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Bill to make superintendent an elected position
FOX 13’s Aaron Mesmer reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - Voters in Hillsborough County could soon decide whether they want to elect their school superintendent rather than have the position appointed by the school board.
What we know:
Florida lawmakers recently approved a bill that would place the question on the November ballot that still needs the governor’s signature. If that happens and voters approve it, the county will begin electing its superintendent of schools starting in 2028.
The legislation was proposed by Florida Rep. Michael Owen, who said the goal is to give residents a direct voice in selecting the leader of one of the largest school districts in the country.
"I believe in the voters in Hillsborough County. I believe they can look at a superintendent just like they do a sheriff, just like they do a tax collector, just like they do a property appraiser," Owen said last month.
Dig deeper:
The change would affect Hillsborough County Public Schools, which is the seventh-largest school district in the United States. Currently, the district’s superintendent is selected by the school board after a nationwide search process.
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Van Ayres is the district’s current superintendent and is the fourth person appointed to the job by the board in the last decade. If voters approve the referendum, Hillsborough will join many smaller Florida districts where the superintendent is elected by voters.
What they're saying:
Owen said the proposal is about letting residents make that choice.
"That's what this bill is about: to give it to the voters to make a decision," Owen said.
Some members of the Hillsborough County School Board say the change could create challenges for the district. Board member Nadia Combs warned it could lead to instability.
"It would create so much chaos. It's shocking that somebody would bring this," Combs said.
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Board member Jessica Vaughn said an election could shift the focus away from educational experience and toward campaign politics.
"We're going to be basing the person who's running our school district on electability and not necessarily their experience in education," Vaughn said.
Combs also raised concerns that outside political forces could influence the race.
"You're also going to be influenced by a political party. You're going to also be influenced by PACs, you are going to be influenced by special interests, vendors," Combs said.
The backstory:
Most of Florida’s largest school districts appoint their superintendents through their elected school boards. Across the state, the 10 biggest districts use an appointment system while many smaller districts elect their superintendents.
Florida is one of only two states in the country where voters can elect district superintendents. The other is Alabama.
The other side:
Opponents of the Hillsborough proposal argue voters already have input in the process by choosing the school board members who make the hiring decision. Some also believe the legislation specifically targets the district.
"It feels like the legislators who brought it forward are very frustrated about the current school board and felt like they couldn't beat us in the slash election cycle and so, instead, they're trying to kind of supersede and place a superintendent in the school district," Vaughn said.
Unlike an appointed superintendent, an elected one cannot be removed by the school board. Only the governor would have the authority to remove that person from office.
What's next:
If the bill becomes law, Hillsborough County voters would see the referendum on their ballot in November. If approved, the county would begin electing its superintendent in 2028.
The Source: Information in this story came from legislative proceedings in Tallahassee and interviews with members of the Hillsborough County School Board.