[Lgpolicy] USA - Comments Needed on Professional Student Definition by March 2

Tue Feb 3 13:09:59 UTC 2026

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Dear colleague,

I am writing to seek your engagement on an extremely important federal
policy issue. As you may have seen, the U.S. Department of Education is
working on regulations to implement the budget reconciliation bill passed
last July (the "One Big Beautiful Bill" or OB3). These regulations exclude
education students from the "professional student” category.

This exclusion has profound symbolic and practical implications for our
profession, students, and programs. It sends the horrible message that the
federal government does not consider educators to be professionals. And,
crucially, it cuts off our students from needed access to federal student
loans, threatening their ability to enroll or remain in our
post-baccalaureate programs.

The Department of Education has published the Proposed Rule
<https://www.google.com/url?q=http://send.aacte.org/link.cfm?r%3DzEfflfjnjuB69XbHQOf8zA~~%26pe%3DxOc8pwRe-rG3mRjRhZdrgmIcxHooGHWPQBaTSZRkPpXjM0B8QAA69U3yaYNKjft9uJ2xNSAdsYSxmnwBV1JBqg~~%26t%3DavC0PYhxrYBjV-yii4r19w~~&source=gmail-imap&ust=1770672918000000&usg=AOvVaw1HgFM9BoGXiJ5G0JohPp1l>
 containing this restrictive definition of professional students and is
inviting public comment by March 2, 2026. We must flood the Department with
comments explaining the impact of this policy and seeking inclusion of all
post-baccalaureate education students in the professional student category.
I ask you to take the following actions to help ensure that your students
have access to the financial aid they need:

   - Read and share
   <https://www.google.com/url?q=http://send.aacte.org/link.cfm?r%3DzEfflfjnjuB69XbHQOf8zA~~%26pe%3DPD70ZbI3M46PW-hcZOoSrUGNeV_0Jw7BXGHx2Y1vMPgxJadDKAzbMi1GrXyaUGZpq09LbkY_cwoHFoYwLCQedw~~%26t%3DavC0PYhxrYBjV-yii4r19w~~&source=gmail-imap&ust=1770672918000000&usg=AOvVaw1yzcYHTmX0itvQ41Xk8BYQ>
    our "Explainer" with more information on the student loan changes
   imposed by OB3 and the professional student definition.
   - Ensure that your institution is responding to the draft regulation
   <https://www.google.com/url?q=http://send.aacte.org/link.cfm?r%3DzEfflfjnjuB69XbHQOf8zA~~%26pe%3D7tQhEzT16nn_MLVHLOLJOSq_lGGTNWDNBzbOlXXhTF6DLmPqDjH5Hqhn8grcqDPCLG77RYoQ4himIxgi_lgnsg~~%26t%3DavC0PYhxrYBjV-yii4r19w~~&source=gmail-imap&ust=1770672918000000&usg=AOvVaw1snql9WozvnPfwiN6IoLqU>
    and that it advocates for inclusion of education in the professional
   student category.
   - *Submit your own comments by March 2*, and encourage your colleagues,
   students, and K-12 partners to do the same.

AACTE has prepared a Comment Guide
<https://www.google.com/url?q=http://send.aacte.org/link.cfm?r%3DzEfflfjnjuB69XbHQOf8zA~~%26pe%3DWM8rtArvJYZrZx0RJWvvIaILHA31CNxHeA1VMgCNjW6EnwolQqOi2ntS5OTyAvjm7N8vPOMtWCdcrKYS5QKKJg~~%26t%3DavC0PYhxrYBjV-yii4r19w~~&source=gmail-imap&ust=1770672918000000&usg=AOvVaw1h9ajNaUxVWVi1b391b8t_>
 to assist with your efforts. It has advice suitable for deans and other
program leaders, individual faculty and students, and K-12 partners. We
have also posted a short video with step-by-step instructions for
submitting comments.

Members of Congress are introducing bills that may also address this issue,
and you will hear more from us soon about how you can support those efforts
as well.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our
senior consultant, Jacqueline King, at jking at aacte.org.

In this matter — and all things — we are *stronger together*.

LEARN MORE AND TAKE ACTION
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[image: Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy]

Thank you,
Cheryl

Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, Ph.D.
President & CEO
AACTE

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