| The Tampa schools are a member of the | | | | - 183 students expelled; |
| Hillsborough County School District, in which | | | | |
| the Disciplinary Committee resides. The | | | | - 660 recommended for change of school |
| disciplinary panel deals with the troubled | | | | placement; |
| youth who commit serious offenses and policy | | | | |
| violations at school. The panel imposes such | | | | - More than 400 were exceptional education |
| measures as expulsion or reassignment to | | | | students, who legally cannot be expelled and |
| another school. | | | | were recommended for change of school |
| | | | placement; and |
| This past school year of 2005-2006 had the | | | | |
| lowest number of referrals to this | | | | - 113 received no expulsion or change of |
| disciplinary panel than any other since the | | | | school placement. |
| 1998-1999 school year. | | | | |
| | | | The panel also saw a drop in weapons |
| Tampa schools, along with the other school | | | | referrals. In the 2004-2005 school years, |
| districts, have been trying harder to solve | | | | there were 336 weapons offenses. In |
| student problems in-school, before making | | | | 2005-2006, they received 311 weapons |
| referrals to the panel. This obviously has | | | | referrals, of which 19 percent were firearms. |
| increased the number of in-school suspensions | | | | The surprising statistic is that more middle |
| over previous years; however, the Tampa | | | | school students brought firearms to school |
| schools believe their mission is to teach | | | | than high school students, though this trend |
| children - and you cannot teach those who are | | | | was seen in Pasco, Pinellas and Polk |
| not attending school. Tampa schools have | | | | counties, as well. |
| cautioned their principals to be more patient | | | | |
| and tolerant with problem students, when | | | | Principal Katie Hoffman, of the Tampa |
| their offenses do not hold a danger to other | | | | schools' Madison Middle School, believes that |
| students, educators and school employees. | | | | the psychological development and maturity |
| Additionally, Tampa schools educators have | | | | level of this age group may have something to |
| been educating students more aggressively on | | | | do with the high statistics. She believes |
| the district's zero tolerance of violent acts | | | | that children at this age try to impress |
| and other serious offenses, strongly | | | | others at a higher rate than high school |
| stressing the consequences of such acts. | | | | students, testing their limits and succumbing |
| | | | to peer pressure to prove themselves. |
| The Hillsborough County School District has | | | | |
| about 191,000 students, many of which belong | | | | Unfortunately for the Tampa schools, their |
| to the Tampa schools (the county seat). In | | | | Chamberlain Senior High School had the most |
| the 2004-2005 school year, 1,602 students | | | | overall referrals with 49. Tampa schools' |
| were referred to the panel for hearings. | | | | Blake High School came in second with 40. The |
| Those referrals decreased to 1,369 students | | | | Tampa schools' also led the way for |
| in the 2005-2006 school year. These resulted | | | | elementary offense referrals with five for |
| in: | | | | Cahoon Elementary. |
| | | | |