TAMPA, Fla. — Hillsborough County’s school board met for a workshop Monday to talk about the redrawing of boundary lines.
That discussion included the newest proposal pitched late last week by Superintendent Addison Davis, but after several weeks, there’s still a lot of uncertainty and division among board members about what to do next.
On Friday, Davis said he’d come up with a new scenario, including option four, which is a hybrid between three other options presented by consultants.
“Logically, there always was going to be a four,” board member Stacy Hahn said. “When you take people's input and ideas, you’ve got to create a new scenario.”
School board members were instead broadly divided.
Some say the school district is in financial straits and needs to make tough decisions. Option four, which slows the process and keeps more current lines in place doesn’t go far enough, some said.
“Someone has to give,” board member Lynn Gray said. “Board members, we all have to have transition. It hurts and it’s hard. But it has to be done.”
“We have to do something,” another board member, Nadia Combs, said. “For me, four is not enough.”
On the other end of the debate, some board members suggested postponing the discussion for another year, questioning whether the upheaval created by the proposed boundary changes is even worth the estimated $12 million savings in a budget of over $3 billion.
“I don’t mind making hard decisions if it’s really going to save us a lot of money,” board member Jessica Vaughn said. “But I’m not gonna rush a plan willy-nilly that’s going to end up hurting our students under the guise of being fiscally conservative or responsible when I don’t really have any numbers to support that.”
There are also ongoing concerns about the disproportionate displacement of minority students and the traumatic effect this could have on communities, property values and students’ mental health.
“Black and brown students are the ones that are always being moved. Always. No matter what,” board member Henry Washington said. “We’re always being moved. That’s unacceptable.”
It was clear following Monday’s workshop that staff still has a lot of work to do if they are to reach a consensus on a boundary change plan.
The school board was scheduled to meet again Tuesday, February 21.
In the meantime, five community meetings are being organized so parents can offer their input. A final vote wax is expected on Thursday, March 9.