Since 1989, I’ve been lucky enough to call St. Petersburg my home. Over the years, I’ve seen our community face many challenges head-on and come out stronger. But one moment stands out.
It was August 2015 when a headline hit hard: “Why Pinellas County is the worst place in Florida to be Black and go to public school.” If you were here then, you remember how those words stopped us all in our tracks. The article highlighted five schools, calling them some of the worst in the state. That was a sobering wake-up call for our entire community.
At the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, our mission is to foster economic growth and prosperity for all. That headline made us question how we could do better for everyone in our city. The series of Tampa Bay Times articles, known as “Failure Factories” (and eventually Pulitzer Prize-winning), laid bare how Pinellas County had failed its children — our future.
But in true St. Pete fashion, we didn’t let it stop there. A group of community leaders came together to take on the challenge. Folks like the Rev. Watson Haynes II and Dr. William Law Jr. joined forces, and we all made a promise: We were going to turn this around. We were going to restore pride, not just in our schools but in every corner of this community.
Fast forward to today, and I’m proud to say we’ve made incredible progress. This year, for the first time in two decades, Pinellas County schools earned an A district rating, and not a single school got a D or F grade. That’s a huge shift. Look around at our neighbors in Pasco and Hillsborough, and you’ll see that they haven’t been able to make the same strides. Now we have another chance to keep that momentum going.
This November, we’re being asked to support a referendum to increase the millage rate from half a mill to a full mill. And I’m here to tell you: This is our opportunity to show up for our schools once again.
Over the years, the leadership in Pinellas County has used referendum funds to improve our schools, recruit and retain the best educators, and ensure our students have what they need to succeed. Teachers are receiving salary supplements, $6,328 this year alone. Arts programs that had faded away are returning stronger than ever, giving our kids the chance to dream big. And perhaps most important, we’re tackling early literacy head-on. Did you know nearly 90% of students who don’t graduate high school struggle with reading by the third grade? Here in Pinellas, 63% of our third graders are now reading at or above grade level. That’s well above the state average and a marked improvement over last year.
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I get it. Tax increases aren’t something we take lightly, especially now. But I’m also a numbers guy, and when you look at the Pinellas County budget for 2025, you’ll see something remarkable. Ten out of 23 millage rates are actually being reduced, which means that while we’re asking for more in one area, we’re offering some relief in others.
It’s easy to forget just how central our schools are to the fabric of this community until something big happens to remind us. Hurricanes Helene and Milton, for example, brought us together in ways that only crises can. Many of us sought shelter in our schools, which were staffed by teachers and support personnel who volunteered their time to keep us safe. Those experiences drive home the point: Our schools are more than just places for learning; they are cornerstones of our community.
Education is the key to ensuring a bright future for all of us. It empowers individuals, lifts families and strengthens communities. And as we work to create economic growth and opportunity here in St. Pete, we must keep investing in our schools. Our progress since 2015 shows what’s possible when we come together, but we still have work to do.
So I urge you: Let’s keep this momentum going. Let’s continue building a stronger future for St. Pete. Support the Pinellas County schools referendum on Nov. 5, and let’s ensure that our community thrives for generations to come.
Chris Steinocher is president and CEO of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce.
