After days of difficult conversations and a multi-million dollar funding threat, Hillsborough County announced Thursday it has finalized its back to school plan.

Superintendent Addison Davis has been in Tallahassee all week, meeting with Florida’s Commissioner of Education, Richard Corcoran.

The state took issue with Hillsborough’s plan to delay in-person learning because it did not comply with the governor’s executive order mandating all districts provide a traditional schooling option.

That led Corcoran to threaten pulling $23 million in funding from Hillsborough County Schools.

If schools in the county didn’t reopen for in-person classes at all, they could have lost up to $200 million.

“To them and their point – They didn’t want to have inconsistencies with plans across the state, and as a professional, I understand that,” Superintendent Addison Davis said Thursday during a news conference.

Now, the district is falling in line.

Davis announced the state agreed to allow the district to hold all classes virtually for the first week of school, starting on August 24.

Then, campuses will open to students on August 31.

“We’ve got to get to a point where we’re back to somewhat of normalcy,” Davis said. “I’m disappointed in the fact I couldn’t bring this community back somewhat of a compromise.”

Davis anticipates having to close classrooms – or possible entire schools – if COVID-19 starts to spread on campuses. He said the district has rapid response teams ready, and processes are in place for any potential outbreak.

According to the superintendent, the district is still finalizing its enrollment numbers, but about 86 percent of families have returned the form stating whether they plan to have students return to classrooms or learn virtually.