Recruiting new teachers to Pasco County has sometimes proven tough, superintendent Heather Fiorentino says, in no small part because housing prices throughout the county have been on the rise. So she's got an idea brewing to counter the trend.

"We've been working with affordable housing groups" to investigate "providing affordable housing for our staff and using that as a recruitment tool," Fiorentino told the Pasco school board this morning. She plans to bring back more information in two weeks.

The district is looking at donating about 4 acres in front of Marlowe Elementary, in New Port Richey, to the project. A developer would build 35-40 townhomes on the site. Another 18-20 townhomes are under consideration for an unnamed site in eastern Pasco.

"We're looking at some other areas too," Fiorentino said. "But this would be the first step."

Board members expressed excitement about the concept and asked for more information as soon as possible. If the district proceeds, it would be following in the footsteps of a growing number of school districts, including some on the Atlantic coast of Florida.