Hillsborough County Schools

[JBrisco]

Originally Posted by wslupecki

Yes it is. It was fortunate for me and my brother that we've been FL residents since 1991. And they didn't give us any crap about the whole claimant thing. But yes, when HCC wants proof of residency, THEY WANT PROOF.

I've been a FL resident since 1988. Wtf?

[HARTride 2012]

Exactly, I don't understand why they let me and my brother slide in and yet they're giving you this junk. Makes no sense whatsoever!

[HARTride 2012]

Back to HCPS...

Housing slowdown could affect school expansion
Friday, October 12, 2007

PLANT CITY (Bay News 9) -- A severe slowdown in the building of new homes in Plant City could affect future school construction projects.

Last year, Plant City issued a record number of home building permits. During September of this year, the city issued only one.

Meanwhile, the school district revealed plans for more than $300 million in new construction projects during the next five years. But a prolonged housing slump could affect some projects.

"We monitor growth. We monitor housing starts,'' said Linda Cobbe with Hillsborough County schools. "And if it does stay flat, we may scale back."

However, with overcrowding already a problem at some Plant City schools, plans for a new high, middle and elementary schools appear certain to move forward.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2...hool+expansion

[TampaMike]

Originally Posted by I-275westcoastfl

OK well that sucks but you were zoned to that school, zoning itself isnt exactly flawless either. But if you live in HC then you wouldnt go to East Lake since its in pinellas county. Also i dont know how you can use East Lake as an average standard of schools in pinellas. East Lake is one of if not the nicest school in pinellas county and is mostly upper middle class and rich people and not to mention the area surrounding it is also wealthy. You need to go look at other schools in the county like largo or clearwater high. Those schools have mold, rats, and just outdated.

But in pinellas county we have a "choice program" which supposedly you can choose a school that meets your educational needs. Well instead most of the time middle class students get screwed over going to a school that they didnt want to go to and thats far away. But damn 45 mins to go 7 miles you must have hit some heavy traffic. Back when i had to go to largo from north clearwater(10 miles) it took me 25-30 mins on average to get there. I guess they both suck but from what i heard from people who do live in hillsborough county is they are close to their schools usually. Maybe you just didnt luck out?

Little late on this, but I'm in the same boat. Although it would probably take me 10 minutes to get to Mitchell High here in Pasco, I'm forced to go to River Ridge High that takes me about 45 minutes. It wouldn't be bad if Pasco was smart enough to make the main road that people use a 4-Lane than a 2-Lane, but they're not smart. Traffic always backed up a mile or so every morning. And if you're not past this one stop light by 7:10, consider yourself late for class.

[TampaMike]

Originally Posted by wslupecki

Back to HCPS...

Housing slowdown could affect school expansion
Friday, October 12, 2007

PLANT CITY (Bay News 9) -- A severe slowdown in the building of new homes in Plant City could affect future school construction projects.

Last year, Plant City issued a record number of home building permits. During September of this year, the city issued only one.

Meanwhile, the school district revealed plans for more than $300 million in new construction projects during the next five years. But a prolonged housing slump could affect some projects.

"We monitor growth. We monitor housing starts,'' said Linda Cobbe with Hillsborough County schools. "And if it does stay flat, we may scale back."

However, with overcrowding already a problem at some Plant City schools, plans for a new high, middle and elementary schools appear certain to move forward.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2...hool+expansion

Oh great how smart! Instead of building new schools off the bat and just letting them fill in, we should wait until all the schools are bursting out their asses with students. Do politicians actually use their brains sometimes?

[HARTride 2012]

The problem is, the housing market is crap. Not very many people (with kids) are moving to Hillsborough b/c property taxes are too high. And the school board would rather not keep building new schools and waste all that money doing so if this is going to be the trend over the next couple years. If things in the housing market get better, the property tax hoohah is resolved, and people start moving to Hillsborough in increased #s again, then we may see HCPS start building more new schools again.

[TampaMike]

Originally Posted by wslupecki

The problem is, the housing market is crap. Not very many people (with kids) are moving to Hillsborough b/c property taxes are too high. And the school board would rather not keep building new schools and waste all that money doing so if this is going to be the trend over the next couple years. If things in the housing market get better, the property tax hoohah is resolved, and people start moving to Hillsborough in increased #s again, then we may see HCPS start building more new schools again.

But my point is, that we have seen this in the past. The HCPS, aswell as other counties, waiting until the market is bursting, wait for 2-3 years when schools have 30 portable classrooms, and then think maybe they need to build a school or two. If they just built a school right now, they would be ready for new students. I don't know, I just think it's a stupid idea to just wait when the market is hotter again.

[HARTride 2012]

That is true...but I guess those incompetent fools can't conjure up anything. I just hope Hillsborough doesn't try to abolish school choice like Pinellas is doing right now.

[JBrisco]

Sickles has 28 Portables, and they still haven't started construction on Lutz HS or pushed for it or anything. The whole thing is just the county trying to make a buck at everyone elses expense. Its not fair and that type of corruption needs to be removed asap. Its too bad no one pays attention to these types of things, or knows who the school board people are. THEY SHOULD NOT BE IN POWER. They have demonstrated to us they don't give a flying F__K about kids.

[HARTride 2012]

I was reading the online version of the school newspaper for Robinson High School and boy is there lots of outrage about what Elia has brought upon the school district this year.

Here's the link if you want to see the newspaper yourself: http://robinsonhs.mysdhc.org/rhs33616oct.pdf

The paper first headlines the concern surrounding the school nurse shortage and how students can't get over the counter medicines from the clinic anymore due to policy changes.

Second, Robinson H.S. can't even ring bells in between classes anymore due to the descrepancy between magnet classes (which follow a blocked type schedule) and the traditional classes (which now follow the traditional schedule). In addition, Magnet students have a lunch period devoted to them, while traditional students are forced into one of two crowded lunch periods.

Yes, this is outrageous. Especially for schools like Robinson that used to enjoy the block schedule. Thank goodness my brother and I graduated from Robinson prior to all these stupid changes.

[HARTride 2012]

Let's be proud of parking problem

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published November 2, 2007
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We are surrounded by narrow streets in Palma Ceia, and it has always been that way. But come on, it's hard to get through the neighborhood, whether there's something going on at Plant or not.

Twenty to 30 years ago the neighbors complained about the band at Plant being too loud. Now we're back on the parking issue.Maybe if they knew more about what really goes on there, parking would be more understood.

I have lived here all my life; I know the neighborhood, and my son goes to Plant. I have a new profound respect for any sport now. Watching these kids, teachers and coaches work so hard, they all are incredible people, who get up around and before 6 a.m. every day.

School starts at 7:25 a.m. and lets out at 2:45 p.m. Some practices start about 15 to 30 minutes after school lets out. They practice for several hours, sometimes into the dark, then they head home anywhere from 5 to 8 p.m., depending on the sport.

Homework and dinner get done in between the daily shifting of schedules. They do this every day. The coaches, well, they're teachers, too, and they have the same schedule.

Don't forget, students have to keep their grades up. They put all this effort in looking so forward to the next game, match, etc. Finally, it's game night.

If the game is away, neighbors won't see or hear them playing, just working - there's a lot of equipment and supplies that need to go. Buses and bus drivers to take the teams, bands, volunteers and equipment.

Games let out around 10 to 10:30 p.m., and no matter whether you win or lose, everything you took with you needs to go back. They pull into Plant around 11 to 11:30 p.m., depending on the driving distance. The students, coaches, bus drivers, volunteers and parents are not going home before midnight, and all of them don't mind.

Please, go watch this process, go watch the practices, go watch the games and observe what takes place, and just imagine the ethics these kids and others have. These are our neighbors. These are the people next door who are instilling these great values into these kids, guiding them in the right direction and keeping them focused.

Parking? Well, I am glad we have a parking problem. When I go to different games, most of the time the schools we go to have NO PARKING PROBLEM.

Which is really sad, because that means no support. So not having a parking problem is a sign of something much worse than someone parking in front of your house, in a space that would not be used at all, for three or four hours.

Please, I ask the surrounding property owners of Palma Ceia, don't view this as a nuisance to our neighborhood.

Be proud of what a great school we have here.

Be proud that these kids have so much support, because they work hard, they look forward, they look for different ways to run a play, so let's work on a different play for the parking problem. It's not every week this takes place.

What makes this neighborhood what it is, is family, support and empathy.

Palma Ceia has really grown. Everyone wants in, and why? Because this is a great place to be. We created that atmosphere. Great things are taking place at Plant High School, and we as a community need to support that, understanding that it is so much more than a parking problem.

The school does send out fliers regularly about where to park. The school is understanding and is not overlooking any issue. But the school has always been there, and it has grown as well. If we don't all grow together, then what will happen to the neighborhood?

Christine Posada, Palma Ceia.

[Last modified November 1, 2007, 07:21:26]

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/02/Ci...d_of_par.shtml

[HARTride 2012]

District buys new school site

UNIVERSITY AREA It could ease overcrowding at three schools.

By Amber Mobley Times Staff Writer
Published November 2, 2007

The Hillsborough County School District has finalized the purchase of a property in the University Area for a new school site to ease crowding at three nearby schools.

The district finalized the purchase of Temple Heights Christian School, 8406 N 46th St. on Tuesday.

"It's going to be a stretch, but we hope to open in August 2008," said Cathy Valdes, the district's chief facilities officer.

The campus would hold up to 600 students and ease crowding in at least two nearby elementary schools - Shaw and Witter.

Two appraisals have valued the property at $7-million or more, but the district has negotiated a purchase price of $4-million, which the School Board approved on Aug. 21.

The campus, which includes a gym, kitchen and auditorium, will need extensive work to be brought up to state codes. Administrators are in the process of determining what work needs to be done and which children from surrounding schools will attend there.

Students at as many as four elementary schools could be affected, said Steve Ayers, director of pupil administrative services for the district.

Shaw and Pizzo, at 120 and 121 percent capacity respectively, are sure to have students moved. At 106 percent capacity, Witter may see crowding relief, too.

Officials, said Ayers, are thinking about "dominoing boundaries," which, for example, would mean shifting a group of students from school A to school B and then moving students from school B into school C.

That domino effect also may affect nearby Cahoon Magnet School, which is at 66 percent capacity.

Ayers said all plans are preliminary.

The district's reassignment of nearly 300 students from Shaw to a school site at the Museum of Science and Industry this school year originally took Shaw from 152 percent capacity to 115 percent. A new school year has pushed capacity to 120 percent, according to the most recent data.

The MOSI Partnership School, another quick turnaround for the district, took only a few weeks to complete.

The School Board is scheduled to rename the MOSI Partnership School, as well as a new middle school slated to open in North Tampa in 2008, at a meeting Tuesday at 3 p.m. at 901 E Kennedy Blvd.

Amber Mobley can be reached at amobley@sptimes.com or 813 269-5311.

Note: An earlier version of this story had an incorrect time for the School Board meeting.

[Last modified November 2, 2007, 11:16:54]

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/02/No..._new_sch.shtml

[HARTride 2012]

Unfortunately for Plant, the campus is gridlocked in surrounding development with little to no room to expand. So it is no surprise that parking is a problem there. The admins gotten stricter on students who don't live in the Plant district over the years and Plant is not an option for school choice. If S. Tampa population continues to grow over the next several years, I believe the burden will be shifted to Robinson, if it has not already. Robinson is still the smallest high school in all of Hillsborough County and has plenty of room to build additional classrooms as they become needed.

[HARTride 2012]

School name sparks battle

Personal and political considerations complicate the renaming of the MOSI school.

By LETITIA STEIN, Times Staff Writer
Published November 13, 2007

Students at the new school at the Museum of Science and Industry chose the name they wanted it to be called: MOSI Partnership. That name will likely change.

TAMPA - In uneven, oversized letters, the children wrote the name they want for the new school at the Museum of Science and Industry.

MOSI Partnership, with a bubble over the "i."

They've been using that name since the school opened in August. Principal Cheryl Dafeldecker pleaded the case at the last School Board meeting, before the vote on the official school name.

"Keep us our MOSI Magic," she said, invoking their mascot.

If only it were so easy. The kids were up against organized petition drives for local African-American leaders and a pitch for recently deceased John J. Iorio, a longtime University of South Florida professor and the father of Tampa's mayor.

After deadlocking, the board put off a decision between the MOSI Partnership and Iorio names until all members were present.

In this case, Hillsborough finds itself in the unusual position of naming a school that's already up and running. But drama over school names is nothing new.

Lobbying can be intense over the opportunity to name a school for a favorite civic leader. Geography is always fair game - think Westchase Elementary. Some think there's a sweet spot for prominent educators.

There's no magic formula.

Just ask Hector Vila, one of seven brothers whose collective military service spans World War II to Operation Desert Storm. He sought to place the name "Vila Brothers" on a middle school opening in Citrus Park.

Sen. Bill Nelson wrote a letter of support, along with a who's who of local politicians, from Public Defender Julianne Holt to County Commissioners Rose Ferlita and Brian Blair.

Alas for the Vilas, it wasn't enough. After two votes at the board meeting last week, applause rang out for Sgt. Paul R. Smith Middle School, recognizing a former Hillsborough student posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in Iraq.

While Vila was pleased to see a soldier honored, he wonders what it will take to see a Vila Brothers school. In a previous attempt, he collected signatures for a petition drive, at the suggestion of a school official. Two thousand names later, it didn't do the trick.

"I learned in the Marine Corps, if you go take this route and you're not successful, you try another one," the 76-year-old veteran said, proudly touting his USMC Korea service on a polo shirt.

He pondered his next move at the kitchen table. "You just keep trying until your mission is complete."

For Fran Costantino, that may involve compromise.

She is leading the Iorio push on behalf of the East Ybor Historic and Civic Association. After the board's tie vote, she proposed as a compromise the Dr. John J. Iorio Elementary School at MOSI.

"I think it's just a waste when we name schools after geographic references and subdivisions," Costantino said.

Others, though, have lobbied for geographic names as a way to foster a sense of community.

Costantino shied away from a petition drive, given Iorio's high-profile daughter. If she had made the decision political, she thinks the effort could have seen a better chance of succeeding on the first try.

"The system is fundamentally flawed, and it needs to be revisited," she said, suggesting a points system to vet candidates. "It should be on merit."

Carol Kurdell, Hillsborough's longest-serving board member, has named well in excess of 60 schools. She finds few decisions more emotional.

"It's never easy," Kurdell said. "People need to understand that we take it very seriously."

Petitions and letter-writing campaigns don't sway her, although she appreciates the input. She says a conversation sometimes makes the difference.

Nothing is set in stone. She initially voted for the MOSI Partnership name, but might reconsider on the tiebreaker.

The museum's president hopes she'll wait until the next school.

"There will always be a new elementary school in town, and there will always be opportunities to name them after famous people," MOSI president Wit Ostrenko said. "But there will only be one school at MOSI."

Letitia Stein can be reached at lstein@sptimes.com or 813 226-3400. For more education news, visit the Gradebook at blogs.tampabay.com/schools.

[Last modified November 12, 2007, 23:55:12]

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/13/Hi...parks_ba.shtml

[HARTride 2012]

Hillsborough Graduate Rate Rises; Or Did It?

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 1, 2007

Hillsborough County schools' graduation rate increased nearly 2 percentage points in 2006-07 over the previous school year with a slight improvement in the dropout rate, the state reported Friday.

The numbers - showing improvement both statewide and in Hillsborough - were mixed for two other districts in the Tampa Bay area. Pasco and Pinellas counties' graduation rates were down, and the Pinellas dropout rate also increased slightly compared with the previous year.

Just how good is that news?

Both state officials and a Hillsborough news release lauded the improvements, but the vexing problem of nailing down graduation and dropout rates continues.

States figure their own graduation and dropout rates differently and national studies vary, depending on which government agency or outside group is compiling the figures.

According to the state, Florida's high school graduation rates improved this year while the number of dropouts decreased. That's by the state's count - one that doesn't line up with national figures.

State education officials and Gov. Charlie Crist announced Friday that Florida's rate bumped up by 1.4 percentage points in 2006-07 to 72.4 percent of students graduating within four years.

The report also claimed a dropout rate of 3.3 percent, which is vastly different than national figures showing that nearly half of Florida's high schools fail to graduate more than 60 percent of their students.

"Nothing I've heard before was anything like 3 percent or 4 percent," said Mark Pudlow, spokesman for the Florida Education Association, the statewide teachers union. "I don't know how they measure that."

In June, Education Week magazine reported that Florida's graduation rate was 60.5 percent in 2003-04, which ranked 45th among the 50 states and District of Columbia.

The state Department of Education is unique among the states in basing the graduation rate on data that follows every student from ninth grade to graduation. Florida also counts General Education Development and other special diplomas not included in the national statistics.

A recent analysis conducted by Johns Hopkins University for The Associated Press revealed that more than half of Florida's high schools sampled had a dropout rate of 40 percent. That assessment would have no more than 60 percent of students who start as freshmen make it to their senior year.

"Apparently the only group that thinks we are making excellent gains is our own Department of Education," said Rep. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, the House minority leader. "We are not going to solve this true crisis by trying to simply redefine it."

In defense of their system, state officials cited a 2005 report by the National Governors Association that called Florida a national leader and model for calculating graduation rates.

"This year's graduation rate is a clear indication that Florida is on the right track in its education efforts," said Education Commissioner Jeanine Blomberg, who retired Friday.

FEA's Pudlow said neither the state nor national figures are anything to brag about.

"Whether you calculate them one way or another, it really doesn't make any difference," he said. "There just too many kids who aren't completing high school."

Hillsborough's highest graduation rate was in 2004-05 at 79.5, dropping in 2005-06 to 77.3. Its dropout rate was lower in 2003-04 than in the next two years.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. Tribune reporter Marilyn Brown also contributed.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/dec...it/?news-metro

[HARTride 2012]

Schools, County Face Fund Problem

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By ANTHONY McCARTNEY and MARILYN BROWN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 6, 2007

TAMPA - A day after state leaders tried to repair a state investment fund decimated by uncertainty and massive withdrawals, its shareholders were still sorting out the results.

Hillsborough County and Hillsborough schools combined hold more than $1.4 billion in the pool, administered by the State Board of Administration. Although they are two of the largest shareholders remaining in the $14 billion pool, Hillsborough officials are not alone in their angst and anger.

School superintendents, board members and other district officials from across the state gathered in Tampa at a semiannual meeting on Wednesday, and the fund's rapid decline in credibility and assets was a key topic.

The fund's woes are "as huge an issue affecting every single one of you as I've seen in 32 years," Florida School Boards Association executive director Wayne Blanton told those at the conference.

For 25 years, the SBA fund has been a place where local governments sent large pools of their money and got even more in return. Recently, concerns about mortgage-backed securities led many governments to withdraw their shares from the fund. The governments removed $10 billion within two weeks, prompting state officials to halt withdrawals Nov. 29.

Transactions will be allowed again today, although state leaders on Tuesday placed a cap on how much governments can remove.

While 86 percent of the $14 billion in investments is considered safe, neither state nor local leaders yet can say how much, if anything, they will lose from the remaining, tainted 14 percent of investments.

Hillsborough's school district, with $573 million invested - the largest amount of any school district in the pool - is concerned it could lose money after so much was pulled out, said Connie Milito, the district's lobbyist. The district is investing its new influx of property tax money elsewhere and can meet payrolls until late February, she said.

Commission, Others Not Reassured

Hillsborough County commissioners, who have nearly $872 million still locked up in the pool, voted 6-0 on Wednesday to re-examine their investment policy, which allows up to 100 percent of its investments to be placed in funds like the troubled state investment pool.

The county has nearly half of its $1.8 billion in overall investments in the SBA-run fund, Chief Deputy Clerk Dan Klein told commissioners.

Until recently, the fund was lucrative for local governments, which prompted Hillsborough to remain in the pool. While treasury investments would have returned about 3.8 percent, the state investments returned 5.2 percent, clerk officials said.

Clerk of Court Pat Frank reassured commissioners about the fund's stability. "Nobody's ever lost money in it," she said. But about $114 million of Hillsborough's share is now in a separate part of the state investment pool that is considered questionable.

Lingering questions about how state officials handled the account, and how it will recover, left many officials doubting whether they would invest more taxpayer money.

"I haven't talked to one superintendent who's going to put money back in the pool," Blanton said.

One key reason: The state still hasn't guaranteed school districts won't lose money because of recent budget problems. Another is that districts would be charged a fee if they withdrew more of their money than the cap imposed on Tuesday allowed.

Frank and Blanton said they also were concerned that state officials weren't forthcoming about investments or that there was a problem, even though governments were making a "run on the bank," withdrawing billions.

"The state board staff were telling us and your financial officers, 'everything's fine,'" Blanton said. "They told them, 'There's no run.'"

Hillsborough County officials said had they participated in the massive withdrawals the state fund could have collapsed entirely.

Sink To Address School Officials

Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, who along with Gov. Charlie Crist and Attorney General Bill McCollum oversee the SBA, plans to address school officials in Tampa on Friday.

She has established an advisory committee of officials from across the state, including Frank and Blanton, to discuss problems and fixes.

Until then, many local governments are debating what to do with millions of dollars in property tax collections. Both Hillsborough County and Hillsborough schools are keeping the money in local bank accounts.

Other approaches, however, were suggested Wednesday.

"We'll put it under a mattress," County Administrator Pat Bean joked.

Reporter Marilyn Brown can be reached at (813) 259-8069 or mbrown@tampatrib.com. Reporter Anthony McCartney can be reached at (813) 259-7616 or amccartney@tampatrib.com.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/dec...em/?news-metro

[HARTride 2012]

Hillsborough schools draw line between rewards, ads

A panel makes sure that rewards for students come with no strings.

By LETITIA STEIN, Times Staff Writer
Published December 25, 2007

TAMPA - Rummi looks enough in the brochure submitted to Hillsborough schools to pitch a reward program for students.

The booklet features facts from his Internet-based TV show, where the fuzzy blue and yellow parrot promotes the environment and animals. Sample coupons include a free McDonald's Happy Meal. The fine print notes, "Dine-in only."

Alas for Rummi, that's the kiss of -at least where gaining access to Hillsborough classrooms is concerned. Other concerns about the proposal sealed his fate.

"We're advertising a show on the Internet for them," says Tammy Cummings, president of the Hillsborough County Council PTA/PTSA, who serves on a little-known panel charged with vetting such promotions.

A long list of no-no's stands between Hillsborough's 193,000 public school students and the businesses, individuals and organizations drooling over an attractive captive market. The enforcers sit on a panel called the District Review Committee.

Each month, it screens a varied mix of 15 to 30 proposals. Along with Rummi, this month's array included track club coaching, a coffee sale fundraiser and a introductory gym offer through a local Kiwanis club.

A set of guidelines steers decisions. When the prize is access to the students who make up the nation's eighth-largest school district, good intentions simply aren't enough.

"It's a consistent way to be able to approve initiatives," said Velia Pedrero, the school administrator who oversees the review committee. "I perceive it as providing a service to schools and the community."

The first rule may seem obvious, but many proposals fail to meet it: There can't be a cost to participate.

That includes a cost to parents. A coupon to an attraction where the child gets in free for the price of an admission isn't really a freebie. Ditto for restaurants offering free food only when a family dines inside. In these cases, the district requires a takeout option.

"It's an indirect cost, but it is a cost," Pedrero explains. "If the intent is to acknowledge the child's efforts, I would think that the establishment doesn't want to deny that child."

School officials also look to see whether the program serves educational priorities. It can't consume the time of school administrators, or distract students from learning.

When fundraisers are involved, the district expects a significant portion of the money raised to be returned to the school.

Consider the discussion at the committee's monthly meeting in December.

A restaurant in the North Tampa area wanted to distribute information about a Tuesday night special, where kids get a free entree with every paid meal.

"What's the school getting?" asked panel member Pansy Houghton, who supervises the district's school choice program. "They can do this in the newspaper."

"It's complete advertising," Pedrero concurred.

The proposal was denied after less than two minutes of discussion.

The only pitch approved at this meeting came from Crispers restaurants. It included a fundraiser offering schools $3 back on sales of a $10 gift card.

Several other concepts are pending, as more information was requested. A safety door stop and other proposals not directly related to student participation were referred to other departments within the district.

The committee doesn't see every Chick-fil-A coupon that reaches a campus. At individual schools, principals and parents are free to reach out to local businesses directly and bring in their own proposals.

Pitches that aren't approved for mass distribution still can find a home. Each school has a community resource handbook, where groups can place information about services ranging from child care to dance lessons.

But first, they have to go to the review committee.

"Denial of a proposal doesn't in any way reflect on the group or proposal," Pedrero said. "They're well intended. We want to be supportive."

Letitia Stein can be reached at lstein@sptimes.com or 813 226-3400. For more education news, visit the Gradebook at blogs.tampabay.com/schools.

[Last modified December 24, 2007, 21:57:10]

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/12/25/Hi...schools_.shtml

[HARTride 2012]

District slows bus reforms

Restructured school transportation will debut in August and will then be phased in.

By LETITIA STEIN, Times Staff Writer
Published January 15, 2008

TAMPA - After problems with a pilot project in south Hillsborough this fall, school officials are scaling back plans for overhauling the way they transport about 91,000 students daily.

The schedule originally called for rolling out reforms countywide in August. But John Franklin, the district's general transportation manager, now concedes the timeline was too ambitious.

"You just can't compact that much work into nine months," he said. "That's the short, down and dirty answer."

Instead of rushing into a sweeping overhaul next school year, Franklin expects to phase in changes over the next few years.

The plan, still tentative, would see restructured bus runs debut in August in neighborhoods that span much of South Tampa, northwest Hillsborough, parts of the central city and the northern suburbs.

The rest of the county should experience similar changes in 2009-10.

"You want to take your time and make sure the job is done correctly," Franklin said.

Some new practices will be enacted more quickly, he said. These include how the district transports children whose parents are divorced and have split custody, who is eligible for after-school rides to parks, and when to allow a child to ride a different bus home.

Franklin is preparing an update to share with the School Board in coming weeks. He called the time line a working proposal and noted that his department seeks to move as quickly as possible.

Officials want to heed lessons learned from the first transportation changes piloted in south Hillsborough. The school year began with parents complaining about problems including bus stops moved to busy streets and the dangers that children in rural Wimauma faced on longer walks.

And buses persistently were getting children to schools late. Franklin said transportation planners eventually reshuffled runs to get students to class on time.

He noted that the transportation division, which also is undergoing an internal restructuring, now has better staffing than during the planning for the south county pilot.

"I think we learned our lessons pretty well," said Franklin, who assumed leadership of the department during the summer. "We also think we're getting better at this."

The transportation reforms began with an independent audit, submitted to the School Board in March 2006, that highlighted problems in the long-ailing division. The district subsequently hired outside consultants to lay the groundwork and set the timetable for changes.

A proposal to purchase GPS technology for school buses to aid the reforms is off the table for now. Franklin said it remains a priority, but the cost is prohibitive at this time.

Since wrapping up work on the south county pilot in mid fall, transportation planners have begun working on changes in other areas. Next school year, the district plans to retool bus runs in three of seven geographic areas that district officials have created to oversee school operations in a county as large as Hillsborough.

Those expected to see changes next school year include Area 1, which encompasses much of South Tampa and parts of the central city. Also affected are Area 2 schools in northwest Hillsborough and those in Area 4, spanning north Tampa and its suburbs.

The south county pilot focused on Area 5. The rest would be addressed the following school year. To view the list of schools within each area, visit the district's Web site at www.sdhc.k12.fl.us/AreaDirectors.

Letitia Stein can be reached at lstein@sptimes.com or 813 226-3400. For more education news, visit the Gradebook at blogs.tampabay.com/schools.

[Last modified January 15, 2008, 00:27:51]

http://www.sptimes.com/2008/01/15/Hi...s_bus_re.shtml

[JBrisco]

Originally Posted by wslupecki

Unfortunately for Plant, the campus is gridlocked in surrounding development with little to no room to expand. So it is no surprise that parking is a problem there. The admins gotten stricter on students who don't live in the Plant district over the years and Plant is not an option for school choice. If S. Tampa population continues to grow over the next several years, I believe the burden will be shifted to Robinson, if it has not already. Robinson is still the smallest high school in all of Hillsborough County and has plenty of room to build additional classrooms as they become needed.

There is space to build a parking garage and expand. from Dale Mabry to the first building is quite some distance.

[HARTride 2012]

True, they could build a parking garage. If it is architecturally sufficient. It's tough for the school district to expand older schools because they have to match the new buildings to the surrounding existing buildings. Restoring Hillsborough High School I assume was the largest of such challenges for HCPS.