TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hillsborough School Board Approves Boundary Changes

ADVERTISEMENT

By ADAM EMERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 10, 2009

More than 3,500 students will be shuffled among different high schools now that the Hillsborough County School Board has approved new attendance zones.
The anticipated opening of two new high schools in the northwestern and eastern regions of the county freed up hundreds of seats in long crowded schools, and school board members warned that the moves are just beginning.
Although new construction isn't planned for several more years, the district is preparing to survey a countywide school enrollment in need of adjustment. Administrators plan to spend the next few years relieving other crowded schools, and some board members praised the process that got them this far.
The district paid a company called SeerAnalytics $140,000 partly to draft a few dozen maps to facilitate the opening of Steinbrenner and Strawberry Crest high schools. The superintendent narrowed it down to the best options and made some last-minute tweaks after hearing from parents.
While community meetings drew hundreds of families who had concerns or complaints about the proposals, no parent attended the school board meeting today to protest the plans.
Some school board members credited the analyst's work, which was devised to soften the blowback from families who in years past tried to dismantle other proposals.
SeerAnalytics factored transportation costs, diversity and socioeconomic diversity into their models of what schools would look like under the changes.
"This is what I consider a dry run for the bigger picture," board member Susan Valdes said.
When Steinbrenner opens, it will draw about 1,700 students from Sickles and Gaither high schools. Strawberry Crest will open with 1,600 students from Plant City, Armwood and Durant high schools. Hundreds of others will shuffle among the high schools in those regions.

Reporter Adam Emerson can be reached at (813) 259-8285.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT