(Bradenton, Fla., April 12, 2022) — State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) has received approval from the Florida Department of Education to offer Bachelor of Science degrees in the fields of Elementary Education and Exceptional Student Education (ESE). Both programs will begin enrolling students this fall, pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The Elementary Education bachelor’s degree program will prepare students to become certified Elementary Education K-6 teachers and focuses on the design and delivery of content and other educational services to kindergarten through sixth grades. The ESE bachelor’s degree will prepare students to become certified Exceptional Student Education K-12 teachers and SCF is the only college in the service region to offer the undergraduate degree. Both degrees include endorsements for reading and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).

The two degrees allow SCF to meet an urgent need for teachers throughout the college’s service region. There is an especially pressing need in the field of exceptional student education to teach students with disabilities. Labor market projections indicate a projected increase in demand of 185 annual job openings in the region for elementary education teachers.

“We are thankful for the support we received from the community, especially the Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation and our local school districts,” said SCF President Dr. Carol F. Probstfeld. “We are dedicated to meeting the educational and workforce training needs of our community.”

With the addition of the new degrees, SCF will offer seven baccalaureate degrees in the Fall 2022 semester. For more information about bachelor’s degrees at SCF, visit SCF.edu/Bachelors.

Caption (L to R): John Annis, senior vice president of collaboration for the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation; Dr. Allison Foster, executive director of human resources for Sarasota County Schools; SCF President Dr. Carol F. Probstfeld; and SCF Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Todd G. Fritch.