Florida / School Districts / Hillsborough
Superintendent Ayers announced a 90.9% graduation rate for 2024–25 (a 2.9 point increase) and the board recognized award-winning teachers and staff; the district highlighted subgroup gains and community partnerships.
Florida / School Districts / Hillsborough
Speakers warned the board about explicit sexual content in some books remaining available in district libraries and about unregulated generative AI materials being given to students; union and staff later urged careful study of AI tools.
Florida / School Districts / Hillsborough
The Hillsborough County School Board unanimously approved item C601, a budget and general amendment for November–December activity. CFO Jamie Lewis explained referendum timing that created temporary deficits, $9.5M in school recognition funds and major reallocations and grant receipts.
Florida / School Districts / Hillsborough
Multiple parents and community leaders told the Hillsborough County School Board that Black and Latino students are overrepresented in suspensions and alternative placements and urged monthly public data releases, a task force, and consistent academic work for students while excluded.
Florida / School Districts / Hillsborough
Parents from Waterset and Apollo Beach urged the board to place a Dobie K–8 expansion on the capital plan or start a feasibility study, citing enrollment growth, charter spillover and projected capacity issues.
Florida / School Districts / Hillsborough
The Hillsborough County School Board agreed in workshop to send a revised tobacco-free environment policy (55.12) to public hearing after asking staff to add statutory-compliant buffer language, refine definitions, clarify signage and align consequences with the student code of conduct; board also requested a written plan for classroom deployment of Halo vaping sensors now piloted in high schools.
Florida / School Districts / Hillsborough
A proposed consolidation moving objection procedures into policy 25.20 (from 91.30), intended to align with statute 1006.28, was deferred after board members said it could reduce classroom flexibility and create confusion; staff said current procedures already comply with statute and will refine placement/wording.
Florida / School Districts / Hillsborough
The school board agreed in workshop to send a revised transportation behavior policy to public hearing after asking staff to add training modules, camera evidence language and to cite the student code of conduct as the primary disciplinary standard; members flagged operational limits on bus drivers and ESE suspension consequences.
Florida / School Districts / Hillsborough
CFO Jamie Lewis proposed a fund-balance policy that would set a 7% unrestricted general-fund target and a 10% overall target; board members pressed for clearer language on how vacancy savings and one-time payments would be treated and asked staff for a breakdown of last year’s vacancy-related savings before public hearing.
Florida / School Districts / Hillsborough
Members asked staff to continue work on an extensive wellness policy rewrite that updates nutrition, physical-education and fundraising rules to align with state and federal requirements; the board declined to send the draft to public hearing and asked for more statutory references and implementation detail.