The bill that would put making the Hillsborough County schools superintendent an elected position on the ballot this November cleared its last obstacle in the state legislature, moving through the Florida Senate.
The move came the day after the Hillsborough County school board voted to extend existing superintendent Van Ayres’ contract until January 2029 and expressed concerns about what the new rule could mean.
Bill sponsor Rep. Michael Owen, R-Apollo Beach, previously said an elected superintendent would allow for added accountability and the ability for the public to have a say in the role. The bill, he said, simply gives voters a say on how they think the position should be picked.
“I believe that having a more independent superintendent will allow them not to necessarily do the wishes of the majority of the board, but the wishes of the parents of Hillsborough County,” he said when introducing the bill to the local delegation last fall.
The bill was introduced as tensions continued to rise between the school district and state officials over books and budgets.
But critics said allowing the position to become elected would infuse more politics and outside money into the role of the county’s top education officer. Currently only Florida and Alabama have districts where superintendents are elected.
“Florida’s largest districts, all across — Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange, Palm Beach, Duvall, Pinellas — all of those actually have appointed superintendents,” board member Nadia Combs said at a meeting Tuesday. “It allows school boards to conduct a national search for the best and most experienced educator.”
Voters already have a say, she said, by getting to pick school board members, who appoint the superintendent.
If signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, Hillsborough voters will have the final say on how the position is picked in November. The elected position would be a four-year term that would go up for election in 2028, according to a bill analysis.
“Hillsborough County is one of the largest school districts in America,” Combs said. “We are looking for an educational CEO, we’re not looking for a campaign winner.”
Divya Kumar is a reporter covering education as a member of the Tampa Bay Times Education Hub. You can contribute to the hub through our journalism fund by clicking here.
