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

SUCCEED, Florida! Grants Show Mixed Results Under Current Funding Structure

Report 08-02, January 2008

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Report Summary

  • The Department of Education has refined its process for selecting SUCCEED, Florida! grant recipients, but the timeframes for award disbursement remain lengthy. Institutions have received notification of their grant award halfway through the fall semester, which has limited their ability to implement programs to expand teacher and nurse training programs.
  • The department should also strengthen its grant monitoring process to ensure that grantees use SUCCEED, Florida! funds to expand teaching and nursing programs.
  • Surveys of grant recipients show mixed results. Nursing programs that received grants have increased their capacity to serve additional students and have enrolled more first-time students. Teaching programs traditionally do not have capacity limitations. However, enrollment in teaching programs showed a decline at the bachelor's level but an increase at the master's level. Although the actual number of students completing programs generally increased, the completion rates for half of the funded programs decreased. The mixed results may be because most programs receiving a grant have not had time to graduate its beneficiaries.
  • The Legislature could consider other funding options to more effectively fund the creation or expansion of programs to produce graduates for critically needed professions.

Related Reports
  1. Supplemental Report: Profiles of SUCCEED, Florida! Grant Recipients
    Report 08-03 January 2008
  2. Legislature May Wish to Consider Options for Enhancing Florida's Recreational Marine Industry
    Report 07-45 December 2007
  3. Increased Funding and Program Delivery Changes Aim to Increase Florida's Teachers and Nurses
    Report 07-45 December 2007
  4. Nurse Licensure Compact Would Produce Some Benefits But Not Resolve the Nurse Shortage
    Report 06-02 January 2006
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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