Robles Elementary School opened in the fall of 1960. The twelve classroom school was expected to enroll 450 students that year. The school was named for the street it was located on, Robles Avenue, now known as Sligh Avenue. Robles Avenue was named for a prominent Tampa pioneer, Joseph Robles.

Blanche McMullen served as the first principal of Robles Elementary School. Mr. Wesley Kersh was the first PTA president. Other formal principals include; Mrs. Glenn Hinson, Mrs. Jimmye Simmon, Mr. Thomas Dessy, Mrs. Barbara Jefferson, Mrs. Doretha Edgecomb, Mrs. Margretta Carrington, Mrs. Cheryl Dafeldecker, Mrs. Fontaine Marion, Mrs. Beatrice McDaniel, Ms. Carol Brown, Dr. Delilah Rabeiro, Dr. Anna Brown, Mr. Wallace Selph, Ms. Gilda Garcia and Dr. Christine Harris

A library and an additional four classrooms were built in 1964. In 1990 another building was built to house a music suite and two classrooms. Another eight classrooms and a media center were built in the year 2000.