As Hillsborough County Public Schools enters a new academic year, Superintendent Van Ayres reflects on the district’s remarkable achievements and ambitious goals. Under his leadership, the district has reached historic milestones — from record-breaking graduation rates to expanding advanced learning opportunities for thousands of students.

With a steadfast focus on literacy, teacher excellence and student choice, Hillsborough County Public Schools is not just keeping pace but leading the way toward a brighter future. Superintendent Ayres sat down to answer some questions for parents as we set to begin the 2025-2026 school year.

This is the beginning of your third year as Superintendent. What achievements are you most proud of?

Van Ayres: How much room do I have? (Laughs) I’m incredibly proud of our schools — and “proud” is an understatement. Just recently, we learned that 98% of our schools earned an A, B, or C grade for the 2024-2025 school year.

Considering we have 233 K-12 school sites, that’s truly remarkable. Our principals and staff work tirelessly every day to ensure our students receive the best education and resources to prepare them for each new grade and beyond.

Another highlight is our district’s graduation rate. For the 2023-2024 school year, we celebrated the highest graduation rate in our history — 88%! We will get this past year’s numbers in December, and we are expecting another record-breaking year. At the ceremony in May, I shook the hands of about 15,000 graduates.

Every time a student crossed the stage, I thought about the 13 years of hard work they and our staff put in to reach that milestone. It’s also worth noting that our graduates are making a mark across the globe in every field imaginable. Few districts can say that, but we can.

What are your goals and priorities for the upcoming school year?

Van Ayres: We are just one percentage point away from being an A-rated school district. I want that point. I’m confident we’re headed in the right direction, and with the dedication of our teachers and staff, we will get there.

Reading proficiency is a top priority. Literacy is foundational — no child can succeed without strong reading skills. While we’ve made significant progress and are improving faster than the state average in ELA proficiency, some students still struggle to read. That simply can’t happen.

We rolled out programs like the UFLI curriculum, which emphasizes phonemic awareness, phonics and basic word structure. The program bolstered our early learning teams to get students ready from the start. Literacy will remain a core focus year after year.

Another priority is recruiting and retaining highly effective teachers. Thanks to 67% of Hillsborough County voters approving our recent millage referendum, we can increase salaries to keep great educators here. We’re fortunate to have the University of South Florida’s College of Education nearby — it’s one of the best in the nation.

Now we have to make sure these talented educators want to teach here, and that our current teachers stay. Culture plays a huge role, and I believe our principals are doing an outstanding job creating schools where teachers want to be.

The district’s theme this year is “Leading the Way.” In what areas is Hillsborough County Public Schools leading?

Van Ayres: We’re leading in many areas, but I’m particularly excited about our Accelerated Options for families. Our students want more challenging opportunities, and we’re delivering. From Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate to Cambridge AICE, Dual Enrollment and Industry Certifications — the options are vast.

For example, hundreds of our students graduate high school with their college associate’s degree already in hand, giving them a huge advantage. Last year, we saw a 4% increase in students taking AP exams and earning scores of 3 or higher — the highest rate ever. We also awarded 387 IB diplomas in May, and demand for these rigorous programs continues to grow. Students who earn an IB diploma, Cambridge AICE diploma or the new AP Capstone diploma now qualify for top-tier Bright Futures scholarships.

Career and Technical Education is another strength. More than 50,000 students enrolled in CTE classes last year, with more than 20,000 earning industry certifications. No matter the path, we have exciting opportunities for every student.

Tell us about Choice and Magnet programs and why they matter to the district.

Van Ayres: Some students know early on what they want to pursue. Our Choice and Magnet programs give them a chance to dive deep into those interests. Both of my kids chose their high schools based on Magnet offerings — my son attended Robinson for IB, and my daughter chose Blake for performing arts.

These programs offer alternative learning methods that better fit some students. While IB often gets the spotlight, we also offer programs in veterinary science, agriculture, computer science, business, criminal justice, culinary arts and more. I encourage families to explore all the amazing magnet and choice options at HillsboroughSchools.org/magnet.

What keeps you up at night?

Van Ayres: Ensuring every classroom has a highly effective teacher. That’s it — period.

What’s your favorite part of being Superintendent?

Van Ayres: Visiting classrooms and seeing the great work firsthand. Toward the end of last year, I watched a kindergarten UFLI lesson and was amazed at how 5- and 6-year-olds were mastering sounds and beginning to read.

Then, at the opposite end of the spectrum, graduations are always a highlight. Seeing the graduates, with all the emotion as they accept their diplomas — that makes every challenge worth it.

Finally, what message do you have for parents?

Van Ayres: Partner with us. Be involved. Make sure your child is in school every day, all day. Attendance matters more than anything. There’s nothing like being in front of a highly qualified teacher. If you ensure your child is present and engaged, that’s the best thing you can do for their success.

Recent HCPS Athletics Accolades:

Middle School Girls Basketball Champion: Turner Bartels K-8
Middle School Boys Basketball Champion: Sligh Middle Magnet School
Middle School Girls Volleyball Champion: Wilson Middle School
Middle School Boys Volleyball Champion: Tomlin Middle School
Middle School Girls Track Champion: York K-8
Middle School Boys Track Champion: Sligh Middle Magnet School
Middle School Girls Soccer Champion: Randall Middle School
Middle School Boys Soccer Champion: Martinez Middle School
FHSAA Class 2A Girls Lacrosse State Champions: Plant High School
FHSAA Class 4A Girls Flag Football State Champions: Alonso High School
FHSAA Class 2A Girls Flag Football State Champions: Robinson High School
FHSAA State Boys Swimming Individual Champion: Gaither High School
FHSAA State Cheer Champions: Plant City High School, Strawberry Crest High School
FHSAA State Girls Basketball Champions: Bloomingdale High School
UCA NHSCC National Cheerleading Champions: Bloomingdale High School, Plant City High School

Check out our ‘Kid to Know' Feature: Bloomingdale High School Basketball player, Kniya Godfrey

Recent HCPS STEM Accolades:

Approximately five hundred HCPS students from 26 of our 28 high schools attended the 9-12 Math Bowl at the University of South Florida.
Middleton High School (Tampa) students qualified for the Robotics World Championship and won the Rising All-Star Award.
Three HCPS students qualified for the International Science and Engineering Fair.
Students from Randall Middle School in Lithia were selected to have their science experiment flown to the International Space Station as part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP). This is the district's 12th year of launching a project with SSEP, making us the longest-continuing K-12 district in the country to do so.
A group of students from Williams Middle Magnet School in Tampa did well in the national CyberPatriot Competition this year.
Robotics teams from Coleman Middle School in Riverview (Teacher: Brian Jones), Rogers Middle Magnet School in Tampa (Teacher: Michael Wilson), and Randall Middle School in Lithia (Teacher: Stevie Hodgkins) competed in the Vex Robotics State Competition.

Check out our ‘Kid to Know' Feature: Walker Middle Magnet School STEM Student, Aahan Swain

Recent HCPS Arts and Magnet School Accolades:

Blake High School’s music department claimed its first alumnus to receive a Grammy, rapper Doechii.
Blake High School represented Hillsborough County Public Schools at the Straz Center's Broadway Star of the Future Blake student Jayden Vega and “Urinetown” Production won big. Vega was one of only six students statewide advancing to New York City this June to compete in the Jimmy Awards®—the National High School Musical Theatre Awards. He spent a week in workshops with Broadway professionals, culminating in a performance on a Broadway stage before top directors, casting agents and educators.
Magnet Schools of America recognized nineteen HCPS Magnet Schools as Merit Award Winners for the 2024-2025 school year. Orange Grove Middle Magnet and Walker Middle Magnet IB World School were awarded Top Awards of Excellence. Additionally, four schools were named Merit Schools of Excellence, and thirteen were named Merit Awards of Distinction.

Check out our ‘Kid to Know' Feature: Blake High School Dance Magnet student, Samira Garcia

Originally published in the August 2025 issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine.

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Leading the Way: A Vision for Excellence in Hillsborough County Public Schools