Single-Gender Schools To Come To Tampa

Two Hillsborough County schools are scheduled to change into single gender schools for the 2011-2012 school year.

Franklin Magnet Middle School and Ferrell Magnet Middle school will both turn into preparatory academies for boys and girls.

Boys will go to Franklin Middle School and girls will attend Ferrell Middle School.

This comes after the school district tested out similar programs in elementary classes. After seeing test scores improve, the State gave Hillsborough approval of the proposal.

Steve Hegarty,a spokesman for Hillsborough County Public Schools said this will be a positive step for students and parents.

"This is something we've tried in small pilots in some of our schools in the past and it's gone very well," Hegarty said. "It's gone very very well. It's a way of offering parents choices."

The Hillsborough County school district obtained a multi-million dollar grant and used some of the funds for the development of the programs.

There will be a choice application process for new students to enroll in the school or for current students, to continue going to the school.

Hegarty said that switching to a single-gender school will prove beneficial for students.

"What we have found is that there are fewer distractions and more focus on school work and fewer discipline problems," Hegarty said.

The two schools will also come equipped with new technology. Each student will have an iPad to use for the school year.

Future plans for middle schools in the district include the addition of international baccalaureate (IB) classes.