SEATTLE -- The Seattle School Board got an earful Wednesday evening from parents angry about a new school assignment plan.

Under the plan approved in a 6-1 vote, students would be assigned to a school in their neighborhood and no longer bussed to a school in other areas.

The parents were upset that younger children entering school may not be able to attend the same school as an older sibling who was assigned under the old plan.

"Voting for a plan that hurts families will be sure to cause a citywide uproar when it is time to enroll children," one woman said at the meeting. "And you will be faced with a thousand families hollering 'we didn't know! You can't do this! You can't break up my kids!'"

District officials say the new rules are designed to save money by cutting down on the number of bus trips required to transport students attending schools outside of their own neighborhoods.

But for many parents, the savings don't have to come with such great sacrifice.

"We actually do really value that it's going to be saving some money so that money can go into the classroom," said parent Stephanie Jewett. "But what we're saying to do that is you don't need to break apart families to do that. You can accommodate both."

The new rule will take effect in the fall.

Officials said the board is considering tweaks to address parents' concerns about splitting up siblings at different schools.