New Start Times For Hillsborough Schools Approved By School Board

TAMPA, FL - Hillsborough schools will have new start times beginning next school year under a proposal approved by the school board Tuesday. Superintendent Jeff Eakins' plan was recently unveiled on the school district’s website.

Under Eakins’ plan for the 2018-19 school year, high schools will hold classes from 8:30 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. Middle schools will start at 9:25 a.m. and end at 4:20 p.m. Elementary school will start at 7:40 a.m. and end at 1:55 p.m.

Magnet schools could operate on different schedules. Elementary magnet schools start at 8:45 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. High school magnet schools and middle school magnet schools will begin at 8:30 a.m. to end classes at 3:25 p.m.

Watch: Hillsborough Elementary Schools Start At 7:40 A.M., High Schools At 8:30 A.M. Under New Proposal

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The district conducted a survey among parents, students and staff to obtain input on six possible start time options. Nearly 57,000 people responded to choose one of the six options in the district’s Bell Schedule Survey. The proposed schedule is based on the option preferred by most survey participants, school officials said. The district also conducted forums with parents, students and the local community.

School officials said the existing bell schedule does not allow enough time for buses to complete their routes between schools. Last year, more than 12,000 students were late to school every day because of the schedule. School officials said the proposed schedule should solve this problem.

Other bus pickups and drop-offs are also more likely to be on time under the proposed schedule, officials noted in a Frequently Asked Questions section on the school district website. Other questions and answers from school officials can be found on the website.

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