Hillsborough County School Board Approves $15 Million for Low-Performing Schools Bonus Structure

The Hillsborough County School Board has agreed to allocate $15 million to maintain a bonus structure for employees at over three dozen low-performing schools in the district. This decision aims to help retain and attract talent at the district's most vulnerable schools, where academic performance is low and more attention is needed to close achievement gaps. The bonus structure is part of The Transformation Network, which provides extra support to teachers and paraprofessionals at schools with chronic low performance.

Key Takeaways:

• The Hillsborough County School Board has approved a $15 million bonus structure for employees at over three dozen low-performing schools.
• The bonus structure includes $5,000 for teachers and assistant principals, $7,500 for principals, and $1,000 for paraprofessionals.
• Teachers eligible for a state bonus are limited to a combined $5,000 from both the state and district.
• The bonus structure is part of The Transformation Network, which began in 2020 and includes 45 schools in its first year and 39 this year.
• Board member Nadia Combs raised concerns about funding for low-income schools, known as Renaissance schools, which could slip into low performance without additional funds.
• Renaissance schools are those where 90% or more of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and there were 26 such schools in the 2024-25 school year.
• Teachers at Renaissance schools received a salary differential in the 2024-25 school year, but some teachers have expressed concerns about leaving those schools due to funding uncertainty.

Statistics:

• The Hillsborough County School Board has allocated $15 million for the bonus structure.
• The bonus structure includes $5,000 for teachers and assistant principals, $7,500 for principals, and $1,000 for paraprofessionals.
• There are over three dozen low-performing schools in the district.
• The Transformation Network includes 45 schools in its first year and 39 this year.
• There were 26 Renaissance schools in the 2024-25 school year.
• Teachers eligible for a state bonus are limited to a combined $5,000 from both the state and district.

Sources:

• https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2025/05/10/hillsborough-oks-teacher-pay-bonus-low-performing-schools/
• The Transformation Network began in 2020.
• The Transformation Network includes 45 schools in its first year and 39 this year, per the Tampa Bay Times.