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Pasco schools press ahead on healthcare career pathways with AdventHealth; $25 million grant pursuit ongoing
Summary
District leaders said they are advancing a multi‑phase plan to create healthcare career programs — surgical tech and emergency medical professions — with AdventHealth and other partners. Staff said they are proceeding with implementation planning so students could enroll next year whether or not a potential $25 million grant is secured.
Pasco County School District officials on Sept. 9 briefed the school board on plans to develop healthcare career pathways in partnership with AdventHealth and other providers, and said they are working quickly to enroll students as early as next year.
The district described a multi‑phase implementation plan tied to an anticipated competitive grant opportunity of up to $25 million. “Regardless of whether we get the funding or not, the 25,000,000 or not, we want to proceed with implementing the health care pathways of surgical tech and emergency medical professional programs … at Pasco High School with the new wing that is being built,” the superintendent said.
Staff and board members said AdventHealth and district teams have toured facilities and that the principal at the proposed host site has expressed enthusiasm. Board members applauded the partnership and asked about staffing and sustainability; one board member said AdventHealth described staffing models that allow hospital employees to incorporate teaching duties into their schedules.
Why it matters: the initiative aims to create career‑ready opportunities for high school students in health care fields with direct ties to local employers. The district said moving forward now — and phasing the work for board review in October — would strengthen grant competitiveness and position the program to enroll students in time for fall coursework.
Details from the discussion: district staff said they are drafting phase 2 and phase 3 implementation plans, anticipated to return to the board in October. The initial programs mentioned were surgical technology and emergency medical professions, with Pasco High School (new wing) and Dade City sites identified as potential locations. Staff said they believe the programs can be sustained locally even without the larger grant, but that outside funding would increase capacity and accelerate rollout.
Board members and a district board supporter also raised the question of recruiting qualified instructors. Board member Beaudoin said she had discussed staffing concerns with AdventHealth and was reassured that the health system can structure schedules so employees can teach as part of their duties.
No formal vote was required; staff said additional phases and details will be presented to the board for review in coming months.
