CUBE honors Hillsborough County, Fla., schools
10/11/05 -- The Hillsborough County, Fla., school district has been named the 2005 winner of the Council of Urban Boards of Education’s (CUBE) Annual Award for Urban School Board Excellence.
The award is presented annually to a school district that best demonstrates excellence in four core areas: board governance, closing the achievement gap, academic achievement, and community engagement.
The award, sponsored by McGraw-Hill Education, was presented to the Hillsborough school board at the CUBE Annual Conference in Las Vegas Oct. 1. A press conference and community gathering to recognize the school board was scheduled for Oct. 6 at the Sam Rampello Downtown Partnership School in Tampa, Fla.
The district will receive a $5,000 contribution to its student scholarship fund.
Norfolk, Va., Public Schools and the San Antonio Independent School District were finalists for the award.
The Hillsborough County school district “has shown terrific leadership by defining its priorities and committing itself to public engagement and, in doing so, finding a winning formula for creating high performing students at all levels,” says NSBA Executive Director Anne L. Bryant.
“It’s always gratifying to be recognized for the good work that we do in Hillsborough County,’’ said school board Chair Candy Olson. “To get national recognition from such a prestigious group is even more exciting. This award is shared by all the students, parents, teachers, and staff who have made student achievement our number-one priority. Our hard work is paying off.’’
Hillsborough County School District serves 192,000 students, and about 45 percent of them are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
The CUBE award highlights the link between urban school achievement and successful school board governance.
The Hillsborough County school board and superintendent have relied heavily on community input in developing their vision for the district.
Hillsborough’s strategic plan has included taking risks. This year the district created a new initiative to establish a salary differential program for teacher recruitment and retention.
Veteran teachers who chose to work with high-poverty students earned a 10 percent boost in pay. New teachers who met federal standards for being “highly qualified” received a 5 percent pay hike, and teachers who earned National Board Certification received an additional $8,500. As a result of these incentives, seven exemplary teachers transferred to one of the county’s most challenged schools this year.
Additionally, Hillsborough County has gone to unusual lengths to involve parents as partners in their children’s learning. A parent resource bus staffed with certified teachers visits neighborhoods, community centers, clinics, and homeless shelters to give parents tips on helping their children succeed in school.
The school district believes “success for all students” is more than a slogan. School board members focus relentlessly on student achievement and data-driven decision making. Academic achievement is on the agenda of every board meeting.
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