[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6473378,"mediaKeyId","5745061-52121121624f0b43e5d10353ab8f1537","parentId",5745061,"title","Votes at a glance: key outcomes from the Sept. 9 Hillsborough school board meeting","audioSeconds",12920,"startMs",880000,"endMs",13800000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5745061-52121121624f0b43e5d10353ab8f1537&start=880&end=13800","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5745061-52121121624f0b43e5d10353ab8f1537/thumbnail_880000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6473378/Votes-at-a-glance-key-outcomes-from-the-Sept-9-Hillsborough-school-board-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6473378-eff8d0d3980d22696630a3466baa243e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773189523&Signature=kbXQ3V04xfgwCMutxksnQtXOqx7bw7C7EPLJYjV6hsmlAXm1HNPBeqSSGqKevMerZPTzlUpmCJqkFivqGNQbgwmOIeAYWH-gpDuS4FZGzV28EUpzS0J87V5HOiBHz2j0BT8t~0l5l0KtYBR~onrhrsST7ozrYbJ5sj1ZC8n9VEdssMGfNhX8ipkqC1uLwRSH7hQiujpqU99mCNGnd6YEKS2lEjYSFe4Ipx7HmBJZ8SW3y63JKO8RAjSex3vxtOkhop4ySwpyE~zoy5cyQ8oy-0eHLO3QLZqjbSIQfXS6Giykv~fstFd8QISo2osJDjp4WzcLvdmIp6dXulMiBF5jrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hillsborough County Public Schools","date","2025-09-10T01:01:28Z","article","The Hillsborough County School Board took a series of formal actions during its Sept. 9 meeting. This roundup lists the principal motions, their outcomes and immediate follow-up steps as recorded during the meeting.

• Removal of two challenged titles (C105): Motion to approve Superintendent Ayers’ recommendation making Blankets (Craig Thompson) and Identical (Ellen Hopkins) unavailable in HCPS media centers — approved (board vote recorded at the meeting).

• Final adoption of 2025–26 millage rates and budget: Motion to adopt the proposed 6.34 millage package (including a 1.0 voted mill) and adopt the FY26 budget of $4,407,000,005.36; to approve related resolutions and authorize staff to perform TRIM actions — all motions approved during the final public hearing.

• 3DE Memorandum of Agreement with Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay (C101): Board approved expansion and a multi-year MOA to operate the 3DE program in additional high schools; vote recorded (passed with one dissent noted by a board member in the meeting discussion).

• HSEF negotiated economic salary proposal (C402): Board ratified the negotiated economic proposal covering support staff (HSEF membership), including step and one-time payments estimated at roughly $5.2 million plus use of bus-patrol funds for some transportation incentives — approved unanimously.

• Legends of Learning renewal (C103): Renewal of the K–5 supplemental science platform was approved; staff reported usage statistics and student engagement in the prior year — approved unanimously.

• ClassLink identity and access management (C1001): Contract renewal for single sign-on and roster services; board approved the contract renewal and staff will follow up on licensing counts and charter-school license allocation -- approved unanimously.

• Articulation agreement and facility-use items (C202, C704): The board approved an articulation agreement (Terrace Community Middle School and Dr. Karan Patel Elementary) and a five-year field-use agreement with Tampa Bay United at Adamo Middle School’s Monroe fields — both approved.

• Educational-plant spot survey and other capital/consent items (C702 and consent items): Board approved an educational plant spot survey for Eisenhower Middle School and related consent agenda items; motions passed as presented.

Meeting minutes and procedural agenda items (agenda adoption, minutes approval, and consent agenda) were adopted by recorded votes earlier in the meeting. Where motions required follow-up action (budget filings, catalog updates, contract execution, or program implementation), staff were directed to carry out implementation steps and to report to the board as specified.

If district staff or community members want the full roll-call or supporting documents for any item listed here, the board asked staff to provide those materials and to file the statutory documents required by Florida law.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Meeting September 9, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A roundup of formal votes taken by the Hillsborough County School Board on Sept. 9, including book removals, millage and budget adoption, labor agreements and several contract renewals and memoranda of agreement.","taxTitle","taxId",0,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6473383,"School board adopts 2025–26 millage of 6.34 mills and $4.407 billion budget",1584,4248000,5832000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5745061-52121121624f0b43e5d10353ab8f1537&start=4248&end=5832","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5745061-52121121624f0b43e5d10353ab8f1537/thumbnail_4248000.jpg","/articles/6473383/School-board-adopts-202526-millage-of-634-mills-and-4407-billion-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6473383-b9e6d917adf6a780996c1ecdc46d0612/orig.mp4?Expires=1773189523&Signature=J9RjYlq-v67PXfJFprsQa2zG8frB24j-AuioVPQAvJ-of5wHzfaXTUtXtXV6wIsV2qYdEhIBZ5MDnjaggA3jlo23XGWqnNBBgB-KBgnA7gXm826yYvU7Jnhi7k6ZtN0fzohJUBltJjzwoATGgCivVKYJNf9uoaBroPpYy-yLoLd7Hk~pbZf4pfQ2AjuKij9FWbPbQuwgiDt5qm2k-6Ab-WXLnjRx-IOb7TLiIhH2WgIKWdKd8Z4Gft7TXWpoHrc3J-gbwGzoOPT0rahmhLCneU07Fg~kNzWCQbeUIPY7Mp0HD8dEnXexaXYHuOcH8AwcWTsVg-gzg6-FTRDu1oi3-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hillsborough County School Board approved final millage rates and adopted the fiscal year 2025–26 budget during a Sept. 9 public hearing, endorsing a total tax rate of 6.34 mills that includes a newly approved voted mill and adopting a $4.407 billion budget.

Jamie Lewis, the district chief financial officer, told the board the total millage package includes the state-required local effort (3.092 mills), discretionary operating (0.748 mills), the additional voted millage (1.0 mill) and local capital outlay (1.5 mills), for a total of 6.34 mills. Lewis said the added voted mill—approved by voters earlier—accounts for the majority of the projected revenue increase and will be used for employee salary enhancements and academic program enhancements.

Under the budget adopted by the board, the district projects $2.3 billion in revenue in FY26 and an ending general fund balance of about $226.5 million, or roughly 10 percent of expenditures, down from a 16 percent beginning fund balance. Lewis told members the district began FY25 with a $293.3 million fund balance (16 percent) after managing revenue decreases in a prior calculation cycle. The FY26 budget reflects an overall increase in expenditures driven in part by employee pay and health insurance cost adjustments; the district said $48 million was reserved to qualify for self-funding of health insurance.

Board members asked staff to clarify how property values and the TRIM (truth in millage) calculation affect final revenue; Lewis said the district is monitoring property-appraiser values and the Florida Department of Education calculations and that the fourth state calculation was still pending at the time of the hearing. Lewis noted that if the additional voted mill had not been approved by voters, the district would have seen a slight decrease in mills from the prior year.

The board voted to adopt the millage rates and to adopt the budget, then approved the required resolutions and authorized district staff to take administrative steps necessary to comply with TRIM and statutory filing requirements. Each motion passed during the final public hearing and subsequent roll-call votes.

Board members emphasized the need to protect the district’s fund balance as a financial buffer against future uncertainty and to use the new voted mill revenue to support teacher and staff compensation as well as program enhancements. Several members asked staff to continue monitoring enrollment trends and property-value shifts that could affect revenue in future fiscal years.","Hillsborough County School Board approved a 6.34 millage rate including a new voted 1-mill allocation and adopted a $4.407 billion fiscal 2025–26 budget with a 10% projected ending fund balance.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6473388,"Hillsborough school board votes to remove two challenged books after state guidance",1870,8990000,10860000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5745061-52121121624f0b43e5d10353ab8f1537&start=8990&end=10860","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5745061-52121121624f0b43e5d10353ab8f1537/thumbnail_8990000.jpg","/articles/6473388/Hillsborough-school-board-votes-to-remove-two-challenged-books-after-state-guidance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6473388-6d80d2c1a8a28a64028cb7014f1b70b6/orig.mp4?Expires=1773189523&Signature=O4BxkJDLXfs-SKtfD93ryjdn8XFF9Bt~GcKHiRO6jgOg1xBi5JPlGy8uQhrGwCdS4TRv9r4lxbAaRNpR5RNIcUrpVEDdL3hgtsWzAPjOV9CiPV6f3lZRd2jFV-c1vOFQ1TQ0UlSyE89YlEzPaLchapdPbXxGGEXrvlMhT~NzHFbK6wfwk-n6newTAyyWsPXERwIJpWqAGg0hJ5OZlTSczZ-0Sg4SOjplFNFWKq5kiGa35wa9F9SipyfTuiy-h54dLEdogIGDIXGkTimJ0DFE5T9yIaz9Qlfrd54w9UTjXlH7ZOOjYmHC-ssdw4YRNK4hMeDUuZ1lQRpaA8RGzs-TOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hillsborough County School Board voted unanimously Sept. 9 to remove two challenged titles—Blankets by Craig Thompson and Identical by Ellen Hopkins—from school media center availability after the superintendent recommended their removal following guidance from state legal authorities.

Superintendent Ayers told the board he received legal guidance and recommended the two books be made \"unavailable in HCPS media centers,\" citing the state attorney general’s letter prompting review. The vote came after more than two hours of public comment that drew dozens of speakers who alternately urged the board to keep the books available or to remove them for being age-inappropriate.

The book challenge had already passed through the district review process in a prior cycle, and the board had previously voted 5–2 to retain the titles. Ayers said the new state guidance required the district to act differently and presented the removal as his recommendation to the elected board. Hundreds of members of the public spoke in this meeting’s public-comment period; those who favored retention stressed due process and the educational value of contested materials, while opponents described graphic sexual content and urged the board to protect younger readers.

Julie Gebhardz, a frequent commentator on library challenges, told the board she had read both books in full and said the titles contained material she called \"utter hopelessness\" and graphic self-harm scenes. She told the board, \"These are your books that you have defended and stood behind.\" Speakers who opposed removal cited professional review processes and the role of school media specialists; supporters of removal referenced state statutes and the attorney general’s letter.

Board members debated legal risk, the district’s review process, and community standards during their discussion. Some members said they were voting to follow state guidance and to minimize legal exposure for the district; others said they feared the decision set a precedent driven by political pressure rather than local review processes.

After the motion to remove the two titles—moved by Member Rendon and seconded by Member Combs—the board voted to approve the superintendent’s recommendation. The board chair asked members to record their votes; the motion passed by the board as recorded at the meeting.

The removal applies to district media centers; the superintendent and staff said they would follow up on the implementation steps and any required notifications or compliance actions with state authorities. The board did not detail additional specific policy changes at the meeting beyond following the superintendent’s recommendation and the cited state guidance.

The decision prompted immediate response from speakers in the gallery and follow-up inquiries the board said staff would handle through standard channels.","After hours of public comment, the Hillsborough County School Board voted to make Blankets and Identical unavailable in district libraries following a recommendation from Superintendent Ayers and guidance from state officials.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: key outcomes from the Sept. 9 Hillsborough school board meeting

School board adopts 2025–26 millage of 6.34 mills and $4.407 billion budget

Hillsborough school board votes to remove two challenged books after state guidance