Divya Kumar

Tampa

Higher Education Reporter at Tampa Bay Times

✍🏾 Higher ed @TB_Times, in partnership with @opencampusmedia. Before: @columbiajourn, @ABCInvestigates Intern, @USFOracle EIC. Email: [email protected].

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Articles

Under fire from state, Hillsborough’s Ayres pledges to pull more books

3 days ago | tampabay.com | Divya Kumar

Hillsborough County schools Superintendent Van Ayres pledged to remove more books from district shelves during a heated state Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, as board members suggested firing all county media specialists or exploring criminal charges as possible alternatives. The meeting in Miami followed letters from Education Commissioner Manny Diaz and Attorney General James Uthmeier sharing concerns about the content of six books including “pornographic materials” in school shelves.
10 Hillsborough schools are getting new principals

3 days ago | tampabay.com | Divya Kumar

The Hillsborough County School Board approved 10 new principals this week. Pablo Gallego Alvarez, principal of Pierce Middle School, will become principal of Farnell Middle. He began his career in Hillsborough County as a physical education teacher in 2002. Valerie Newton, principal of Blake High, will become principal of Madison Middle. She began her career in Hillsborough County in 2001 as a physical science teacher at Blake.
10 Hillsborough schools are getting new principals

3 days ago | yahoo.com | Divya Kumar

The Hillsborough County School Board approved 10 new principals this week. Pablo Gallego Alvarez, principal of Pierce Middle School, will become principal of Farnell Middle. He began his career in Hillsborough County as a physical education teacher in 2002. Valerie Newton, principal of Blake High, will become principal of Madison Middle. She began her career in Hillsborough County in 2001 as a physical science teacher at Blake.
Diez escuelas del condado de Hillsborough tendrĂ¡n nuevos directores

3 days ago | centrotampabay.com | Divya Kumar

La Junta Escolar del Condado de Hillsborough aprobó esta semana el nombramiento de 10 nuevos directores. Pablo Gallego Álvarez, director de Pierce Middle School, se convertirá en el nuevo director de Farnell Middle. Comenzó su carrera en el condado de Hillsborough como maestro de educación física en 2002. Valerie Newton, directora de Blake High, será la nueva directora de Madison Middle. Inició su carrera en Hillsborough en 2001 como profesora de ciencias físicas en Blake.
Hillsborough school board grills superintendent over book removals

4 days ago | tampabay.com | Divya Kumar

TAMPA — Days before he is expected to discuss his district’s removal of library books before state leaders, Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent Van Ayres faced scrutiny from all directions at a heated school board meeting Monday — including from members of his own board. In May, Education Commissioner Manny Diaz sent a letter calling for the removal of two books from Hillsborough shelves over concerns about their content.
School lunch prices are going up around Tampa Bay. Here’s why.

1 week ago | tampabay.com | Divya Kumar

Students across Tampa Bay will face higher meal costs as school districts struggle to balance rising food prices and uncertainty from the federal government. In Pinellas County, elementary school lunch prices will rise by 50 cents to $2.75, by 40 cents to $3.15 in middle school and by $1 to $4.50 in high school. Pasco County elementary and middle school lunch prices will increase by 15 cents to $3.40 and by 20 cents to $3.95 in high school.
School lunch prices are going up around Tampa Bay. Here’s why.

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Divya Kumar

Students across Tampa Bay will face higher meal costs as school districts struggle to balance rising food prices and uncertainty from the federal government. In Pinellas County, elementary school lunch prices will rise by 50 cents to $2.75, by 40 cents to $3.15 in middle school and by $1 to $4.50 in high school. Pasco County elementary and middle school lunch prices will increase by 15 cents to $3.40 and by 20 cents to $3.95 in high school.
¿Cuántos estudiantes hay en las escuelas de Hillsborough? Las necesidades de personal dependen de ello

2 weeks ago | centrotampabay.com | Divya Kumar

Con algunas escuelas enfrentando recortes de personal el próximo año, los miembros de la junta escolar del condado de Hillsborough expresaron esta semana su frustración con el proceso de asignación de personal y rechazaron las afirmaciones del distrito de que la matrícula está creciendo. Creen que, en realidad, está disminuyendo, al menos en las escuelas tradicionales.
More books pulled from Florida classrooms after state pressure

2 weeks ago | gazettextra.com | Divya Kumar

By Divya Kumar - Tampa Bay Times (TNS) A fresh round of books - more than 600, by one estimate - have been taken out of circulation from Hillsborough County, Florida, classrooms after a letter from state officials ramped up pressure on school district officials. Those books include Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale," Toni Morrison's "Beloved" and Ari Folman's "Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Adaptation."Copyright 2025 Tribune Content Agency.
More books pulled from Florida classrooms after state pressure

2 weeks ago | swoknews.com | Divya Kumar

A fresh round of books — more than 600, by one estimate — have been taken out of circulation from Hillsborough County, Florida, classrooms after a letter from state officials ramped up pressure on school district officials. Those books include Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid‘s Tale," Toni Morrison’s "Beloved" and Ari Folman’s "Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation."kAmx?