behind — well, I don’t see it,” said O’Brien.

“This is ludicrous. I don’t know who’s to blame or what the issues are, but there’s something wrong.”

So for now, the boys are at home.

Typically students don’t want to head back to the classroom after summer break — however, Butler said their boys are ready to go.

“They already have medical needs that are complex. So they need to be in school to get educated but the longer they’re out, the more they’re gonna fall behind,” Butler said.

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EPSB says it has nearly 7,000 more students than last year, so not everyone can get into their school of choice.

“Families who need help finding a school with space for their children can contact a school, Programs and Student Accommodation or Division Support Services,” said the board.

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