TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Hillsborough County students are preparing to return to school on Aug. 10, and there will be some last-minute changes for many.

As the school year starts, acting Superintendent Van Ayres says there are a number of teaching vacancies to fill.

“At this point, coming from a place where we were in June where we had over 1,000 teacher vacancies. Our principals have worked extremely hard. We’ve got that number down to 455 now,” said Ayres.

He said the district is working with a temp agency and will fill many of the openings with full-time substitutes.

There are also changes when it comes to the courses that are available. Florida’s Board of Education notified the College Board that its popular AP Psychology class violates state law.
The course teaches, among other things “how sex and gender influence socialization and other aspects of development.”

“Coming just days from the start of school, it derails the college readiness and affordability plans of tens of thousands of Florida students currently registered for AP Psychology, one of the most popular AP classes in the state,” the College Board said in a statement.

“Students look forward to AP Psychology. It’s a beautiful course to teach, it helps them grow and it helps their self esteem,” said Hillsborough County School Board member, Lynn Gray, who once taught the class.

Late Friday, the district announced the more than 1,800 students currently enrolled in AP Psychology courses will now automatically be enrolled in AICE Psychology, which is part of the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education program.

Students will want to check with their individual guidance counselors to see how the change may impact their grades and college applications.