I have been a passionate advocate for the expansion of the nursing program at the State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, for as long as I have been with the institution. I was pleased to recently see a column published by two of my peers in the Florida College System that made recommendations for the statewide expansion of our collective two-year nursing programs.

Their column cited a Florida Healthcare Association report which painted a bleak picture, projecting that 14 years from now our state will lack 59,100 nurses including 37,400 registered nurses and 21,700 licensed practical nurses. Our community healthcare systems reflect this and we need a bold solution to address the short-and long-term nursing shortage.

SCF, along with the other 27 state and community colleges in the Florida College System is well-positioned to provide a long-term solution to educating the nurses needed for our state. Our colleges are Florida’s most cost-effective and accessible higher education providers. SCF has graduated more than 5,000 nurses with two-year degrees since the program’s inception in 1960 and more than 1,300 graduates with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Nursing since 2010. At least 98 percent of our nursing graduates obtain employment within six months of graduation – most locally – and they pass the national certification exam on their first attempt. 

My colleagues listed five areas that needed immediate attention to address Florida’s nursing shortage: faculty recruitment and retention, patient simulation facilities, clinical learning opportunities, seamless articulation in the public nursing education pipeline, and public/private partnerships. These are all critically important components of a statewide solution, but at SCF I can reduce this to one critical need – annual funding for nursing faculty. 

SCF has the state-of-the-art nursing education facilities and patient simulation center, the support of area hospitals and the local talent available to maintain an increased enrollment in its registered nursing program. This is a turn-key opportunity to create more registered nurses for our region. We just need to add the nursing faculty to expand our enrollment.

Faculty-to-student ratios in nursing education are much smaller than in typical college classrooms, requiring more faculty to ensure highly trained nurses are entering our healthcare system. In addition, the national demand for nurses and nursing educators has impacted salary requirements throughout the profession. This makes funding for additional faculty the single most important factor at SCF.

Our nursing program is one of the most accomplished and productive nursing programs in the state. Our graduates have had the highest average Nursing Board exam pass rates in the region (98-100%) for the past decade. SCF nursing students consistently score better on their national certification exams than students at other Florida public universities and colleges. It is an investment worth making for our state government and public and private supporters.

I am fully in support of the Florida House of Representatives’ proposal in House Bill 5201 to provide performance funding for nursing programs and matching funding for investments made by our local healthcare providers. Both initiatives will provide much-needed funding for the state’s public nursing education programs if they are part of the state’s annual budget. Extending matching funds to private grants and donations would be even more impactful. 

It is time to act the ensure that our state has the nurses necessary to maintain the health and prosperity of our state. Providing additional funding to SCF and its Florida College System partners for nursing education is the first step to meeting this critical need.

Dr. Carol Probstfeld is president of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. 

The School Board referendum is an important part of Sarasota County Schools success. The Argus Foundation has long supported the School Board referendum, and even today, endorses the passage of the referendum. History is an important indicator of why we are a successful district and what will happen if we do not pass this referendum. 

The first voter-approved millage referendum was in 1994 after a challenge to an attempt of the School Board to collect an extra unvoted millage. The next vote would occur in 2000. In 2000, the School Board was in turmoil due to an unpopular Superintendent and accusations of extravagant spending. 

The School Board referendum failed in a 2-1 ratio in a July 2000 vote. Sarasota County Schools were sent into a financial downward spiral which was only magnified the following year by economic devastation from the horrible terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Shortly after the failed vote, the superintendent at that time resigned.

The Argus Foundation under the leadership of Executive Director Kerry Kirshner, partnered with newly appointed Superintendent of Schools Wilma Hamilton to restore financial trust in the community. Argus, The Venice Foundation (now Gulf Coast Community Foundation), The Community Foundation of Sarasota County, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and The Selby Foundation funded an important $50,000 study by SchoolMatch titled, “School System Financial Analysis.”

Superintendent Hamilton, who was wildly popular, was instrumental in inviting the study and asking the public for help and input. She wanted an objective assessment of the finances of the school system and she knew it was a pivotal moment for our district. What emerged was a report that according to SchoolMatch, in a 2002 editorial, “…documents the struggle of the Sarasota County school district to maintain a high-quality school system...”

According to a Feb. 16, 2001 article in the Herald-Tribune, the school district cut $17 million from its budget in the summer of 2000, cutting 100 teaching jobs and inflated class sizes by five students on average. The School Board would be forced to take away another $10 million that year, and that was the dollar figure before 9/11 occurred.

After the cuts and layoffs, the review team from SchoolMatch independently confirmed what we hear will happen today if the referendum is not passed, “The quality of educational programs will be dramatically affected by the continuing need to reduce budgetary expenses: examples include increasing class size to an even greater degree and elimination of entire student programs.”

It was that study that led to the passage of the School Board referendum in March of 2002.

In light of COVID-19 and the amount that our kids have suffered in their education over the past two years, we need to make sure we are properly funding education and helping students achieve now more than ever. This referendum is needed.

To be very clear, The Argus Foundation does not condone the recent actions of the strong majority of the School Board in limiting public input and the concerted intentional maneuvers to silence parents and taxpayers. We have advocated for School Board transparency for years and the School Board should be spending more time on student achievement and listening to the community rather than combating it.

However, we do realize that the School Board referendum is not the place to express those frustrations. Our members will individually be doing that in a different vote in August and November of this year while voting in the three School Board races up for election, and you should express your frustrations then too. More to follow.

Right now, The Argus Foundation endorses the passage of the School Board referendum and encourages the public to support and vote for the extra millage to maintain quality education in Sarasota County.          

Christine Robinson is executive director of The Argus Foundation. 

Image courtesy Pixabay

Sarasota County voters have an opportunity to continue to show our support for the incredible role our teachers, schools, and administrative staff play in our children’s future. The $1 million school district millage referendum is up for renewal on March 8 and I believe voting in favor of this is a win-win for Sarasota County schools, staff, students, and our region. We can be proud that Sarasota County is a top five school district and people move here because of it. Sarasota County Schools has earned an “A” rating from the Florida Department of Education every year since grading began in 2004. Funding from the referendum helps support this and strong school communities.

In spite of today’s volatility, our teachers and administrators are doing a tremendous job. We should do everything in our power to support them – now and especially when post-COVID arrives. Our school district has proven they have done a good job taking these tax dollars and making the most of it. Supporting this referendum is a good investment in our children’s future, and also shows important support of Sarasota County Schools.

Renewing the referendum is not a new tax for Sarasota County residents, as the 1 mill has been in place since 2002. The referendum pays for Summer Learning Programs and some Reading Recovery teachers, allowing students to avoid the summer slide in learning. It also gives funding for Technology Supports Professionals in each school. Renewing the referendum will allow the school district to pay for teacher salaries, guidance counselors, athletic trainers, and valuable music, dance, and arts programs. It will support Pre-K and Early Learning Opportunities, while keeping the added 30 minutes of instruction per school day. The referendum will also continue to enhance safety and security at schools. 

Supporting our students, teachers, schools, and administrative staff is critical to the future of our region. Education develops critical thinking and self-dependency, teaches logic, builds confidence, and provides stability, among other things. Given the right educational opportunities, people can live longer lives and build stronger futures. Education is important for us all.

Early voting for the countywide March 8 election will be held Saturday, February 26 through Sunday, March 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily at these four locations. The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot be mailed to you for this election is Saturday, February 26 at 5 p.m. On election day, March 8, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. More information can be found at SarasotaVotes.com. 

Whether you vote by mail, vote early, or cast your ballot on election day, I hope you will join me in voting yes for continuation in the Sarasota County School District Ad Valorem Millage Election.

Mark Pritchett is president and CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation. 

Image courtesy Gulf Coast Community Foundation