Appropriations subcommittee hears nursing-education data, considers funding and incentives after low NCLEX rankings

Tallahassee — At a Feb. 10, 2025 meeting of the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee, Chair Sen. Gail Harrell convened nursing-school leaders and workforce researchers to review data on program capacity, NCLEX pass rates and options for state funding to boost nursing workforce outcomes.

The meeting focused on three linked problems: Florida’s low NCLEX pass-rate rankings, regional disparities in supply and demand for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and registered nurses (RNs), and shortages of qualified nursing faculty. Subcommittee members and presenters discussed line and pipeline funding, scholarships, simulation labs and incentives such as loan-forgiveness or critical-shortage supplements.

“Florida ranks last in the nation in nursing exam pass rates,” Chair Sen. Gail Harrell told the panel, adding, “We are going to change that.” The comment framed a two-hour session in which the Florida Center for Nursing and representatives from public universities, state and technical colleges and private providers described recent trends and how legislative funding has been used.

Dr. Reyna LeTourneau, executive director of the Florida Center for Nursing at the University of South Florida, presented preliminary findings from a biannual supply-and-demand analysis required by state statute. She said the RN workforce is projected to approach equilibrium through 2037 but that the LPN workforce is aging and declining. LeTourneau reported that in academic-year 2023–24 the center sampled 510 prelicensure programs and received 443 responses (86.86 percent).

LeTourneau summarized NCLEX findings for 2024: Florida produced nearly 20,000 test takers drawn from roughly 374 prelicensure programs (47 of those programs had no active enrollment), and Florida continues to underperform national averages. “Florida has historically underperformed the national average since 2013,” she said, noting that Florida’s RN pass rate ranked 52 of 55 jurisdictions and PN (practical nurse) pass rates ranked 52 of 54 jurisdictions in the presenter’s comparison.

College and program leaders described how state appropriations and local partnerships have supported expansion and boosted pass rates at their campuses. Julie Merten, associate dean at MedNexus, University of North Florida, said UNF and other state universities have increased enrollment while holding board (NCLEX) pass rates near 94 percent. “Simulation education is the cornerstone of what we’re doing,” Merten said. “These mannequins do everything. They cry in pain. They excrete things that none of us really want to see.” She and other presenters said simulation—allowed for up to 50 percent of clinical hours in state regulation—helps mitigate shortages in clinical placements.

Representatives of private and for‑profit colleges said they also increased capacity and maintained competitive pass rates. Dr. Adria Denker of Galen College of Nursing and Andrea Vennorio of Keiser University each cited student supports such as embedded mental‑health counselors, social workers, test‑prep and outreach to recent graduates to encourage quicker testing after graduation.

Panelists and senators repeatedly stressed faculty shortages as a binding constraint. Institutions reported elevated faculty vacancy and turnover rates, especially for BSN programs that generally require higher credentials for instructors. Keiser and other institutions proposed incentives including competitive salary supplements, tuition reimbursement, loan‑forgiveness for faculty and paid pathways to grow instructors “from within.”

Technical‑college leaders urged targeted support for LPN pipelines. John Monda, director of Lorenzo Walker Technical College (Collier County), recommended funding for English‑language acquisition, direct student supports to reduce outside work hours, and legislation enabling critical‑shortage supplements for technical‑college instructors who currently fall under local school‑board pay structures.

Several presenters and senators discussed how the legislature’s pipeline and line funding has been deployed: simulation centers, mobile simulation labs, faculty hires, scholarships tied to local matching funds and local philanthropic gifts used to expand capacity. College of Central Florida President Jim Henningsen said line funding helped his college secure approximately $12.3 million in local matching gifts and raise NCLEX first‑time pass rates to roughly 97 percent at one campus, noting that scholarship dollars reduce students’ need to work and thereby improve on‑time completion and licensure success.

Committee members asked for concrete options the legislature could consider, including multi‑year or recurring funding for scholarships, targeted loan‑forgiveness or retention supplements for faculty, grants to expand simulation and mobile simulation labs, and incentives to encourage graduates to sit for NCLEX sooner. Technical‑college representatives suggested exploring incentives for students who test within 30–60 days of graduation, and a review of Board of Nursing policies that allow long delays between graduation and testing.

No formal votes or legislative decisions were taken at the hearing. Presenters said they will share more detailed program-level data and recommendations with the subcommittee staff, and senators said they would consider how to structure appropriations and incentives ahead of the next session.

The subcommittee indicated time for public comment if scheduling allows at future meetings; members closed the hearing after committee business.