Our History

In 2005, Pro Football Hall of Fame Bucs Linebacker Derrick Brooks and the Edward J. DeBartolo Family joined forces, through their charitable organizations, to create Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School (BDCHS). Their goal was to open a school that would provide a quality education, similar to that of the numerous private schools in Tampa, but without the staggering price and to provide a higher opportunity for achievement to students who may otherwise not excel in a large classroom setting.

Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School became a reality in 2007, when the Charter application was approved by the Hillsborough County School Board. The school officially opened its doors in August of 2007, becoming the only traditional charter high school in the Tampa Bay area. The inaugural student body consisted of 183 students in grades 9-11. Grade 12 was added the following year.

In 2008, BDCHS added athletics to its program. The school is now a full member of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) and is eligible to participate in the State Championship Series in Class 2A District 10. BDCHS offers eight sports, including volleyball, bowling, girls’ and boys’ basketball, softball, baseball, girls and boys soccer, tennis, and golf. In just three years of competition and only one year of post-season eligibility, the school has earned four Class 2A District 10 Runner-up trophies, as well as one Regional Championship and a State Finals appearance by the baseball team.

In its fourth year, BDCHS was among eight Hillsborough County public high schools and 140 schools statewide that received an “A” grade from the Florida Department of Education. The school also graduated its first freshmen class in 2011, growing its alumni to more than 120 students. Many of these alumni were accepted to universities such as Howard University, Villanova University, University of Pittsburgh, the University of South Florida, the University of Tampa, the University of Florida, and Florida State University.

In 2012, BDCHS moved to a beautiful 11 acre campus and earned another A grade from the FLDOE. The school has continued to “Soar to New Heights” by being named one of “America’s Most Challenging High Schools” by the Washington Post, a Non-Profit of the Year finalist by the Tampa Bay Business Journal, and the Golden School Award for parent volunteerism.

Looking to the future, we will continue to strive for excellence in education by creating more relevant curricula, keeping our academic standards high and working collaboratively with colleges and universities to ensure postsecondary success. Moreover, we plan to aggressively build and strengthen our athletic and extracurricular programs, thereby providing our students with more opportunities to learn and achieve in and out of the classroom.

Our Founders

Derrick Brooks

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Derrick Brooks in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft, where he remained to play his entire 14-season professional career. He is widely considered one of the best linebackers in NFL history. An 11-time Pro Bowl selection and nine-time All-Pro, Brooks was named AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2002 and earned a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII. In February 2014, Derrick received one of the highest honors of his life, being named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was inducted in Canton, Ohio, in August of 2014. He was also inducted into the Capital One Academic All-America Hall of Fame. In September 2014, Derrick was enshrined into the Ring of Honor by The Tampa Bay Buccaneers; No Buccaneer player will ever wear the number 55. Derrick is currently serving as an On Field Appeals Officer for the National Football League, as well as the Executive Vice President of Corporate and Community Development for Vinik Sports Group. Also, He was Co-Chairman of the Super Bowl Host Committee for Super Bowl 55.

Brooks graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Communications at Florida State University. As a Student Athlete on the Football Team, he was a three-time, first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection, three-time first-team All-American, and a member of the 1993 Seminoles National Championship team. In November 2010, Florida State retired Seminoles jersey number 10 in honor of Brooks, and he was also inducted into the Florida State Athletics Hall of Fame. He earned his master’s in Business Communications from FSU in 1999, and received his doctorate in Humane Letters from St. Leo’s University in 2006.

He is recognized more often for his hard work in the community as he was for his hard work on the football field. Brooks has been the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the 2000 Walter Payton/NFL Man of the Year award, the 2003 Bart Starr Award, the 2004 Bryon “Whizzer” White Award, and the 2008 JB Award through the NFL Players Association, all of which recognize an NFL player annually for their commitment to the communities in which they live. Derrick also has received numerous community awards in Tampa, Florida, for his work and dedication to the community, such as the 2007 Citizen of the Year from the Tampa Sports Club, the 2014 Lee Roy Selmon Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tampa Sports Commission, 2014 Community Hero Award from the Tampa Bay Lightning, 2014 Community Champion Award from the Boys and Girls Clubs, and the 2021 WrestleMania 37 Community Champion Award. In 2024, he was awarded the keys to the city of his hometown, Pensacola, Florida, and January 13th was declared Derrick Brooks Day.

Brooks was appointed to the Board of Trustees of Florida State University by Governor Jeb Bush in 2003, where he occupied a seat until 2011. He has also served on the Florida Department of Education Foundation, St. Leo’s University, and Brooks-DeBartolo Charities, Inc. In 2007, he was appointed by Governor Charlie Crist as the Chairman of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness – helping to eliminate the problem of childhood obesity in the State of Florida. Derrick also serves on other Boards of Directors. In 2006, he partnered with the Eddie DeBartolo Family to become the Co-Owners of Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School, the very first traditional charter high school in the Tampa Bay area.

Edward J. DeBartolo Jr.

Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. is a successful businessman, real estate investor and developer, championship professional sports team owner and passionate supporter of philanthropic causes related to education, healthcare, poverty, animals, sports and religious institutions.

Born in Youngstown, Ohio, DeBartolo Jr. makes his home in Tampa Bay, where local charities and organizations have benefited from the impact of his numerous donations of both time and resources. He has offered his counsel and expertise to many boards of non-profit organizations, including the Tampa Bay American Cancer Society, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and currently, the Moffitt Cancer Center.

A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, DeBartolo Jr. joined the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation in 1971. After years of overseeing one of the nation’s largest mall development and management firms, DeBartolo became Chairman of the Board of the DeBartolo Realty Corporation in 1994 and two years later directed the company’s merger with Simon Property Group. The merger united two of the founding families of the regional mall business and created Simon DeBartolo Group, Inc. (NYSE: SPG), the largest public real estate company in North America.

DeBartolo Jr. is best known as the legendary owner of the San Francisco 49ers during the winningest two decades in football history. During his 23-year ownership and management of the team, the 49ers won 12 division titles and an NFL-record five Super Bowl Championships. Affectionately called “Mr. D” by his players, he is widely regarded as the most successful and generous owner in the NFL, and has been voted a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for three consecutive years, the ultimate honor for an NFL owner.

DeBartolo Jr. is currently the chief executive officer of DeBartolo Holdings, LLC. DeBartolo Holdings manages and optimizes the diverse businesses and strategic investments of the DeBartolo family, including DeBartolo Development, DeBartolo Sports and Events and the DeBartolo Family Foundation.

DeBartolo Jr. resides in Tampa, FL, with his wife Candy. They have three daughters, Lisa Marie, Tiffanie Lynne, Nicole Anne and three grandsons, Asher, Milo and Jasper.

Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School

2015 National Blue Ribbon School Profile