Superintendent's Contract Extended By Hillsborough School Board

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — The Hillsborough County School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to extend Superintendent Addison Davis’ contract until June 2027.

Board members cited key educational and financial successes along with an overwhelming need for stability as reasons for the extension and vote of confidence.

Superintendent Davis began leading Hillsborough County Public Schools in March 2020, the same week schools began shutting down in Florida and across the country due to the pandemic. Davis performed the challenging task of transitioning the seventh-largest school district in the nation from in-person to virtual learning, all while ensuring students’ physical, social and emotional needs were addressed during a worldwide health emergency, said the school district in a news release.

During this challenging time in education, the number of chronically underperforming schools in Hillsborough County was reduced by half, signaling increased student performance in the most vulnerable schools.

The school board said Davis successfully developed several initiatives that will lay the groundwork for the district’s stronger future, including overcoming a two-year turnaround of a decades-long operational deficit. This financial turnaround coupled with innovative ideas to drive student achievement in areas like workforce development and expanded mental health supports are key reasons

“This was truly one of the most challenging times our educational system has ever experienced. Superintendent Davis is just hitting his stride as we move forward from the pandemic. Our community needs a strong leader with new, bold ideas to serve students and families in one of the largest school districts in the nation,” said board chairwoman Nadia Combs.

“I am humbled to be a part of a diverse Tampa Bay community that continually places children as our greatest priority. I want to extend my gratitude to the school board for allowing me the privilege to continue serving our students, families, teachers, staff and school-based leaders," Davis said. "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to champion new initiatives enhancing academic outcomes, strengthening the well-being of our students and employees, launching innovative solutions for workforce development, and expanding early childhood."

Accomplishments to date over the last two years:

• Turned around the largest financial deficit that the state of Florida has recognized;
• Improved graduation rates;
• Transformed and recentralized instructional continuity within the seventh-largest school district in the nation (district was decentralized causing financial stress, instability of support, isolated areas of focus, and lack of ability to determine return of investment);
• Successfully navigated the district through one of the most historic and challenging times in the nation due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
• Eliminated historical low performing schools from “28 to 14” during a pandemic;
• Transformed our school district through the lens of technology: moving from an antiquated and significantly deficient system to an innovative technology rich learning environment;
• Expanded accelerated pathways for students by aggressively adding Cambridge AICE and Montessori programs;
• Expanded workforce development, Dual Language, Mental Health Services, Hispanic leadership pipeline, Principal’s Council, STAC, FACE, Community Schools, Community Outreach, Early Childhood, African American Taskforce, Spanish Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, and the list continues.