If you and your kids are moving to Tampa, Florida, you probably want to scope out the schools. Luckily, Tampa offers a variety of options for elementary, middle, and high schools, trade schools and technical schools, and private schools. We’ll go over three large school districts in the Tampa area—Pinellas County schools, Hillsborough County schools, and Pasco County schools—and a few of the Tampa private schools. By the end, you’ll be ready to plan your move to Tampa!
Table of Contents
Pinellas County School District
The Pinellas County School District was formed in 1912 when it separated from the Hillsborough County School District. It’s the eighth largest district in the state of Florida, with over 150 schools, from elementary and middle schools to online schools. The district opened its first technical school—the Richard O. Jacobson Technical High School—in 2018.
This district is relatively diverse. Just over half of its students are white, and over 20% are Black or Hispanic.
Location
The Pinellas County School District is located in Pinellas County, Florida, right across the bay from Tampa. However, if you’re already set on moving to Tampa, this district allows residents of other counties to apply to attend. Residents of Pinellas County can also apply for specific schools and programs. Given the strengths of this district, families moving to Tampa may want to consider Pinellas County schools.
Academics
Pinellas County Schools boasts an impressive 92 percent graduation rate and has especially invested in closing the achievement gap for Black students. This school district is continually improving, with 63 percent of its schools earning an A or B rating in academics from the Florida Department of Education in 2023.
This school district has invested in its schools in a variety of ways. Its efforts include opening specialized education centers such as a technical high school and several schools for gifted students. It has also opened college and career centers in its high schools. Lastly, in recent years, Pinellas County has worked to provide digital devices to its students.
Fun Fact
Students in Pinellas County have a variety of impressive achievements under their belts, including winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee and performing at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Hillsborough County School District
Tampa is located in Hillsborough County. Accordingly, it is part of the Hillsborough County School District, which is the seventh largest in the nation with over 274 schools. These schools include elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, career centers, and technical and charter schools. They serve over 220,000 students. The district has a very diverse student body. 38% of its students are Hispanic, 31% are white, and 21% are Black.
Location
The Hillsborough County School District serves forty-six cities, the largest of which is Tampa, with a population of just over 400,000. Thus, if you’re ready to buy your house in Tampa, this district is a great choice!
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Academics
The Hillsborough County School District has a strong graduation rate of over 86%. Furthermore, eight of its high schools maintain a graduation rate of over 95%. All the county’s high schools appear in state and national academic ratings.
In addition, its magnet schools have won numerous National Magnet Awards, and its elementary and middle schools have ranked among the top in the county as well. Moreover, the Tampa Bay Technical High School is very highly rated, with an overall A grade. Students must apply to get into this Tampa Technical School.
Fun Fact
Last year, Hillsborough County Public Schools gave seven Tampa students awards for having perfect attendance from kindergarten through high school in the district. Their prizes included a free laptop and a $500 scholarship.
Pasco County School District
The Pasco County School District contains one hundred schools, serving over 85,000 students. These schools include elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as charter schools, virtual schools, and educational centers. The school district is predominantly white, with 59% white students and 24% Hispanic students.
Location
Pasco County School District is centered in Pasco County, which contains forty-six cities. The largest of these cities is Lakeland, which has over 100,000 residents and is forty minutes east of Tampa. Pasco County School District allows students who do not live in Pasco County to apply to its schools. Thus, it’s also an option for people who are planning a move to Tampa.
Academics
In 2024, the Pasco County School District had the highest graduation rate of all districts in the Tampa Bay Area, graduating 91% of its students. This district also serves its Exceptional Student Education whose graduates are well over the state average.
In addition, in 2022, over half of Pasco County’s schools earned an A or B rating according to the Florida Department of Education.
Fun Fact
As part of efforts to prevent students from dropping out, the Pasco County School District’s annual Turnaround awards honor students who have turned around their school careers.
Tampa Private Schools
There are also private school options for families moving to Tampa, including a number of religious schools. Some of the top-rated private schools in Tampa are the Episcopal K-12 school, Berkeley Preparatory School, and Tampa Preparatory School, which has an innovative approach to middle and high school education.
Carrollwood Day School serves Tampa students from preschool to elementary school, middle school, and high school. This school stands out for offering the IB program to all its students. Another religious Tampa private school is the Catholic Academy of the Holy Names. All children in Tampa can attend its pre-kindergarten, elementary, and middle school, but its high school is for girls only.
Moving to Tampa
Besides finding the right school district in Tampa, you probably have a lot of things on your mind, including hiring movers. Especially if you’re moving with kids, having people help with the labor of moving can take some of the pressure off your shoulders.
Consider hiring UniMovers for your Tampa moving needs. UniMovers is an affordable, labor-only moving company that provides a variety of services, from packing to carrying boxes and assembling furniture. Thus, UniMovers is a great option for your move to Tampa!
Conclusion
Now you’re a little better prepared for finding schools after a move to Tampa, especially if you’re moving from another state and aren’t familiar with the area. Whether you’re interested in Tampa’s elementary, middle, or high schools; technical and trade schools; or private schools, Tampa has schools for you.
As a recap, Tampa is located in Hillsborough County, which has an extremely large school district. Nearby, you can also choose from the Pinellas County schools, as well as the Pasco County schools, which are a bit farther from Tampa. All of these school districts have strong academic reputations and many options to choose from. Lastly, there are both religious and secular private schools in the area as well.
Students in Tampa belong to the Hillsborough County School District, and can also choose from Pinellas County schools, Pasco County schools, and private schools.
Hillsborough County has an extremely large and diverse student body. It contains a variety of options for schools, and many of its schools rank very well.
The Tampa Bay Technical High School in the Hillsborough County School District has very high ratings. Nearby counties also offer strong technical schools.
Sophie Pollack-Milgate has a day job as a research assistant. In her free time, she likes to read 10% of the library books she checks out, complain about how either ice or heat are ruining her runs (depending on the season), and modify recipes beyond recognition.
