Proposed school boundary changes in Hillsborough County could mean big changes for students. 

  • Potential boundary changes for school zones in New Tampa and North Tampa
  • New Tampa elementary schools near capacity and multiple North Tampa schools overcrowded
  • Meetings scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday

A series of meetings is scheduled, starting tonight, to discuss the proposed changes, which would impact some New Tampa and North Tampa area schools. 

With some New Tampa elementary schools near capacity and multiple North Tampa schools overcrowded, the Hillsborough school district is looking at making changes in school boundaries. 

On top of that, one school in North Tampa is set to close permanently at the end of the 2018 school year. The school district's lease at the MOSI Partnership School expires at the end of the next year as MOSI preps to relocate to downtown Tampa. 

Meeting dates, times and locations: 

Tuesday
Van Buren Middle School, 8715 N. 22nd St, Tampa
6-7:30 pm
Meeting in school cafeteria

Thursday
Benito Elementary School, 10101 Cross Creek Blvd, Tampa
6-7:30 pm
Meeting in school cafeteria 

That means after next school year, the 300 students that attend the MOSI school, as well as 500 others assigned there will get shuffled to other North Tampa schools that are already at or near capacity. 

The schools impacted are Forest Hills, Mort, Pizzo, Shaw and Witter elementaries as well as Van Buren and Greco middle schools. 

Although the boundary change is a year-plus away, school districts want a plan in place,

"This is all for the 2018/19 school year," said school district spokesperson Tanya Arja. "But we want to make sure parents know the plan and have everything in place, so that's why we're doing the community meetings now.  

"We want to make sure that they have what they need, and can do choice for next year if they want to do that. They can look at those choice options."

District officials also will discuss changes on Thursday for New Tampa schools. The schools involved in that community are Heritage, Hunters Green and Pride elementaries. 

Those schools have hundreds of students bussed in from outside neighborhoods but there is simply no longer any room for that now as a housing boom continues in New Tampa.