The 2017-2018 school grades released Wednesday show that students in Hillsborough County Public Schools continue to make significant gains, district officials said.

TAMPA – In a year in which Hillsborough County Public Schools set an all-time graduation rate record, academic performance continues to improve with more schools earning A and B grades than last year.

The district said four schools that were set to be run by an external operator this fall are now off that list, earning a C grade. Two of those schools, Potter Elementary and B.T. Washington Elementary, both went from an F to a C grade.

The results of the 2017-2018 school grades were released Wednesday (June 27) afternoon by the Florida Department of Education. Students in Hillsborough County Public Schools continue to make significant gains. Some of the highlights from the 2017-2018 school grades include

• 53 traditional schools graded “A” in 2018, up from 51 in 2017
• 40 traditional schools graded “B”, up from 38
• All high schools earned either an A, B or C
• Three traditional schools improved their grade from an “F” to a “C” – Potter Elementary, B.T. Washington Elementary and Sullivan Partnership School

Seven schools were set to be run by an external operator this fall, as directed by the state. Four of those schools, Potter Elementary, B.T. Washington Elementary, Mort Elementary and Memorial Middle School, have now come off that list, all earning a C grade.

“I am proud of our teachers, administrators and staff. A few of these schools in particular have had challenges they have been trying to overcome for years. It is great to see the huge progress they made,” Superintendent Jeff Eakins said. “With the help of our community partners, support from our families and a laser focus on students’ needs, these schools made significant gains.”

Eakins said there is still much more work to be done. The district is going through the data to determine what supports are needed at schools that slipped downward this year. The district’s goal is to provide the resources for these schools to ensure they make gains like we saw at many of our other schools.

Major steps have been underway for months to improve the district’s lowest-performing schools. An entirely new structure has been put in place for the upcoming school year that directs intense support and resources to the schools that need it most. Fifty Achievement Schools have been selected using performance data. The district’s leadership structure and hiring methods have been overhauled to ensure these schools are staffed by highly effective teachers and leaders.

The 2017-2018 school grades are available at fldoe.org/.

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