Pizzo K‑8 teachers protest

Teachers at Pizzo K-8 returned to the Hillsborough County School Board this week and said the fight over their school is not over. (tampabay.com) The latest board meeting came after the board voted on April 7 to close Pizzo K-8 after the 2026-27 school year. Hillsborough County Public Schools lists that April 7 regular meeting in its archive, and local coverage said Pizzo was one of three schools approved for closure. (hillsboroughschools.org) (wusf.org) Pizzo is unusual in this round of closures because district officials said the school is not being shut for low enrollment. The district’s reassignment summary said the school’s University of South Florida lease cost $613,800 in 2025-26 and would total $8,088,326 over 10 years, not counting maintenance and repairs. (go.boarddocs.com) That same district summary said Pizzo serves an area of about 900 kindergarten through fifth grade students and sixth through eighth grade choice students. If the closure stands, kindergarten through fifth grade students would be reassigned to nearby elementary schools and sixth through eighth grade students would return to their zoned middle schools in 2027-28. (go.boarddocs.com) The dispute has been building for months. WUSF reported on March 12 that Pizzo’s closure was tied to what district leaders called an untenable lease hike, and on March 19 it reported about 50 parents, teachers, students and supporters gathering at Rotary Riverfront Park with “Save Pizzo” signs. (wusf.org 1) (wusf.org 2) The school also has a long tie to the University of South Florida campus. The Oracle reported that Pizzo has operated on a 12-acre site subleased from USF since 1998 and functions as a professional development school that trains future teachers. (usforacle.com) District leaders have framed the decision as part of a broader consolidation plan. WUSF reported that Hillsborough also approved closing Graham Elementary and Madison Middle, while saying the district is trying to improve operational efficiency as enrollment patterns shift. (wusf.org) Board members and critics have described the Pizzo case differently. WUSF reported Board Chair Karen Perez called USF’s move an “economic eviction,” while other opponents asked the district to pause the vote or keep Pizzo students together at one site instead of splitting them across schools. (wusf.org 1) (wusf.org 2) Pizzo’s own school webpage still identifies Danielle Flanders as principal and continues to post 2026 school updates as families plan for next year. The teachers’ message to the board landed in that gap between an approved closure date and a school community still trying to change it. (hillsboroughschools.org)