Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent Addison Davis resigns

TAMPA, Fla. - The Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent Addison Davis submitted his resignation Thursday, informing staff and families in the district that he's stepping down next month.

In his two-page resignation letter, Davis said he plans to move to Northeast Florida, where his family lives. He did not indicate whether he's in line for any other position.

Superintendent Davis has dealt with several crises since taking the job in March 2020. He was immediately tasked with leading the district through the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Not long after that began, he helped dig the school system out of a $150 million financial deficit that nearly led to a state takeover of the district. In the last 12 months, voters rebuffed his efforts to pass a property tax to raise teacher pay, followed by contentious meetings regarding the re-drawing of school boundaries.

"The principles that he's put into place and the leadership has been amazing," said School Board Chair Nadia Combs.

Davis’ last day will be July 14, ending his tenure years before the end of his contract, which was recently extended to 2027.

The school board will soon choose an interim superintendent before launching a search for a full-time replacement. The job may not get much easier for the district's next leader; there's an ongoing teacher shortage with 1,082 classroom vacancies as of Thursday. 

There's also the challenge of new boundaries that will likely be in place for the 2024-25 school year and there are more than a dozen new education laws on the books in Florida. 

During a recent school board workshop, board members acknowledged more financial issues could also be looming, with costs increasing to record levels and state funding remaining near the bottom nationally.

Combs said the district needs to find someone who will stick around.

"Everybody wants somebody who's going to be here long term," Combs said. "We don't want a superintendent here who's going to be here for a year or two, so someone who's going to be resilient. It's a difficult job. It's a hard job, but it is the most important job in our community."

In his resignation letter, Davis wrote:

"I am thankful for every employee in our organization as we have collectively made remarkable improvements in student performance and operational outcomes. Without a doubt, Hillsborough County is a great place to live, learn, raise a family, and receive an outstanding education. With great respect and admiration, I appreciate the opportunities provided to me and wish Hillsborough County Public Schools nothing but the best as they continue to 'Prepare Students for Life.'"

Read his full resignation letter below:

Hillsborough's deputy superintendent also left this week to take over as Sarasota County Schools' superintendent.

Hillsborough school board member Jessica Vaughn wonders whether the state will get involved in the search.

"That to me is going to be the biggest challenge. Are we collectively as a county, going to be able to decide what's best for us, or is the state going to come in and kind of overrule what we feel is the best and make the decision for us?" Vaughn asked, adding some advice for families. "Instead of using this as an opportunity to pull apart, we come together and stay focused and make the best decision that we're allowed to make. So I just want to tell everybody: it's going to be okay."

Davis is the 18th superintendent in Florida to either resign or be replaced in the last 18 months. Of the 29 superintendents who are appointed, 25 have now changed since 2020.