Tampa, FL. — Almost two dozen Hillsborough County schools with D and F letter grades last school year are celebrating big gains this year.

The district’s Transformation Network announced all but 5 of the schools saw jumps of one to two letter grades, leaving only five schools in Hillsborough County that are failing, or near failing, by state standards.

Palm River Elementary School is what the district considers its shining star of the transformation network, jumping from an F letter grade in recent years, to a B this school year.

Zuricarridice Brown, a 5th grader, is just one of dozens of students tasked with a challenge by the school to help turn things around.

“I listened to my teachers. I came to school on time. And the teachers taught me strategies, and I made sure that I carried those strategies on to my tests,” said Brown. “We have seen substantial growth in our student achievement data.”

Shauylia McRae is chief of the Transformation Network.

She said by closely watching academic data at troubled schools, shuffling principals and using specialized coaches to work with teachers, the district has reduced the number of D and F schools by more than 80% since the program started two years ago.

“This systematic, targeted support that we have been able to instill in our transformation network has been a game changer in the schools we are serving,” said McRae.

The district’s transformation network is continuing to work at Palm River Elementary and other schools to boost grade levels even further.