TAMPA, Fla. — After a week of community meetings and an overwhelming amount of feedback from families and community members, Hillsborough County Schools is extending its online feedback period regarding the new school boundary scenarios.
The district had been receiving feedback from parents and community members since announcing its plans to redraw school boundary lines in an effort to better balance school populations.
People can type in their address using the district's interactive web tool and see how their children or property would be impacted by the different boundary scenarios. Click or tap here to see the interactive map.
Now, the option to leave feedback on the site will remain available until Sunday, Jan. 22.
"I feel like we need to get out to the community more. I think the community needs more time — and more time to give feedback," Hillsborough County School Board Chair Nadia Combs said.
Since Jan. 9, thousands of stakeholders have shown up at community meetings around the county to express their opinions and concerns about the proposed changes.
While no plan is final, the district outlined three new scenarios for school zones that could impact anywhere from 11,000 to 24,000 students. That's about 6 to 14 percent of the district's population. The school board is expected to make a determination by the end of February with the Superintendent making a recommendation at the Feb. 21 board meeting.
Prior to that, the school board will discuss the options and ask questions of the superintendent at a Jan. 31 workshop.
So far, many parents have expressed concern about their children being sent to schools farther from their homes, schools that historically rank lower academically and schools that take them away from the friends and relationships they've made over the years.
Others have brought up complaints about diversity and inequity in public education.