ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes a decade of change in Florida's community colleges related to baccalaureate degree education, presents research and findings on the current status of the baccalaureate initiative, and provides perspectives on the challenges for the future. More than ten years ago, the State of Florida enacted legislation authorizing the first community college baccalaureate, with an intentioned outcome of more effectively meeting the workforce demands of employers in fields such as nursing, education, and information technology. During the ensuing ten years, Florida transitioned the Community College System to the Florida College System, which comprises 28 institutions, including 11 community colleges, 7 colleges, and 10 state colleges. The Florida transition to address increasing baccalaureate attainment “is the bellwether” as this well-established community college system expands the focus to address issues and challenges of increasing the baccalaureate attainment of Floridians.
