School District Seeks Feedback

The Hillsborough County School District is seeking public comment on a federal waiver it will soon request from the United States Department of Education.

The district is requesting a waiver of the 5 percent cap on financial incentives and rewards used to recruit highly effective teachers to schools in need of improvement.

A provision in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act places a cap on the amount of Title I dollars that can be used for recruiting and retention purposes. A state waiver put in place as part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is set to expire Sept. 30.

The new waiver's approval would allow the district continued flexibility with its existing Title I grant for the upcoming school year, and it does not request additional funds, said Jeff Eakins, general director of federal programs for the district.

"Our goal is to put the very best teachers in front of all students," Eakins said, adding that aligning more of the district's resources with high needs schools is a priority.

With the implementation of its Empowering Effective Teachers initiative, the district is constantly looking at the best ways to align resources with the needs of its schools, Eakins said.

A public comment period is required for all federal waiver requests, Eakins said. The public can access the waiver and provide feedback until May 2.

Comments will be attached to the waiver when it is submitted to the Department of Education. The waiver will affect budget planning for the 2011-12 school year, so a quick-turnaround on a waiver decision is expected, Eakins said.

Members of the public can access the waiver and submit their comments at http://www.sdhc.k12.fl.us/title1/waiver.asp.