While our neighborhood schools are excellent, parents have numerous options when it comes to their children’s education.
In Hillsborough County, there are school options that cover a wide range of interests and methods of learning. The key is understanding those options and how the application process works. Below, we offer our annual breakdown of the different avenues available.
Attendance Area Schools
Attendance area schools are public schools set by the Hillsborough County School Board based on a student’s residential address. Westchase and the surrounding Northwest neighborhoods are zoned for top-quality schools across all grade levels, including Westchase, Lowry, Mary Bryant and Deer Park elementary schools; Davidsen and Farnell middle schools; and Alonso and Sickles high schools. Parents can visit hillsboroughschools.org/page/choice and click on the link “Find Your Neighborhood School” to determine the specific schools their children are zoned for based on home address.
Choice Schools
Choice Schools provide families with the option to choose non-magnet schools with available openings, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, and the Hillsborough Virtual K-12 program.
Choice Hardship, on the other hand, allows parents and legal guardians with a documented hardship the opportunity to submit a request for a school that is capped for School Choice. It is important to note that requests are not automatic. Choice Hardship is limited and only available under extreme (documented) hardships. Learn more about schools that are open for choice at community.sdhc.k12.fl.us/GisUtils.
School Choice Attractor Programs
School Choice Attractor Programs are focused academies where the education consists of courses and projects that flow from the school’s main emphasis—from aerospace engineering to finance. In order to be considered for an offer at both the middle and high school level, students must meet proficiency in either math or reading on standardized test scores. Students applying for the Elementary Center for Gifted Studies have additional entrance criteria. Find a complete list of attractor schools at hillsboroughschools.org/page/school-choice-attractor-programs.
Magnet Schools
Magnet schools are public elementary, middle and high schools that offer a theme-based curriculum with real-world implications. STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and IB (International Baccalaureate) programs are particularly popular among Westchase area families who choose the magnet route. However, numerous magnet opportunities appeal to a wide range of interests, including animal science, architecture, performing arts and many more. Selection for elementary and middle school magnets is lottery-based. High school magnet applications are criteria-based. Explore the options at hillsboroughschools.org/o/hcps/page/magnet.
Private Schools
Non-public school options range from traditional private schools and faith-based schools to parochial schools and private special education schools. While all public schools must answer to the Florida Department of Education, that is not the case for all private schools. Private schools are governed in a variety of ways. Some are led by a school board that is elected by the parents, some are affiliated with specific churches or religious bodies, some are governed by boards or trustees, and some are proprietary schools.
Parents choose private school for a variety of reasons – some are looking for a faith-based education, while others are looking for a specialized curriculum or a smaller, community feel. According to the Florida Department of Education’s most recent annual report, there are 165 private schools in Hillsborough County serving 27,273 students. Researching the options and understanding the different teaching philosophies, governing bodies, classroom structures and expectations of each type of school is a good first step in narrowing down your search. A great place to start is on page 46 of this issue.
Virtual Schools
Advances in online education have made virtual schools a mainstream choice for today’s students. Hillsborough Virtual School (HVS) is a school choice option for students entering grades K through 12. HVS students are taught by Hillsborough County teachers for each online class. Families considering online courses should be comfortable using the computer and internet to complete assignments, research and projects, and also be comfortable using email and telephone communication as a primary means for teacher-student and parent-teacher communication.
Students can also take advantage of co-enrollment through HVS, in which students enrolled in full-time public or private school take online classes during or in addition to their school day. Class selection and registration is handled by the guidance counselor at the student’s physical school. Families who wish to homeschool and file a “Letter of Intent to Home Educate” may use HVS to fulfill curriculum needs.
Florida Virtual School is another online option that does not fall under the Hillsborough County Schools umbrella but can be used to take supplemental classes or as a full-time option. Learn more at www.flvs.net.
Charter Schools
Charter schools are independent public schools operated by a nonprofit organization. The key distinction with charter schools is that, while they are accountable to the Hillsborough County School District, they hire their own teachers, design their own curriculum and control their own finances. They are governed by a board of directors, and some choose to hire a management company to support school functions. A list of schools is available at hillsboroughschools.org/o/hcps/page/charter-schools.
Home Education
Home education is gaining popularity in Hillsborough County. At the start of the 2022-23 school year, 10,680 children were taking part in home education – more than any other school district in the country.
Home education, as defined by Florida law, is “sequentially progressive instruction of a student directed by his or her parent in order to satisfy the attendance requirements of Sections 1002.41, 1003.01, and 1003.21.” Hillsborough County Public Schools offers step-by-step guidance for those who wish to educate their children at home. It begins with a Letter of Intent to Home Educate. There are also several curriculum options, ranging from parent-directed curriculum to virtual school to correspondence courses. Another option is to join a home education co-op. Parents also receive guidance on required evaluations. Learn more at hillsboroughschools.org/page/9270-home-education.
Home education students who meet set criteria are also eligible to participate in extracurricular activities at their attendance area school or the school that the student could choose to attend through the district’s Controlled Open Enrollment Policy. The district must also allow eligible home education students to participate in a class during school hours, if the class is required as part of the extracurricular activity – marching band is a good example.
There are also homeschool activity programs available at our local Westchase Recreation Center and the Northwest YMCA.
How to apply
Parents wishing to send their child to the public school for which they are zoned simply need to register for that school. Applications for choice, magnet, Hillsborough Virtual School and school attractor programs take place during set application windows. The next window will open this fall and typically runs from November through December. Exact dates had not yet been announced when this issue went to press. Visit hillsboroughschools.org/choice and click “Important Dates” to learn more.
Each private school and charter school has its own application window. Most private schools will hold at least one open house in the fall and/or early spring. Parents should contact the school directly to learn about opportunities to visit and to better understand their application process.