July 2015 Report No

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1 July 2015 Report No Over One-Third of Nursing Programs Had Licensure Passage Rates Below the Required Legislative Standard in 2014 at a glance Background In 2014, the licensure exam passage rates for Florida s nursing programs varied by program type. Florida s practical nursing and bachelor s degree graduates performed about the same as their counterparts nationally, while graduates from associate s degree programs performed slightly lower than graduates nationally. Florida law requires approved nursing education programs to have a minimum graduate licensure exam passage rate. If a program s passage rate falls 10 percentage points below the national average for two consecutive calendar years, the program is placed on probation. More than one-third (36%) of Florida nursing education programs that had graduates taking the licensure exam had passage rates that were 10% or more below the national average in Most of the nursing programs performing below the required passage rate were created since 2009 and are unaccredited. Scope The 2014 Legislature directed OPPAGA to conduct a series of annual reviews through the year 2020 of the Board of Nursing s administration of the program approval and accountability processes for nursing programs. 1 This report is a companion to OPPAGA Report No , Florida s Nursing Education Programs Continued to Expand in 2014, which addressed how nursing programs capacity, enrollment, and student outcomes have changed since the previous academic year. This report reviews nursing licensure exam data for the 2014 calendar year that was not available at the time the 2014 report was published. 1 Chapters , , and , Laws of Florida. The 2009 Legislature made several statutory changes to significantly increase the number of approved nursing programs to address the state s shortage of nurses. The 2009 law modified the nursing education program approval process and established a legislative performance standard based on each program s graduate licensure exam passage rate. 2, 3 The 2014 Legislature made additional revisions in Florida law related to nursing programs. For example, the 2014 revisions limited a program s exam passage rate to only include first-time test takers within six months of graduation and required nursing programs to be accredited no later than July , 5 The 2014 law also allows the Florida Board of Nursing to extend a program s probationary status for one additional year if the program demonstrates adequate progress toward the graduate passage rate goal by meeting a majority of the benchmarks established in the remediation plan. 6 2 Section , F.S., specifies that the first calendar year of scores the board could use was As a result, 2012 was the first year the board could place programs on probation using the criteria in law, based on calendar years 2010 and Twenty-two practical nursing and 21 associate degree in nursing programs were placed on probation. 4 Previously, there was no requirement for graduates to take the exam within six months of their graduation date. 5 Programs must be accredited by a specialized nursing accrediting agency that is nationally recognized by the United States Secretary of Education to accredit nursing education programs. 6 The law requires approved nursing programs to have a minimum graduate licensure exam passage rate. If a program s passage rate falls 10% below the national average for two consecutive calendar years, the program is placed on probation and must submit a remediation plan and increase its passage rate so that it equals or exceeds the required passage rate within the timeframes specified in s (5)(a)(3), F.S.

2 OPPAGA Report Report No This report provides program-specific nursing licensure exam data for all nursing education programs in Florida for the 2014 calendar year. 7 This data includes each program s passage rates for graduates who took the National Council of State Boards of Nursing s National Council Licensure ination () within six months of their graduation date during calendar year Findings How did graduates of Florida nursing education programs perform on the licensure exam in 2014 compared to graduates nationally? Florida s licensed practical nursing and bachelor s degree graduates performed about the same as graduates nationally; graduates from associate s degree programs performed slightly worse. The percentage of Florida nursing graduates passing the licensure exam in 2014 varied by program type. Statewide, 82.72% of graduates from Florida s licensed practical nurse programs passed the licensure exam during 2014, which was similar to the national average of 82.16%. 9 (See Exhibit 1). In addition, 84.73% of Florida s bachelor of science in nursing degree program graduates passed the licensure exam, which was similar to the percentage of students who passed nationally. In contrast, 76.13% of Florida associate degree in nursing graduates passed the licensure exam, which was slightly below the percentage of graduates passing the exam nationally (79.26%). How many Florida nursing education programs had licensure exam passage rates that were 10% or more below the national average? More than one-third (36%, or 105 of 289) of Florida nursing education programs with graduates that took the licensure exam had passage rates that were 10% or more below the national average in Public school districts, Florida colleges, state universities, private institutions licensed by the Commission for Independent Education, and private institutions that are members of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida offer nursing programs. In addition, state law authorizes Pensacola Christian College to offer a bachelor of science in nursing degree. 8 The data was provided by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. 9 This only includes students who took exams during calendar year Exhibit 1 Florida s 2014 Average Licensure Passage Rates for Licensed Practical Nurse and Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program Graduates Met or Exceeded the National Average % 82.16% Florida National Average Practical Nursing Programs 76.13% 79.26% Florida National Average Associate Degree in Nursing Programs 84.73% 84.93% Florida National Average Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs 1 National average passage rates include all nursing education program graduates who took the licensure exam for the first time in calendar year 2014, but Florida rates do not include graduates who took their exams more than six months after their graduation date. Source: OPPAGA analysis of data received from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Associate degree in nursing programs accounted for the majority of programs that failed to meet the legislative standard. Florida law requires a program whose graduate licensure exam passage rate falls 10 percentage points or more below the national average for two consecutive calendar years to be placed on probation and submit a remediation plan to increase its passage rate so that it equals or exceeds the required passage rate within the timeframes specified in s (5)(a)(3), Florida Statutes. As shown in Exhibit 2, 105 of 289 (36%) nursing programs operating in Florida that had graduates who took the licensure exam in 2014 had passage rates that were 10% or more below the national average in Almost two-thirds (61%) of these programs awarded associate s degrees, slightly more than a third (35%) were licensed practical nursing programs, and 4% were bachelor of science in nursing programs Thirteen percent of the schools (38 of the 289) had fewer than five test takers. Half of these schools (50%) had passage rates that were 10% or more below the national average. In contrast, 34% of the schools with five or more test takers were 10% or more below the national average. At smaller schools, the performance of relatively few test takers can have a substantial effect on passage rates.

3 Report No OPPAGA Report Exhibit 2 Of the Florida Nursing Programs in 2014 That Had Licensure Passage Rates That Were 10% or More Below the National Average, More Than Half Were Associate Degree in Nursing Programs 1 Florida Nursing Program Licensure Passage Rates Met or Exceeded National Average 46% (N=132) Slightly Below National Average 18% (N=52) 10% or More Below National Average 36% (N=105) N = 289 Florida Nursing Programs with Licensure Passage Rates 10% or More Below the National Average by Program Type 61% Associate Degree in Nursing Programs (N=64) 4% 35% Practical Nursing Programs (N=37) Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs (N=4) 1 National average passage rates include all nursing education program graduates who took the licensure exam for the first time in calendar year 2014, but Florida passage rates do not include graduates who took their exams more than six months after their graduation date. Source: OPPAGA analysis of data received from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.. Most of the nursing programs performing below the required passage rate were relatively new and unaccredited. Three-quarters (79 of 105) of the programs with exam passage rates that were 10% or more below the national average in 2014 were created since the 2009 statutory revisions took effect. 11 Furthermore, only 6 of the 105 programs were accredited. To improve program quality, the 2014 Legislature revised Florida law to require that all nursing education programs be accredited by July 1, 2019 or within five years of first enrolling students Of the 246 nursing programs approved since July 2009, 133 programs had graduates who took the licensure examination in calendar year The other 113 programs did not have any students take the exam because the program did not have graduates yet, the graduates did not take the exam within six months of graduation, or the program closed. 12 Programs must be accredited by a specialized nursing accrediting agency that is nationally recognized by the United States Secretary of Education to accredit nursing education programs.

4 OPPAGA Report Report No As of June 2015, 45 of the 105 programs that failed to meet the legislative standard in 2014 were on probation. 13, 14, 15 Of the 105 programs that failed to meet the legislative standard in were on probation as of June 2015 (37 of these programs were created since 2009) 16 ; 41 were not on probation as of June 2015, but the Board is required to place them on probation if the programs continue to have licensure passage rates 10% or more below the national average for another consecutive calendar year; 13 closed 17 ; and 6 were exempt from being placed on probation based on licensure exam passage rates because they have accreditation as specified by Florida Statutes. 18 Appendix A describes how many Florida nursing education programs met or exceeded the national average passage rate, were slightly below the national average passage rate, and how many were 10% or more below the national average 19, 20 passage rate for each program type. Appendix B lists the passage rates for each nursing program in Florida. 13 In April 2015, the Board of Nursing adopted an alternative interpretation of s (5)(a)(3), F.S., which changed the length of time the board allows nursing programs to remain on probation before termination. Under the alternative interpretation, if a program fails to meet the statutory requirement after one year of probation, the board terminates the program. In addition, the board now terminates programs that have no graduates who take the in the calendar year that immediately follows their placement on probation. However, programs can appeal these termination decisions and request a one-year extension of probation. Prior to April 2015, the board allowed programs to remain on probation for two years prior to termination. Board staff reported that this change will affect programs that were on their first year of probation in 2014 and all programs placed on probation in the future. 14 At its June 2015 meeting, the Board of Nursing noticed 12 nursing programs for termination 11 of these programs failed to meet the statutory licensure examination requirement after one year, and 1 program had no test takers in 2014 (one year after being placed on probation). According to board staff, the 12 programs can appeal the board s decision to terminate them at its August 2015 meeting. 15 These guidelines do not apply to programs that are accredited by a specialized nursing accrediting agency in accordance with s (1), F.S. 16 Of the 45 programs on probation as of June 2015, 24 were placed on probation in 2015; 11 were on probation for one year in 2014 and pending termination by the Board of Nursing; 5 were on year one of probation in 2014 and were granted an extension for one additional year in 2015; and 4 were on year two of probation in 2014 and were granted an extension for one additional year in In addition, one program, City College-Fort Lauderdale (ADN program), was terminated by the board in April The program appealed the board s decision to the Division of Administrative Hearings and, according to board staff, the program will remain on probationary status until the division issues a recommended order. 17 Of the 13 programs with test takers in calendar year 2014, 2 closed in 2015, 9 closed in 2014, and 2 closed in Section (9), F.S Slightly below the national average refers to programs with exam passage rates below the national average by less than 10 percentage points. 20 In calendar year 2014, 77 graduates of new bachelor of science in nursing degree programs took the exam, while 2,531 graduates of new associate degree in nursing programs and 484 graduates of new licensed practical nurse programs took the exam.

5 Report No OPPAGA Report Appendix A Florida Nursing Education Program Passage Rates by Program Type More than one-third (36% or 105 programs) of Florida nursing education programs had licensure exam passage rates that were 10% or more below the national average in Licensure exam passage rates varied by program type, as shown in Exhibit A-1. Exhibit A-1 More Than One-Third (36%) of Florida Nursing Education Programs Had Licensure Passage Rates That Were 10% or More Below the National Average in All Florida Programs Florida Nursing Programs by Type Met or Exceeded National Average 46% (N=132) 53% (N=63) 53% 55% (N=63) (N=63) 37% (N=51) 37% 41% (N=51) (N=57) 56% (N=18) 56% 56% (N=18) (N=18) Slightly Below National Average 18% (N=52) 10% or More Below National Average 36% (N=105) N = % 13% (N=19) (N=16) 31% (N=37) 32% (N=38) Practical Nursing Programs N = % (N=23) 12% (N=16) 46% (N=64) 47% (N=66) Associate Degree in Nursing Programs N = % (N=10) (N=10) 13% (N=4) Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs N = 32 1 National average passage rates include all nursing education program graduates who took the licensure exam for the first time in calendar year 2014, but Florida rates do not include graduates who took their exams more than six months after their graduation date. Source: OPPAGA analysis of data received from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. 5

6 OPPAGA Report Report No Appendix B Licensed Practical Nurse (Generic and Bridge) Program Graduate Scores Exhibit B-1 shows for each institution the passage rates for licensed practical nurse program graduates who took the National Council of State Boards of Nursing s National Council Licensure ination () during calendar year , 22 The percentage of exam takers who passed the exam (82.72%) is similar to the national average passage rate of 82.16%. Programs approved since the 2009 law are highlighted in light gray. Exhibit B-1 Passage Rates for Licensed Practical Nurse Program Graduates in the 2014 Calendar Year 1, Chipola College % Florida Gateway College % Fortis College Tampa % Technical Education Center Osceola % Cape Coral Institute of Technology % Palm Beach State College Lake Worth % South Tech Academy % Withlacoochee Technical College % South Florida State College Avon Park % Seminole State College of Florida Altamonte Springs % Santa Fe College % Southeastern College New Port Richey % Rasmussen College, Inc. Ft Myers % West Lawrence School of Nursing % Virginia College Pensacola % Fort Myers Institute of Technology Labelle % North Broward Technical Center, Inc. Deerfield Beach % Cambridge Institute of Allied Health & Technology Delray Beach % Jersey College Fort Lauderdale % Christian International College Largo % NRI Institute of Health Sciences % Herzing University Winter Park % Homestead Senior High School Dade County % Dade Medical College Hollywood % Technical Center for Career and Adult Education Indian River County % 21 This includes both licensed practical nurse (generic program) students as well as licensed practical nurse (bridge program) students. 22 This data includes only first-time test takers who took the exam within six months of graduation from a nursing education program. 6

7 Report No OPPAGA Report Harris-Casel Institute % Emerald Coast Technical College % Pasco-Hernando State College New Port Richey % Bradford-Union Area Career Technical Center % Pinellas Technical Education Center Clearwater % North Florida Community College Madison % Tom P. Haney Technical Center % Jersey College Tampa % Orlando Tech % Choice Technology Center % Traviss Career Center % Pinellas Technical College Saint Petersburg % Daytona State College Daytona Beach % Fort Myers Institute of Technology Fort Myers % Atlantic Technical College Broward County % Gulf Coast State College Port St. Joe % Rasmussen College, Inc. Land O Lakes % First Coast Technical College % Florida State College at Jacksonville % Jersey College Jacksonville % Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology % Suncoast Technical College % Gadsden Center for Health Education % Palm Beach County Schools % Robert Morgan Educational Center Dade County % Medical Prep Institute of Tampa Bay Tampa % Southeastern College Tampa % Sheridan Technical College Broward County % Southeastern College Greenacres % Southeastern College Jacksonville % Cambridge Institute of Allied Health & Technology Altamonte Springs % Eastern Florida State College % Galen College of Nursing Saint Petersburg % Erwin Technical Center % Inlet Grove Adult Community High School % Indian River State College Fort Pierce % McFatter Technical College % Immokalee Technical Center % NATIONAL AVERAGE PASSAGE RATE 82.16% Rasmussen College, Inc. Ocala % Charlotte Technical Center % 7

8 OPPAGA Report Report No Lake Technical Center % Azure College Sebring % Pensacola State College % Lively Technical Center % Concorde Career Institute Jacksonville % Desoto County School of Practical Nursing % Ridge Career Center % Manatee Technical College % Mercy Hospital School of Practical Nursing % Fortis Institute Port Saint Lucie % Express Training Services, LLC Gainesville % Lincoln Technical Institute Fern Park % Medtech Institute Orlando % American Medical Academy % Med-Life Institute Pompano Beach % Florida Panhandle Technical College % Community Technical & Adult Education Marion County % 10 PERCENTAGE POINTS BELOW NATIONAL AVERAGE PASSAGE RATE 72.16% Centura Institute % Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations West Palm Beach % Miami Lakes Technical Center Dade County % Fortis Institute Palm Springs % Taylor College Belleview % Blanche Ely High School Broward County % Azure College Boca Raton % Suwannee-Hamilton Technical Center % Med-Life Institute Kissimmee % Hope Health Career Institute % Southwest Florida Technical Institute Bradenton % Southeastern College Saint Petersburg % Lindsey Hopkins Technical College Dade County % Rasmussen College, Inc. Tampa % Locklin Tech % Genesis Vocational Institute % Miami Dade College % Horizon Healthcare Institute, Inc. Port Charlotte % Faith Medical Institute % Fortis Institute Miami % Med-Life Institute Naples % Horizon Healthcare Institute, Inc. Fort Myers % Capscare Academy for Healthcare Education Lake Worth % 8

9 Report No OPPAGA Report Azure College Miami Gardens % Med-Life Institute Bradenton % Ideal Professional Institute, Inc. Miami Gardens % Horizon Healthcare Institute, Inc. Melbourne % American Health Institute % O'Reggio Technical Career Institute % Techni-Pro Institute, Inc. Boca Raton % Vintex Training Institute % International Academy Training Center % Health Opportunity Technical Center % Sigma College Coconut Creek % Med-Life Institute Miramar % Med-Life Institute West Palm Beach % Hope College of Arts & Sciences Pompano Beach % Total Statewide 2,864 2, % 1 Remedial programs were not included in the table or statewide totals. 2 Programs approved since July 2009 are highlighted in yellow. 3 The statewide totals include graduates of closed programs. 4 A correction was made to the numbers for Medtech Institute Orlando, code , as provided by the Florida Board of Nursing. Source: National Council of State Boards of Nursing. 9

10 OPPAGA Report Report No Associate Degree in Nursing (Generic and Bridge) Program Graduate Scores Exhibit B-2 shows for each institution the passage rates for associate degree in nursing program graduates who took the National Council of State Boards of Nursing s National Council Licensure 23, 24 ination () during calendar year The percentage of exam takers who passed the exam (76.13%) is below the national average passage rate of 79.26%. Programs approved since the 2009 law are highlighted in light gray. Exhibit B-2 Passage Rates for Associate Degree in Nursing Program Graduates in the 2014 Calendar Year 1, Burnett International College Boynton Beach % International Institute for Health Care Professionals, Inc. Boca Raton % Institute of Healthcare Professions % State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota % Santa Fe College Gainesville % North Florida Community College Madison % Florida Career College Lauderdale Lakes % Valencia College % Florida Keys Community College % Keiser University Orlando % Seminole State College of Florida Altamonte Springs % Northwest Florida State College % Keiser University Melbourne % Jersey College Tampa % Eastern Florida State College Palm Bay % Broward College % College of Central Florida Ocala % Tallahassee Community College % Eastern Florida State College Cocoa % Keiser University Miami % College of Central Florida Lecanto % Keiser University Jacksonville % Fortis Institute Pensacola % Pasco-Hernando Community College New Port Richey % Florida Gateway College % Lake-Sumter State College % Florida South Western State College % 23 This includes both associate degree in nursing (generic program) students as well as associate degree in nursing (bridge program) students. 24 This data includes only first-time test takers who took the exam within six months of graduation from a nursing education program. 10

11 Report No OPPAGA Report Keiser University Sarasota % Keiser University Tallahassee % Keiser University West Palm Beach % Polk State College % Keiser University Tampa % Indian River State College Fort Pierce % Breckinridge School of Nursing and Health Sciences at ITT Tech West Palm Beach % Rasmussen College, Inc. New Port Richey % Keiser University Fort Lauderdale % St. Petersburg College % Daytona State College Daytona Beach % Rasmussen College, Inc. Ocala % Jersey College Ft Lauderdale % St. Johns River State College % Palm Beach State College Lake Worth % Adventist University of Health Sciences % Medical Prep Institute of Tampa Bay Tampa % Jersey College Jacksonville % Mercy Hospital College of Nursing % Hillsborough Community College % Keiser University Port Saint Lucie % Fortis College Tampa % Taylor College Belleview % Everest University % NATIONAL AVERAGE PASSAGE RATE 79.26% Rasmussen College, Inc. Fort Myers % Keiser University Lakeland % Florida State College at Jacksonville % Gulf Coast State College Panama City % Breckinridge School of Nursing And Health Sciences at ITT Tech Tampa % Bethesda College of Health Sciences % Southeastern College Miami Lakes % Chipola College Marianna % Miami Dade College % Concorde Career Institute Orlando % Breckinridge School of Nursing and Health Sciences at ITT Tech Lake Mary % Herzing University Winter Park % Kaplan University % Med-Life Institute Naples % Southeastern College New Port Richey % Fortis College Largo % 11

12 OPPAGA Report Report No Southwest Florida College Fort Myers % Rasmussen College, Inc. Tampa % Concorde Career Institute Tampa % Pensacola State College % Concorde Career Institute Miramar % Dade Medical College Homestead % Galen College of Nursing Saint Petersburg % 10 PERCENTAGE POINTS BELOW NATIONAL AVERAGE PASSAGE RATE 69.26% Christian International College Largo % Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations West Palm Beach % City College Miami % Ultimate Medical Academy % ITT Technical Institute Deerfield Beach % Lincoln Technical Institute Fern Park % Med-Life Institute Pompano Beach % Florida Career College Kendall % Florida Academy of Nursing Miramar % Kaplan College Jacksonville % Fortis College Cutler Bay % Palm Beach State College Belle Glade % Breckinridge School of Nursing and Health Sciences at ITT Tech Fort Lauderdale % Taylor College Belleview % South Florida State College Avon Park % City College Fort Lauderdale % Schiller International University % South Florida Medical College % Management Resources College % Azure College Miami Gardens % Breckinridge School of Nursing and Health Sciences at ITT Tech Tallahassee % Concorde Career Institute Jacksonville % Dade Medical College Miami % Dade Medical College West Palm Beach % Palm Beach Vocational Institute, Inc. Boynton Beach % Med-Life Institute Kissimmee % Sanford-Brown College Jacksonville % Azure College Sebring % Saber % Fortis Institute Port Saint Lucie % Allied Health Institute % Breckinridge School of Nursing and Health Sciences at ITT Tech Fort Myers % Dade Medical College Miami Lakes % 12

13 Report No OPPAGA Report Breckinridge School of Nursing and Health Sciences at ITT Tech Hialeah % Virginia College Jacksonville % Brown Mackie College Miami % Breckinridge School of Nursing and Health Sciences at ITT Tech Tampa % Victoria Medical College West Palm Beach % Larkin School of Nursing % Southeastern College St. Petersburg % Florida National University Miami % Florida National University Hialeah % Mattia College Miami % Azure College Boca Raton % Southwest Florida Technical Institute Bradenton % Breckinridge School of Nursing and Health Sciences at ITT Tech Jacksonville % Florida Career College Boynton Beach % Dade Medical College Jacksonville % Florida Career College Jacksonville % Florida College of Health Science, Inc. Orlando % Sigma College Oakland Park % Health Career Institute % Florida National University Hialeah % Techni-Pro Institute, Inc. Boca Raton % Med-Life Institute Miramar % Carleen Home Health School Lauder Hill % Hope College of Arts & Sciences Pompano Beach % Med-Life Institute West Palm Beach % Dade Medical College Hollywood % Censa Miami Institute Hialeah Gardens % Cambridge Medical Institute Inc % Emergency Educational Institute % Ideal Professional Institute, Inc. Miami Gardens % Carleen Home Health School West Palm Beach % Total Statewide 8,387 6, % 1 Remedial programs were not included in the table or statewide totals. 2 Programs approved since July 2009 are highlighted in yellow. 3 The statewide totals include graduates of closed programs. 4 A correction was made to the numbers for Concorde Career Institute Miramar, code , as provided by the Florida Board of Nursing. Source: National Council of State Boards of Nursing. 13

14 OPPAGA Report Report No Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Generic and Second Degree) Program Graduate Scores Exhibit B-3 shows for each institution the passage rates for bachelor of science in nursing program graduates who took the National Council of State Boards of Nursing s National Council Licensure 25, 26 ination () during calendar year The percentage of exam takers who passed the exam (84.73%) is similar to the national average passage rate (84.93%). Programs approved since the 2009 law are highlighted in light gray. Exhibit B-3 Passage Rates for Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree Program Graduates in the 2014 Calendar Year 1, Fortis College Largo % University of Tampa % Florida National University Hialeah % Carleen Home Health School % Florida Career College Boynton Beach % Western Governors University % University of Central Florida % Florida Gulf Coast University % Jacksonville University % University of Florida % Palm Beach Atlantic University % Florida Atlantic University % Pensacola Christian College % University of Miami % Chamberlain College of Nursing Jacksonville % University of South Florida, College of Nursing % University of North Florida % Nova Southeastern University Fort Myers % NATIONAL AVERAGE PASSAGE RATE 84.93% Florida International University % Chamberlain College of Nursing Miramar % South University Royal Palm Beach % Remington College % University of West Florida % College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Barry University % Florida Southern College % Florida State University % 25 This includes both bachelor of science in nursing (generic program) students as well as bachelor of science in nursing (second degree program) students. 26 This data includes only first-time test takers who took the exam within six months of graduation from a nursing education program. 14

15 Report No OPPAGA Report Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale % Fortis College Cutler Bay % 10 PERCENTAGE POINTS BELOW NATIONAL AVERAGE PASSAGE RATE 74.93% Florida A&M University % Bethune-Cookman University % South University Tampa % Miller's College of Nursing % Total Statewide 2,560 2, % 1 Remedial programs were not included in the table or statewide totals. 2 Programs approved since July 2009 are highlighted in yellow. 3 The statewide totals include graduates of closed programs. Source: National Council of State Boards of Nursing. 15

16 The Florida Legislature Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability OPPAGA provides performance and accountability information about Florida government in several ways. Reports deliver program evaluation and policy analysis to assist the Legislature in overseeing government operations, developing policy choices, and making Florida government more efficient and effective. PolicyCasts, short narrated slide presentations, provide bottom-line briefings of findings and recommendations for select reports. Government Program Summaries (GPS), an online encyclopedia, provides descriptive, evaluative, and performance information on more than 200 Florida state government programs. PolicyNotes, an electronic newsletter, delivers brief announcements of research reports, conferences, and other resources of interest for Florida's policy research and program evaluation community. Visit OPPAGA s website at OPPAGA supports the Florida Legislature by providing data, evaluative research, and objective analyses that assist legislative budget and policy deliberations. This project was conducted in accordance with applicable evaluation standards. Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by telephone (850/ ), by FAX (850/ ), in person, or by mail (OPPAGA Report Production, Claude Pepper Building, Room 312, 111 W. Madison St., Tallahassee, FL ). Cover photo by Mark Foley. OPPAGA website: Project supervised by Emily Sikes (850/ ) Project conducted by Heather Orender Turner (850/ ), Justin Graham, and Sean Millard David Summers (850/ ), Staff Director, Education Policy Area R. Philip Twogood, Coordinator