PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Bay Area school districts are trying to help save the University of South Florida College of Education.
What You Need To Know
- More than 30% of teacher hires in county come from USF
- School system hopes to work with USF to help keep program
- LINK: Read the full resolution
- SEE ALSO: Tampa Bay Education Leaders Concerned About USF's College of Education Closure
The university announced last month that it plans to cut its undergraduate education program.
The Pasco County School Board adopted a resolution this week in hopes of working with USF to keep the program going.
School Board member Megan Harding was stunned at the USF news, especially since she attended there and became a teacher.
“It was very shocking to me,” Harding said in an interview. “It’s definitely going to have an impact, not just on Pasco, but the districts around us.”
That impact is from all of the teachers that local districts hire from USF.
In the board resolution, it says that of the 525 teachers hired in Pasco County every year, more than 30% of them come from USF.
“Not only does this affect teachers, but it’s also going to affect the children,” Harding said. “We already have a teacher shortage. Even thinking about closing a teaching program was very shocking to me.”
That’s why the school board hopes the resolution encourages USF to work with them to find a way to keep the program or find alternatives to keeping teachers educated.
“I’m hoping the message was heard and that all of us want to work together to try to save that program. Because it’s very important,” Harding said.
USF plans on keeping its graduate education program as part of what they’re calling a restructuring.
The interim dean met with local districts last week in hopes of keeping this conversation going.
Supporters of the program are holding a rally outside the College of Education on Friday, November 13 at 6 p.m.