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Schools

Board broadens school choice

Starting with the 2006-07 school year, all students entering grades K-11 can apply regardless of location.

By MELANIE AVE
Published June 23, 2005

TAMPA - After few parents took advantage of Hillsborough's struggling school choice plan, the School Board on Wednesday decided to expand it so more families can participate.

With little discussion, board members opened the year-old plan to all students entering kindergarten through 11th grade, regardless of where they live.

Until now, the opportunity to choose a school within a certain region was available only to incoming suburban kindergarteners, sixth-graders, ninth-graders and all students living in urban neighborhoods.

The expanded plan goes into effect in 2006-07, but can only be used at schools with available space. The application period will run from Oct. 3 to Dec. 12. A random computerized lottery will assign children to schools.

Donnie Evans, Hillsborough's chief academic officer, said some parents considered the old choice system unfair since it allowed children living in urban neighborhoods - most of whom are black - to choose a school every year. Suburban students were restricted to choosing only three times during their school careers.

Evans said the key to making the new plan work is getting parents to pick schools with available seats. This year, about one-third of the county's schools were closed to transfers due to crowding.

The goal of choice, which replaced three decades of court-ordered busing, is to get schools to integrate voluntarily. It hasn't worked so far.

Only about 2,000 students requested a school outside their neighborhood for the coming school year. Meanwhile, the school district is continuing to resegregate.

Black students made up more than half of the enrollment last year at 46 Hillsborough schools. At 23 schools, Hispanics made up a majority of the enrollment.

The choice plan will continue to divide the county into seven geographic regions. Most children are automatically assigned to neighborhood schools, but can apply to another school in their region if space is available.

Transportation will be provided to some schools in each region, but not all of them.

In a related matter, board members agreed to a cost-cutting measure that will close two of the Parent Resource Centers where parents could fill out choice applications and ask questions.

As of July 1, the offices at Bowers-Whitley Career Center on N 22nd Street and Robles Elementary School on E Sligh Avenue will close. Choice offices at Pierce Middle School, Kimbell Full Service Center and Plant City's Nifong Building will remain open.

Before choice debuted in 2004, the district opened eight resource centers. A federal grant that is helping pay for them will expire at the end of the 2007 school year.

In other business, the School Board approved 2 percent raises for its 4,000 blue-collar workers after months of futile negotiations with the Hillsborough School Employees Federation. The union represents bus drivers, custodians and cafeteria workers. It wanted an 8.6 percent raise.

Negotiations began in October and special magistrate Steve Shackelford heard from both sides in April after they reached a stalemate.

Board members voted unanimously Wednesday to accept Shackelford's recommendation for a 2 percent raise, retroactive to July 1, 2004. Board member Jennifer Faliero was absent.

About 25 workers who attended the meeting appeared deflated by the decision.

School district plumber Manuel Fernandez said he and others struggle to make ends meet on Hillsborough wages.

"I'm making less money now than I did four years ago," said the 21-year worker.

Pest control worker Mark Castano said the school district has money to raise the pay of blue-collar employees but refuses to do so despite the added responsibilities the workers face.

"The morale of the troops are low," he told board members after the vote. "They say we're appreciated, but we're not."

Board members also transferred several principals Wednesday. Mort Elementary assistant principal Holly Saia will be principal at Twin Lakes Elementary; Burnett Middle principal Walt Shaffner will be principal at Progress Village Middle School; Randall Middle assistant principal John Cobb will be principal at Farnell Middle; Chiles Elementary assistant principal Kim Pietsch will be principal at Lockhart Elementary; Franklin Middle principal Herbert Peeples will be principal at Burnett Middle; and Memorial Middle principal John Copeland will be principal at Franklin Middle.

Melanie Ave can be reached 813 226-3400 or melanie@sptimes.com

[Last modified June 23, 2005, 00:44:09]