School Board Redistricting Meeting, Sept. 1 in South Tampa

Boundaries for the Hillsborough County School Board are changing and the county, in conjunction with the Planning Commission and Supervisor of Elections Office, wants to hear from you.

Schools’ officials emphasized that the redistricting of school board member voting districts does not impact student attendance boundaries or transportation.

Public meetings are planned later this month in Riverview and Tampa to discuss the changes which will mean new districts for school board member districts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. The remaining two districts – 6 and 7 – are elected at large by the entire county.

The meetings will focus on three options for redrawing school board member districts but officials will also welcome suggestions from the public.

South Tampa falls in District 2, represented by Candy Olson.

The South Tampa meeting is planned for 6 p.m., Sept. 1 at Plant High School, 2415 S. Himes Ave.

Check the school district website to see if and how your district may change.

After the public has had a chance to review and comment on the alternatives, the School Board will meet to consider the alternatives and public comments, and to adopt new member voting districts.

Florida law requires that the School Board member voting districts be reapportioned in the year after the U.S. Census is taken, which was 2010. The county recently  for the county commission. Redistricting for  is also planned.

A workshop to review and rank the alternatives of the revised member districts is scheduled for Sept. 13. A final public hearing is planned Oct. 4.