The Brink Foundation

Hillsborough schools: The welcome mat is out for displaced students from Puerto Rico

TAMPA — Students from Puerto Rico and other islands ravaged by recent hurricanes are welcome in Hillsborough County. It says so at the top of the district website, in Spanish.

And now it's a message that has been passed to the principals of the district's more than 240 schools, in writing last week and verbally at Tuesday's School Board meeting.

"They should be welcome in our schools and every effort should be made to enroll the students on the same day," superintendent Jeff Eakins said.

The Supreme Court Rules In Favor Of A Special Education Student

School districts must give students with disabilities the chance to make meaningful, "appropriately ambitious" progress, the Supreme Court said Wednesday in an 8-0 ruling.

Courtesy busing cuts clear the Hillsborough School Board, affecting 7,500 students

TAMPA — After an hour-long debate, the Hillsborough County School Board voted 6-1 Tuesday to end bus transportation for nearly 7,500 middle and high school students who live within 2 miles of their schools.

How Much Graduates Earn Drives More College Rankings

PayScale introduced its first college salary report in 2008, and the College Scorecard from the federal government followed last year, ushering an elephant into the hallowed halls of college admissions: What do the schools’ graduates actually earn?

Consultant advises Hillsborough school district to shed more than 1,700 jobs

TAMPA — The Hillsborough County School District can save $404 million over five years, a consultant says. But to do so, it will need to phase out 1,761 front-line jobs, more than half held by teachers.

Tampa Neighborhood Commits To Help Troubled School

Mort Elementary School is one of Tampa’s lowest-performing elementary schools situated in one the most troubled neighborhoods in Hillsborough County.

In 25 years though, officials are hoping it will be a model of success.

Hillsborough schools to shelve Gates-funded system that cost millions to develop

TAMPA — After six years of effort, high hopes and more than $180 million spent, the Hillsborough County school system is unraveling the teacher evaluation system it developed with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Top Education Officials Talk Test Proliferation, Quality

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Deputy Education Secretary John B. King Jr. joined others at a panel discussion at the National Press Club on Monday to discuss the state of testing in the nation's schools and efforts to correct what's seen as "overtesting."

Hillsborough School Board hires auditor and buys 200 new buses

TAMPA — Seeking to cure the Hillsborough County school district's budget problems and — in some cases — insulate superintendent Jeff Eakins from blame, the School Board voted Tuesday to hire an outside auditor.

A public defender pushes to keep kids out of jail

The children are brought into court in detention uniforms, blue shirts and khakis, distinguishing them from grown-up inmates in baggy bright orange filling other courtrooms not far away.

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