TAMPA, Fla. (WFTS) — The future of boundary changes and school zoning remains yet to be seen in Hillsborough County.
School Board members met Tuesday morning with the goal of voting on rezoning changes. But after 30 speakers during public comment, they voted unanimously to continue the conversation.
"Based on the community input and based on the financial platform that's realistic, right now I can't go with this because we just haven't represented the entire district," said School Board member Lynn Gray.
Superintendent Addison Davis's recommendation, referred to as Scenario Four, addressed crowding at some schools and lagging enrollment at others. The proposed switches would have impacted 107 schools and 15,144 students.
It also promised to shave $12.8 million in annual costs and $5.3 million in transportation costs.
Some speakers showed up in support of Scenario Four with varying reasons. One group spoke in support of Carrollwood Elementary becoming a K-8 school.
"We have been advocating for our need in a k8 in every possible way since last summer," said Raquel Pullaro. "We are hoping that the boundary scenario passes. We know change is really hard. We are in support of the changes needed in order to better the education community for our kids."
Other supporters of the proposed changes spoke in favor of keeping their neighborhoods intact.
"Please do not divide our neighborhood or move North Bonaire or Westshore Palms for a quick fix for a budget. I do not want to feel belittled or ashamed by anyone on this board because I live in district two," said Paula Perry.
But others advocated against the proposal, saying it'll break their neighborhoods apart.
"I told you about one of our many buses that travels from the Fletcher and USF area to TB K-8 out on the edge of the county. This bus gets picked up at 6:12 a.m. for our 7:40 start time. This bus picks up 17 and a half miles from our campus. The bus stop is less than two miles from Adams. It's also closer to Sulphur Springs, K-8 Pizzo, Greco, Buchanan, Liberty, and Benito," said Allie Wilbur.
Wilbur said she feels students deserve equitable opportunities.
"My concern is not my own children. My own children will be fine. My concern is the 200 kids that come from four different transformation elementary schools, and are bused miles and miles away to a school that does not have the same resources. The kids who will no longer have reading and math coaches. The kids whose parents never get to step foot on our campus, the kids who don't get to participate in sports or extracurricular activities, the kids who get on a bus 45 minutes before my own children even wake up in the morning, and who returned home an hour after I pick mine up."
Other speakers said this reminds them of years past.
"It appears that district five has a disproportionate number of schools that will be affected. They have over 19 plus schools that will be affected or impacted by this particular change. And so we stand in opposition. It appears that in the culture that we are now in that we're going back 50 years, fighting for justice and equality and against racism and discrimination in the community. We are fighting now to keep black history going into school. We are fighting now to make sure that our kids are not bussed all over the county. We are fighting again to make sure that our children receive fair treatment," said Thomas Scott.
Weighing those words and other concerns, like the 495 classroom vacancies and 409 support vacancies, school board members decided they can't move forward. March 9, the day initially set as the second and final vote, is now a dedicated workshop to finding solutions to the concerns presented before them Tuesday.
"Scenario four, my recommendation, will be the starting point. And then the board has the multiple scenarios to be able to make informed engaged decisions," said Superintendent Davis.
The workshop will determine when the board votes again. Superintendent Davis hopes to return for a vote in late March.
