Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

Florida Can Use Several Strategies to Encourage Students to Enroll in Areas of Critical Need

Report 05-09, February 2005

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Report Summary

  • Florida is projected to face critical shortages of teachers and nurses in coming years. Different strategies will be needed to increase the number of students going into teacher preparation and nursing programs.
  • Florida and other states use scholarships and loan forgiveness programs to encourage students to enroll in teacher preparation and nursing programs, particularly in areas of high need. While helpful, these programs have limited resources and address only part of the training challenges facing the state.
  • Only 56% of the students graduating from Florida's teacher preparation programs become classroom teachers in Florida public schools. The teaching loan forgiveness program offers relatively small awards that provide limited incentives for students to become classroom teachers. The nursing student loan forgiveness program offers substantially larger awards, but is used primarily to attract and retain nurses to underserved areas rather than to increase the number of students going into nursing. This is because student demand for nursing programs exceeds available slots at both the community college and university levels, and expanding these programs is hampered by shortages of instructors.
  • Even if strategies to increase nursing and teacher preparation graduates are successful, demand may continue to exceed supply unless steps are taken to reduce high turnover in these professions. To resolve these problems, school districts, hospitals and other employers may need to implement strategies to better retain their employees.

Related Reports
  1. Supplemental Report: Florida Nursing Education Programs 2012-13
    Report 13-09 June 2013
  2. Florida's Nursing Education Programs Continued to Expand in 2012 with Increases in Program Capacity, Student Enrollment, and Graduates
    Report 13-03 January 2013
  3. Supplemental Report: Florida Nursing Education Programs 2010-2011
    Report 12-07 May 2012
  4. Florida's Nursing Education Programs Continued to Expand in 2011 with Significant Increases in Student Enrollment and Graduates
    Report 12-04 January 2012
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
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