How Tampa Bay schools shape economic growth

Key points:

• • Tampa Bay’s sustained in-migration is increasing pressure on K-12 systems as a core driver of long-term economic sustainability.
• • Schools are leveraging partnerships with healthcare, arts, and civic institutions to connect classroom learning to real-world sectors.
• • Population growth is fueling school expansion, renovations, and adaptive reuse while raising the stakes for quality and workforce readiness.

February 2026 — Since 2020, Tampa Bay has experienced sustained in-migration, with the resident population increasing by about 7.4%, according to U.S. Census estimates. As housing supply expands and communities densify across the region, K-12 education is becoming one of the most important inputs to long-term economic sustainability.

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Schools shaping communities

As Tampa’s urban core becomes more connected and institutionally dense, some schools are integrating city assets directly into student learning. Kevin Plummer, head of school at Tampa Preparatory School, described how proximity can translate into daily academic advantage. “Being a downtown school allows us to view the city as our classroom. On the science side, we partner with Tampa General Hospital, BayCare Health System, AdventHealth, and Moffitt Cancer Center,” Plummer told Invest:.

He also pointed to the role of arts and culture as part of a broader educational ecosystem. “Our art students regularly walk across the street to the Tampa Museum of Art, where many of them recently won Scholastic Art awards.” Location enables a smoother blend of curriculum and real-world experience, with Plummer noting, “Our proximity to institutions like the Straz Center makes it possible to integrate real-world experiences seamlessly into learning.”

In a growing region, these partnerships create earlier exposure to key local sectors such as healthcare and the arts and help students connect classroom learning to tangible career paths and community institutions.

How growth raises the stakes

Rapid population growth can boost demand for high-quality schools, but it also tests how institutions maintain identity and outcomes while scaling. Plummer described a challenge that emerges when a region becomes increasingly attractive. “Tampa’s growth has made it an incredibly attractive place to live, and for us, the challenge is finding what I call ‘mission-critical families.’ We want families who buy into our mission to think, create, be yourself, aspire to excellence, and go beyond,” Plummer said.

Families are not only choosing districts but also programs and environments that align with what they want for their children. Maintaining quality, culture, and student support becomes as important as increasing enrollment capacity.

More families means more classrooms

Population growth inevitably drives infrastructure pressure, and schools are part of that equation. Yet as land becomes scarcer and development intensifies, expansion often shifts from new builds to modernization, renovation, and adaptive reuse.

In an interview with Invest:, Jake Nellis, senior vice president and office leader for JE Dunn Construction in Tampa, said “Net migration means more schools, and given the finite supply of land, there is also an increased focus on renovations and adaptive reuse, rather than only new construction.”

Nellis also highlighted a practical constraint that defines education construction in growth markets. “We see that trend in both K-12 and higher education, and it is often tied to ensuring campuses remain operational while work is underway.”

A workforce strategy hiding in plain sight

Tampa Bay’s economy spans healthcare, finance, logistics, tourism, defense and a growing innovation ecosystem. While higher education and technical programs are critical to workforce readiness, the foundation is built earlier. Strong K-12 systems develop the basic and durable skills employers depend on — literacy, numeracy, communication, critical thinking, and teamwork.

As employers look for regions that can supply talent reliably, K-12 quality affects whether companies can recruit and retain employees, whether families see the region as a long-term home, and whether local students can grow into the workforce needs created by Tampa Bay’s expansion.

Want more? Read the Invest: Tampa Bay report.