Why school zoning should go

The Herald reports:

What a difference a zone makes. In this case, try $500,000.

Experts say there has always been a difference in price for properties located within the double-grammar zone for Auckland Grammar and Epsom Girls Grammar, but the gap is widening as the city’s average house price continues to hit record highs each month.

One Mt Eden home just 750m outside of the area went for $516,000 less than a house just up the road, valued the same but situated 250m within the zone, which cuts off south of Balmoral Rd.

It is outrageous that school zoning means that poorer families can’t get to have a chance for their kids to attend Auckland Grammar.

I’d get rid of school zoning, and allow the popular schools to expand to whatever size they wish to be. They could do satellite campuses. You could have a reserve power for the Ministry to direct a school to take a student if they can’t get into any school say within 10 kms of where they live.