It is also covers the surrounding communities and the adjacent northern Gulf Islands.

On Tuesday, July 28, 1942 a shortage of teachers in British Columbia, amongst other factors, resulted in two orders-in-council which resulted in one of the largest amalgamations of school districts undertaken by the Ministry of Education.

The new school district was called the "Nanaimo-Ladysmith United Rural School District" and was created by uniting the 19 school districts of: Brechin, Cedar North, Cedar South, Cedar East, Chase River, Departure Bay, Extension, Diamond Crossing, Harewood, Lantzville, Mountain, Nanaimo Bay, Northfield, Oyster, North Oyster, Red Gap, Waterloo, Wellington and South Wellington.

Island ConnectEd 8–12 is one of the distributed learning schools made possible by Bill 33.

Students in distributed learning classes must still complete mandatory provincial examinations, in grades 10, 11, and 12.