Superintendent Jeff Harding has proposed an intradistrict transfer policy that would open 78 slots to students who want to transfer from Los Altos to Mountain View High School to alleviate Los Altos’ overcrowding issue, starting next year.

Harding’s proposal responds to the symptoms of the 300-student difference between Los Altos and MVHS’ populations, with Los Altos’ facilities already at maximum capacity struggling to accommodate new students. Students can currently only switch schools if they have a sibling that goes to the other school or emotional distress at the present school.

“What we’re trying to do is to be forward thinking,” Harding said. “The demographics study shows that every year we’re increasing our enrollment by another 50, 60, 70, 80 students. Well three years from now, we have a big problem here.”

The transfers would be open to current Los Altos students and incoming freshmen awarded through a random lottery if more than 78 people apply.

The change would mostly affect students who go to Blach Junior High School but must attend Los Altos — a minority since most Blach students attend MVHS —  because of district lines.

“I started to miss my old group more and wanted to go back to Mountain View,” a freshman from Blach who requested anonymity said. “Being in a different school, it’s harder to communicate with them or get together because of different schedules so it’s been difficult.”

The MVLA School Board voted on the policy on Monday, October 23.