Shaylia McRae

Shaylia McRae serves as the Deputy Superintendent of Academics and Transformation for Hillsborough County Public Schools, the nation’s seventh-largest school district. With more than 27 years of experience in public education, she leads the district’s academic and social priorities in service of nearly 220,000 students representing a richly diverse community.In her role, Ms. McRae provides strategic oversight of instructional quality, student support systems, and transformational initiatives designed to ensure every student has access to a high-quality, equitable learning experience. Her leadership is grounded in a deep belief that all children can thrive in the right learning environment, and her work consistently reflects a result-driven commitment to student success.Previously, Ms. McRae served as Chief of the Transformation Network, where she led one of the most significant school improvement efforts in the district’s history. Under her leadership, 48 of 50 schools improved their state accountability grades, contributing to a 96% reduction in D and F schools across Hillsborough County between 2020 and 2024. This work earned her recognition both locally and nationally as a rising star in Turnaround Education.Throughout her career, Ms. McRae has championed bold, innovative approaches to advancing equity and excellence in education. Her leadership emphasizes the development of high-achieving, collaborative school cultures, meaningful family and community engagement, and systems that empower educators and school leaders to succeed. She played a pivotal role in the creation of the district’s Hillsborough Principal Pipeline, a flagship leadership development program designed to prepare diverse, forward-thinking school leaders for the challenges of modern education.Ms. McRae also helped launch the Student Success Program, which delivered customized academic and social-emotional supports to more than 6,600 middle and high school students at risk of dropping out, reinforcing her commitment to meeting students where they are and supporting them toward graduation and post-secondary success.A fourth-generation educator, Ms. McRae proudly continues a family legacy of more than 100 years of service to education, deeply rooted in the Tampa Bay community. She holds an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Turnaround School Leadership, a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Education from the University of South Florida.