Basically, the population growth and increase in property values is offset by a decrease in the millage rate, as set by the Legislature each year. The state mandated a steady decline in the rate each year from 5.3 in 2010 to 3.5 today.

This was done to offset increases in property value.

If the millage rate would have remained constant, the district would have been able to increase salaries and pay for increased costs, such as health care, fuel, and supplies. However, each year the legislature and the governor (not the school board) set the district’s millage rate in the state budget. The annual reductions cost the district more than $658 million over those years.

That is why the district has not been able to keep up with growth and inflation and provide competitive salaries without voter approval. Even if the 1 mil passes, the millage rate will still be lower than the 2010 rate.

The national teacher and support staff shortage is alarming. Over the last two years, our district has experienced an increase in resignations and retirements, which have created more than 1,000 unfilled positions in the district. Experienced, successful teachers earn salaries only slightly higher than early careerteachers. Because of this, many teachers are moving on to higher-paying surrounding counties or changing careers completely. The one mil increase is primarily designed to retain experienced teachers, compensate support staff (such as bus drivers, maintenance workers, food service staff, custodial staff, and other non-instructional staff), and meet operational needs in art, music, PE, and workforce education. Voter approval is needed to increase funding.

It is estimated to bring in about $146 million a year. The increase will end in four years unless renewed by voters.

All compensation by law must be negotiated through the collective bargaining process. Still, it is estimated that the average increase in compensation could be about $4,000 a year for instructional staff and $2,000 for non-instructional staff.

The state has mandated a steady decline in the Required Local Millage rate each year beginning in 2013 from 5.629 in 2013 to 3.601 today, costing the district nearly $975 million over those years. Even if the one mil passes, the rate will still be lower than the 2013 level.

These are one-time stimulus funds to make up for student learning loss during the pandemic and expire in September 2024.

In addition to supporting non-instructional staff and charter schools, the district plans to use approximately 20% of its share of funds to improve art, music, PE, and workforce education programs. The district would place an additional 45 art, 67 music, and 39 physical education teachers in our elementary schools to ensure that every student has access to these programs, including Kindergarteners who do not currently receive these learning experiences. The funds would also be used to upgrade musical instruments, art equipment/supplies, stage lighting, audio equipment, and physical education instructional materials/equipment. Additionally, the district will expand course offerings in workforce development — welding, electricians, construction, plumbers, and the like. We believe these programs are vital to helping support well-rounded young men and women and positively impact our local economy. Finally, approximately 16% of the total funds will go to students in charter schools.

Our district, like many others, continues to lose highly-qualified and talented instructional staff as they leave for higher-paying positions. The quicker our district can have a clear understanding of funding coming to the district and negotiate increased salaries for teachers and staff, the better chance we have to recruit and retain the best and brightest educators and support staff who will positively impact our children's education. The general election in November will be a very long ballot highlighted by the Governor’s race. Our low-budget school referendum information effort may get lost in all of that media attention, so we feel it’s best to place it on the August ballot when the public can hear all the relevant information.

Property owners would pay $1 for every $1,000 in assessed value. For example, for a property valued at $246,808 (median market value in Hillsborough) with a homestead exemption applied, an owner would pay about $18.48/month or $222/year.

Hillsborough County Public Schools receives no lottery funding. Lottery funds pay for Bright Future (College) Scholarships and School Recognition Funds but have not been allocated since 2020.

Economic growth is directly related to the skills of our workforce, and obtaining those skills is heavily dependent on our schools. Furthermore, investing in quality public schools improves academic performance, community safety, and makes our county more attractive to businesses, which creates high-quality jobs and raises our property values.

Our district realizes any tax increase can be a heavy lift for families. The decision is based on critical needs in Hillsborough County Public Schools. Like many industries, our district is facing staffing shortages. Throughout the current school year, we have had 350-460 instructional vacancies and 150-160 bus driver vacancies, and nearly 550 vacancies in other areas of critical need. We are losing teachers for a variety of reasons, including retirement. To compete with surrounding districts, we must be able to provide a competitive compensation package for teachers and staff so children have the best educators.

The district’s financial data and audits are fully available to the public on its Accounting Services webpage. For 20 straight years, the Accounting Department has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association. Based on the success of the Citizen Oversight Committee, which oversees the half-penny sales tax Education Referendum, the district would develop a similar structure to review the spending and progress related to funds generated by the one mil ad valorem tax. District leaders created the Citizen Oversight Committee, which meets monthly to oversee and discuss the school improvement projects that the Education Referendum funds. All expenditures associated with the ad valorem increase will be published on the District's website annually. 

The state provided funding to increase the minimum starting teacher salary to $47,500. This only impacted a third of our teachers. However, experienced teachers only received small raises, and many found themselves making the same or slightly more than beginning teachers, creating a significant disparity. This is one of the reasons our experienced teachers are leaving the profession.

According to a National Education Association Survey in January of 2022, 50% of teachers plan to leave education sooner than expected and 96% said support for raising educator salaries is necessary to address burnout. There are 567,000 fewer educators in America’s public schools than two years ago. In a local teacher questionnaire, higher pay is a top priority.

Yes. When comparing Florida’s five largest school districts and Pinellas County, Hillsborough County Public Schools is the only district that has not passed an operational millage. The 21 Florida counties that have successfully implemented a millage referendum have gained a competitive advantage by attracting high-quality talent and providing exceptional student experiences. Other school districts considering a referendum or renewal in 2022 include Pasco, Sarasota, Duval, Brevard, and Palm Beach.

Because other school districts have additional revenue approved by voters, Hillsborough County Public Schools is the lowest total per-pupil funding among the large Florida school districts.

Classroom Teachers, School Counselors, School Psychologists, School Social Workers, Intervention Teachers, Media Specialists, Other instructional and administrative staff, Instructional and Classroom assistants, Food and Nutritional Services employees, Bus Drivers, Transportation Assistants, Custodial Services, School Maintenance, Clerical staff, After School Enrichment Program staff, & all other instructional support staff.

The Half-Penny Referendum that passed in 2018 can only be used to improve our schools' facilities and other capital projects – overhauling air conditioning units, replacing aging roofs, painting school buildings, and repaving parking lots, among other necessary projects. The one mil ad valorem increase can be used to assist operational expenses such as compensation and programmatic needs. 

Public education impacts everyone. It results in higher incomes, better jobs, rising property values, and a healthy economy. Today’s students are our doctors, nurses, engineers, and technicians of tomorrow. Our parents, grandparents, and neighbors paid for education for each of us. Investing in the next generation is a time-honored American value. Supporting public education speaks volumes about our community, economy, safety, and future.

Superintendent Addison Davis and the leadership team have worked tirelessly over the last two years to bring the district out of a $150 million financial deficit. Many tough decisions were made, such as installing a hiring freeze, phasing out more than 1,000 instructional and non-instructional positions, reassigning approximately 400 staff to ensure that support was provided to schools with the greatest need, implementing new budget controls to limit new hires/expenditures, renegotiating contracts with vendors, and eliminating district positions to create cost savings for the district. To ensure we are more in line with other like-size districts, Hillsborough County Public Schools has reduced staff, going from 26,857 in 2017-18 to now 23,815 in 2021-22. By the end of this fiscal year, the district is estimating that we will have successfully turned around the district’s financial deficit – closing out with an operational surplus for the first time in more than ten years. While this is excellent news, there is still much work to accomplish. The national teacher and staff shortage has prompted many districts to seek a voter-approved increase in ad valorem tax to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers and staff.