TAMPA, Fla. — For Kali Jones, finding a school that would best help her 7-year-old son has been tough.
“Karter has ADHD, PTSD…and he has OCD,” she said. "He has been to four different schools. And that is very hard, and not because we want him to go to four different schools; no other school can handle him."
It's one of many reasons why she moved from Sulphur Springs to an area near Kimbell Elementary. She decided against the neighborhood Sulphur Springs school, because on top of crime in that area, she says Karter needed more support than most local schools could give.
"He used to get in trouble because he didn't want to sit on certain things, so they would say he was being disrespectful or disruptive,” she said. “No, he has OCD."
Karter, who faced out-of-school discipline as early as kindergarten, has struggled in Hillsborough County Public Schools. He’s not the only one. This school year alone, the district reports more than 10,000 suspensions. Records suggest Sulphur Springs K-8 has some of the highest suspension rates in the district for schools with the same grade levels.
School Board Chair Karen Perez says the data is especially concerning for the district’s youngest learners.
"Come third grade, that is normally know whether they're going to be successful or not,” Perez said. “And if they're getting suspended between K through third, of course, they're not going to be on reading level, of course they're not going to be on any level-- whether math, science, reading..."
For Kali, some of the discipline for Karter has felt harsh. Not because she believes he deserves a pass, but because of his unique needs. The district's high suspension rate, particularly among Black and Hispanic students, is an issue leaders say the district must work harder to address.
RELATED: NAACP: Hillsborough student discipline workshop neglects conversation on suspensions
"We all know that if you keep missing school, you're never going to get caught up,” Hillsborough NAACP president Yvette Lewis said at a school board workshop on student conduct in January.
So, how do schools balance discipline in the classroom while fostering a safe environment where students can learn and grow?
"This is a tri-fold problem between the parent, the student and the teacher on, 'how do we resolve this?'” Lewis said. “And so, I think it's just a matter of all of us coming together and working to find out what is best for the child...and also for the teacher, because the teacher needs to be able to teach in a classroom where it's a healthy classroom."
Jones says she has been an active parent not only aware of her son's needs, but one who works constantly to get helping address them.
She says her decision to send Karter to Kimbell Elementary has helped improve his behavior and development.
"Kimbell was the first school that accepted him for who he was and wanted to keep him there,” she said.
Kimbell is one of several schools in the district slated to close in a few months after a controversial school board vote last year. The district cited enrollment as one of many factors contributing to these closures.
Kali and Karter both petitioned the school board to keep Kimbell open, but the decision remains in place. Kali has not yet chosen a new school, but says she only hopes she can find a home as helpful as Kimbell.
Emerald Morrow is an investigative reporter with 10 Tampa Bay. Like her on Facebook and follow her on X. You can also email her at emorrow@10tampabay.com.