TAMPA, Fla. — The Hillsborough County School Board is looking at the future of a handful of local schools.
If the proposals were approved after a second hearing, three schools, Pizzo K-8, Graham Elementary, and Madison Middle, would close.
WATCH: Hillsborough County School Board considers proposals that could close three schools
“I have to make decisions that’s in the best interest of that student, that family, and overall, for the taxpayer as well,” said school board member Nadia Combs.
For Pizzo K-8, the proposal says nearby schools have sufficient capacity for students currently enrolled in K-5, while students 6-8 are choice students and will go back to their zoned middle schools.
“When we initially were there, we were paying $60,000 a year to be in that spot at USF. Well, that has increased to $555,000 with a three percent annual increase,” said Combs. "The enrollment has also decreased in that area, and we really don’t have much of a choice.”
Broward and Graham Elementary schools were identified as under 40 percent capacity. Staff recommended merging attendance boundaries and assigning all students in the area to Broward.
Madison Middle School was identified as a site operating under 60 percent capacity. The proposal states the school’s boundary will be reassigned to the Monroe Middle campus, while students residing east of Dale Mabry Highway and north of State Road 60 will be reassigned to Stewart Magnet Middle School.
School board member Patti Rendon shared with Tampa Bay 28 how difficult it is to make some of these decisions.
"The most important impact to that student is to me to provide them the best educational facilities and curriculum, and then a well-qualified teacher needs to be in front of them,” said Rendon. "In order for me to provide that scope of good curriculum, good environment, and a certified teacher in front of them, I’ve got to make some fiscal decisions from a building standpoint that may not be, it may be hard to do."
Combs said she has to look at the overall picture and think what is going to benefit each child best.
“I say this often, it’s not the building that matters. It’s the quality of education that child is getting in the classroom,” said Combs. "So the more difficult decisions that I can make, the better decisions I can make to have the best quality person, the best materials, the best administrators for that child at that school.”
Families will have another opportunity to learn more with second hearings on April 7. These proposals would be effective for the 2027-2028 school year.
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