Are there good schools for our children? This is one of the most common questions parents with school-age children ask themselves when they’re deciding about relocating, whether moving to Tampa or to other cities. They ask whether the schools are accessible and have high ratings.
For many parents with younger children, moving to neighborhoods with high-ranking school districts is important. For parents of college-bound kids, the performance and the range of courses offered by colleges and universities accessible in the target relocation destination are top factors to consider. The presence of community and junior colleges are also a bonus because these institutions offer flexibility to higher education decisions.
In Tampa, families with school-age children have plenty of options. In the Hillsborough School District, where Tampa is located, schools and teachers and the entire district have proven their commitment to the education of children by the national honors that they have achieved. Among these are the following:
- The district is seventh nationally in the number of teachers with National Board certification.
- Eight schools in the area have received Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence awards.
- Among Florida districts, Hillsborough has the highest number of National Merit Scholar semifinalists.
- The rankings of Hillsborough students taking college admission exams have been high consistently.
In addition, the Hillsborough District is the ninth largest in the country, with more than 200,000 students being served. There’s power in numbers, particularly in getting much needed funding.
For college-bound students in Tampa, there are a number of higher education institutions they can consider. They and their parents can take a look at the following:
Hillsborough Community College (HCC)
HCC ranks eighth in the state in number of students and ranks 20th in the number of associate degrees conferred.
University of South Florida (USF)
USF offers 232 degree programs and serves more than 47,000 students. It’s one of only 25 public research universities in the country and has been cited by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
University of Tampa (UT)
UT’s downtown location facilitates internship and work. This May, UT will honor more than 1,200 students at its 130th commencement event.
Hillsborough Technical Centers (HiTEC)
HiTEC has five campuses that offer training to adult learners, namely Brewster, Aparicio-Levy, Erwin, Learey, and Tampa Bay Technical Evening center.
There are more than 25 universities and colleges in the Tampa area, charging among the lowest tuition fees in the country. Thousands of students have been coming or moving to Tampa from other U.S. states and other countries to take advantage of quality but affordable higher education.
Families looking for Tampa homes can contact Tampa4U.com, a team of friendly real estate professionals.