Tampa Schools Encouraged - Student Referrals to County Disciplinary Panel Down

The Tampa schools are a member of the Hillsborough County School District, in which the Disciplinary Committee resides. The disciplinary panel deals with the troubled youth who commit serious offenses and policy violations at school. The panel imposes such measures as expulsion or reassignment to another school.

The Tampa schools are a member of the Hillsborough County School District, in which the Disciplinary Committee resides. The disciplinary panel deals with the troubled youth who commit serious offenses and policy violations at school. The panel imposes such measures as expulsion or reassignment to another school. This past school year of 2005-2006 had the lowest number of referrals to this disciplinary panel than any other since the 1998-1999 school year. Tampa schools, along with the other school districts, have been trying harder to solve student problems in-school, before making referrals to the panel. This obviously has increased the number of in-school suspensions over previous years; however, the Tampa schools believe their mission is to teach children - and you cannot teach those who are not attending school. Tampa schools have cautioned their principals to be more patient and tolerant with problem students, when their offenses do not hold a danger to other students, educators and school employees. Additionally, Tampa schools educators have been educating students more aggressively on the district's zero tolerance of violent acts and other serious offenses, strongly stressing the consequences of such acts. The Hillsborough County School District has about 191,000 students, many of which belong to the Tampa schools (the county seat). In the 2004-2005 school year, 1,602 students were referred to the panel for hearings. Those referrals decreased to 1,369 students in the 2005-2006 school year. These resulted in: