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In January, District, Parents To Discuss School Boundaries

Tribune file photo

Five new schools are scheduled to open in northern and eastern Hillsborough County in August.

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 24, 2008

Updated: 12/24/2008 12:21 pm

TAMPA - Thousands of students in eastern and northern Hillsborough County may be attending different schools next year because of the opening in August of two elementary schools, two high schools and one middle school.

Starting in January, school district officials will be meeting with parents to discuss what's coming as the Hillsborough County School District prepares to set new attendance boundaries.

Among factors in deciding which students will attend what schools is the need to even out enrollments. For a look at figures school officials will use to do the math, click the "Compare School Enrollments" link to access a TBO.com database.

The database gives the level of crowding at each traditional public school – not including charter schools, alternative schools, career centers or exceptional centers – along with projections of enrollment and capacity.

Other factors that affect school capacity are the types of programs offered, space requirements and the number of special-needs students.

Attendance zones will keep changing after the new schools open, even though no schools are scheduled to be built until 2013.

District officials plan to continue examining enrollment and capacity to see whether students should be transferred to schools with open seats.

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503 or cpastor@tampatrib.com.

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