Approve Proposed Attendance Boundary Changes for Gorrie and Just Elementary Schools; Wilson and Madison Middle Schools; Plant and Blake High Schools

Due to current capacity shortages and overcrowding at Gorrie Elementary (112% of capacity); Wilson Middle (113% of capacity) and Plant High (95% of capacity), along with continued future growth already approved within these school attendance boundaries, it is necessary to adjust the boundaries to balance enrollments.   Within a relatively small geographic area, generally described as: south of Kennedy Blvd; north of the Selmon Expressway; west of the Hillsborough River and east of South Boulevard, there are three approved unbuilt residential developments totaling over 1,000 residential units. Based upon countywide student generation rates, these projects could generate over 250 students who cannot be accommodated at their assigned schools.  

Currently there are no students attending public schools within this geographic area.  We propose to reassign this area from Gorrie, Wilson and Plant to Just, Madison and Blake, effective for the 2017-18 school year. These school zones are consistent with the downtown Tampa and the Channelside areas attendance zones.