2027-28 School Zone Changes: Is Your Tampa Home Affected?

Did Hillsborough County change school zones for 2027-2028?

Yes. The Hillsborough County School Board approved a set of boundary changes for the 2027-2028 school year. Three schools are closing: Pizzo K-8, Graham Elementary, and Madison Middle. About a dozen other schools have boundary shifts tied to those closures. If you own a home or plan to buy one in Tampa Bay, this is worth a quick check, even if the changes turn out not to touch your street.

Are Seminole Heights, Wellswood, or Carrollwood affected?

No. I checked real addresses in each of these neighborhoods using the district's own locator tool. Seminole Heights stays zoned for Seminole Elementary, Memorial Middle, and Hillsborough High. Wellswood stays zoned for Mendenhall Elementary, Memorial Middle, and Hillsborough High. Carrollwood stays zoned for Carrollwood Elementary, Carrollwood K-8, and Chamberlain High. None of these three areas show any change for 2027-2028. If you already live in one of these neighborhoods, or you're house hunting there now, your kids' school situation stays exactly the same.

What's changing in Tampa Heights and Riverside Heights?

This is the real story. Homes in parts of Tampa Heights and Riverside Heights are zoned for Graham Elementary right now. Starting in the 2027-2028 school year, those students move to Broward Elementary instead. Middle and high school stay the same: Stewart Middle and Hillsborough High. If you're buying or selling in either of these neighborhoods, this is a detail worth mentioning up front, not something a buyer should discover after closing.

Is South Tampa affected by the 2027-2028 rezoning?

No. I checked addresses in Palma Ceia West, Beach Park, Swann Estates, Hyde Park, and Davis Islands. Palma Ceia West, Beach Park, and Swann Estates stay zoned for Grady Elementary, Coleman Middle, and Plant High. Hyde Park and Davis Islands stay zoned for Gorrie Elementary, Wilson Middle, and Plant High. None of these South Tampa pockets show any change for 2027-2028. These schools already carry a strong reputation in the area, and that isn't shifting either.

How can I check my own address for a school zone change?

Hillsborough County Public Schools has a free tool that shows your zoned schools for both 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 with just an address. Type in your street, and it lists your elementary, middle, and high school for each year side by side. If the schools match for both years, nothing is changing for you. If they don't match, that's your sign to look closer before making a decision.

Why do school boundaries change in growing counties like Hillsborough?

Hillsborough County Public Schools serves more than 213,000 students across over 300 schools, making it one of the largest districts in Florida. When new neighborhoods grow fast or a building ages out, the district has to shift lines somewhere to balance out classrooms. It rarely happens evenly. Some blocks get moved, and the block right next to it stays put. That's exactly why checking your own specific address matters more than trusting a general headline about "Hillsborough schools changing."

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Only about 15 schools total are directly involved, either closing or receiving reassigned students. Most schools and neighborhoods in the county see no change at all.

They take effect at the start of the 2027-2028 school year, not the upcoming 2026-2027 year. Families have time to plan ahead.

Students in the affected boundary move to Broward Elementary starting in 2027-2028. Middle and high school assignments for those same students don't change.

Not necessarily. It just means you should confirm the exact zoned schools for that specific address before making an offer, the same way you'd check flood zone or insurance costs.

Yes. Hillsborough County Public Schools offers a free address locator tool that shows your zoned elementary, middle, and high school for both the current and upcoming school year.

• Hillsborough County Public Schools, Adopted Boundary Changes (hillsboroughschools.org): confirms the 2027-2028 effective year and the Graham to Broward Elementary reassignment
• Hillsborough County Public Schools, HCPS School Zones Locator (gis.drmp.com): address-level zoned school confirmation for all neighborhoods named in this post
• Redfin, Tampa Housing Market (redfin.com): Tampa median sale price and average days on market as of July 2026
• The Small Team, Tampa Neighborhoods (thesmallteam.com): Seminole Heights entry-level pricing and Hillsborough County school enrollment figures