TAMPA, Fla. — A wave of formal notices landed across Tampa Bay school districts this week — and district leaders say the impact is both significant and uncertain.
Under Florida’s newly expanded “Schools of Hope” law, charter school operators can now request to use space inside public schools that the state deems “underutilized.” Until this year, the program was limited to areas with persistently low-performing schools. Now, any public school with available classroom space can be targeted.
And this week’s filings show just how sweeping that change may be.
Dozens of schools flagged across the region
The volume of notices released this week is substantial:
- Hillsborough County: 22 schools flagged
- Manatee County: Two campuses
- Pinellas County: 56 notices across 37 schools
“Last Tuesday was when operators, for the first time, could file their notices. That triggers 20 days for districts to object,” said Jeff Cook McCormac, who tracks the statewide rollout…