Hillsborough County Public Schools Sets New Record for High School Graduation Rate

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HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Hillsborough County Public Schools have reached a significant milestone they’ve pursued for years. The district celebrated a record-high graduation rate for high schools in the 2024-2025 academic year, marking its best performance to date.

This achievement stems from a strategic approach focusing on students by meticulously monitoring test scores and grade point averages, contributing to this remarkable success for HCPS.

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“There’s a palpable excitement across the board. We have an outstanding team that has dedicated themselves to this objective, so witnessing the fruits of our labor is incredibly rewarding,” remarked Superintendent Van Ayres.

According to the superintendent, the district hit a 90.9% graduation rate last year, a goal they have been striving for since 2015. Over the years, there have been changes, including updated benchmark graduation criteria.

In recent years, teacher and staff shortages and vacancies were a concern for the success of all students. Before the mileage referendum passed in the county in 2024, there were 500 to 600 vacancies.

The Florida Education Association said their latest data shows an uptick in vacancies and has Hillsborough County at 340 teacher vacancies as of Jan. 8, 2026. Ayres said this number fluctuates.

“We’re at about 200 instructional vacancies right now. And if you look across the school, we have 13,000 teachers. We are now almost 98% of our positions are filled. So that millage referendum that we passed back in 2024 really made a big impact and allowed us to be competitive and remain competitive,” Ayres said.

Parents and Hillsborough County graduates said they are glad the gap at any point didn’t stop the graduates.

“It’s tough. You know, the market is huge for teachers and everything. But they continued to have that success, which is great. And they continue to pull in good teachers,” said one woman.

The district said the achievement gap continues to close, ensuring more students have access to opportunities. They highlight these demographics with significant increases: