Number Of Hillsborough County A And B Schools Rises To 99

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — The number of A- and B-graded public schools in Hillsborough County has climbed to 99 in the newest School Accountability Report data just released by the Florida Department of Education.

Three Hillsborough Schools increased by two letter grades in the 2019 report. Anderson Elementary School in South Tampa rose from a C to an A; Muller Elementary Magnet School in North Tampa climbed from a C to an A, and Summerfield Crossings Elementary School in South Hillsborough County moved from a D to a B.

Schools graded A and B now make up 46 percent of all district-operated schools in Hillsborough, a 3 percentage point increase from 2018.

Included among the district’s A schools are Plant High School in South Tampa, Steinbrenner High School in Lutz, Newsome High School in Lithia and Sickles High School in Citrus Park—which were ranked as the top four high schools in the Tampa Bay area last month by U.S. News & World Report.

This year’s results are the first to come after the district launched its Achievement Schools initiative, providing more support and resources to the 50 highest-needs schools.

The number of Achievement Schools with a D or F grade in Hillsborough County has decreased from 26 last year to 22 this year.

“We are honing in on the schools that are most in need,” Superintendent Jeff Eakins said. “I am proud of the work that has been done over the past year. I see strong progress and know that it’s all due to our school leaders, our teachers and our students. We will remain focused on those schools that have the greatest challenges.”

Out of the 50 Achievement Schools, 18 improved a letter grade and another 12 schools maintained a C grade or higher.