HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Hillsborough County district leaders are set to approve new proposed attendance boundaries for several schools in the southern part of the county, all because of substantial growth in that area.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REZONING PLAN
District leaders say adjusting the boundaries for Corr, Cypress Creek, Doby, Reddick, Summerfield Crossings, Thompson and Wimauma will balance enrollments as new Elementary School “D” is set to open in August 2020.
Elementary D, as it is being called for planning purposes, will provide space for new growth in the area and offer relief to Doby, Cypress Creek and Reddick Elementary Schools. It’s located on Gate Dancer Road, west of U.S. Highway 301, in the Belmont subdivision.
Southeast Hillsborough County is growing at a rapid rate, and with that comes the need for more schools to support the families moving into the area, according to Hillsborough County Schools.
HILLSBOROUGH NEWS | The latest headlines from Hillsborough County
Proposed Areas of Change
Area 1: Summerfield Crossings to Corr
(77 assigned students)
This area includes the Bullfrog Creek and Copper Creek subdivisions on Bullfrog Creek Rd north of Old Big Bend Rd.
Area 2: Cypress Creek to Doby
(99 assigned students)
This area includes Harbour Isles subdivision and the newly developing Leisey subdivision and is bordered by US 41 to the west, I-75 to the east, and 19th Ave NE to the south.
Area 3: Doby to Elementary ‘D”
(344 assigned students)
This area includes the Belmont subdivision and Phase 2 of the newly developing South Creek subdivision.
Area 4: Summerfield Crossings to Elementary “D”
(214 assigned students)
This area includes the Shady Creek Preserve and Southfork Lakes (Carlton Lakes) subdivisions north of Balm Rd and east of US 301.
Area 5: Reddick to Elementary “D”
(436 assigned students)
This area includes the Ayersworth Glenn, Highland, and Mirabella subdivisions south of Balm Rd, east of US 301, and north of Bullfrog Creek.
Area 6: Wimauma to Summerfield Crossings
(0 students)
No development in this area
Area 7: Wimauma to Reddick
(0 students)
No development in this area
Area 8: Reddick to Summerfield Crossings
(0 students)
No development in this area
Area 9: Wimauma to Summerfield Crossings
(0 students)
No development in this area
One school board member fired off on Facebook, originally saying she, nor the superintendent, were originally briefed on these new boundary changes. However, a school district spokesman tells ABC Action News that December 10, 2019 is the second time this issue is going before the board and that no one from the public showed up to the board meeting the first time this went before them.
The district said in terms of public input, a very low number of parents who would be affected attended the public input meetings. But for those who did, about half of them were not in favor of the changes.
Parents living in the Avelar Creek Subdivision requested the district look into permitting their community to remain in the Collins Elementary School attendance boundary.
Staff originally proposed this change to help download Collins and provided easier access. However, there were very few students assigned to this area and fewer who were enrolled, therefore leaving this area in Collins Elementary School would not negatively impact the school.
All of the requests were evaluated such as the Summerfield Crossing area remaining at Summerfield Crossings, instead of being shifted to Corr.
The next meeting on the rezoning will take place Jan. 8 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Rogers Middle School cafeteria.
Board members say feedback on this should be emailed to boundaries@sdhc.k12.fl.us.
