Northwest Florida State College Streamlines Math Graduation Requirements

Today, Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC) took a bold step in reforming its general education math requirements, setting a precedent for other institutions in Florida by implementing Senate Bill (SB) 366 (2021). As a result, students will no longer be required to take math courses irrelevant to their intended careers.
 
SB 366 amended a section of Florida law to mandate three distinct math pathways for students, tailored to align math courses with specific programs and the skills demanded by industry. Furthermore, the bill necessitated the formation of a cross-sector faculty committee tasked with identifying the math pathways and associated course sequences that correspond to the math skills essential for success.
 
Over the last few months, NWFSC faculty and staff convened to do the hard work of establishing these pathways. “I could not be more thrilled with our faculty and staff as they worked collaboratively and quickly to implement the recent changes,” said Dr. Devin Stephenson, President of NWFSC. “A student-centered approach to education has always been at the heart of the College, and this initiative only strengthens our enduring commitment to provide the best education for career mobility.” 
 
As part of the implementation process, the College has eliminated several longstanding prerequisite math courses, which frequently led to unnecessary excess credits and additional costs for students. In their place, the College is creating a new accelerated college algebra course, MAC1105C, implementing a new peer- and embedded-tutoring model, and scaling access to faculty mentors. These efforts are to ensure all students are provided the necessary resources and support to succeed.
 
“Thanks to the Governor and the efforts of the legislature, we have the opportunity to provide relevant pathways for students, helping them to understand how their general education is applicable to their career,” said Dr. Henry Mack, Vice President for Academic Affairs. “I am excited by what this will mean for students, particularly by way of cutting down on their time to degree completion without sacrificing the rigor this College is known for.”