Board approves agreement with EPI for cultural‑exchange teachers amid bilingual recruitment concerns

The Hillsborough County School Board voted unanimously Feb. 10 to approve an agreement with Education Personnel International (EPI) to continue providing cultural‑exchange teachers on J‑1 visas.

Superintendent Van Ayers said the district currently has about 160 cultural exchange teachers in the system and that human resources ran a competitive process that ranked EPI highest for this service. Board members acknowledged the role the teachers play in serving English‑language learners and thanked staff for vetting the vendor.

Member Combs said she would support the item but voiced broader concerns about teacher pay and long‑term retention that lead districts to recruit internationally. “If the state would pay a livable wage to our teachers, we wouldn't have to go to The Philippines, to Jamaica,” Combs said, calling recruitment overseas a consequence of compensation shortfalls.

Members also pressed staff on benefits and insurance and whether the program would be “phased out.” District staff said the current plan is to serve the existing cohort (up to 160 teachers) and reassess annually; staff noted some teachers reach a maximum authorized stay (up to five years) and that replacement may occur if teachers do not extend.

Member Gray highlighted the district’s ELL population and urged deliberate bilingual recruitment and use of local bilingual employees to fill instructional roles. Staff said EPI places teachers from Latin American countries and that the district offers incentives such as a Title II bilingual hire bonus.

The motion to approve Item C402 was made by Member Combs and seconded by Member Vaughn and passed unanimously.

Next steps: staff will provide requested details on program terms and district recruitment plans and said an open‑house hiring event is scheduled to support local recruitment.