In March 2025, a Trump administration executive order directed that the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) be closed to the “maximum extent appropriate.” So, as the transfer of day-to-day management of career and technical education (CTE) programming from the USDE to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) continues, CTE and education administrative organizations are expressing concerns that since the DOL’s focus is on workforce needs, the educational part of job awareness and career exploration will be lost. A separate but similar debate is occurring in special education since the Trump administration has signaled moving the oversight of special education from the USDE to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), although no formal plan has been made public.

In both cases advocacy groups are expressing concern that expertise from the original agencies could be lost and multi-agency collaborations will add additional layers of bureaucracy. In addition, CTE groups have pointed out that the USDE-HOL CTE and workforce development interagency agreement was created without any engagement with those in the CTE field.

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As reported by K-12 Dive, the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) is urging the continuation of vaccine mandates in K-12 schools to help protect children from preventable illnesses. As per NASN, school vaccine requirements significantly reduce the risk of disease outbreaks in schools and the broader communities.

In fact, NASN and the Florida Association of School Nurses (NASN) recently issued a joint statement condemning a recent announcement by the Florida Surgeon General that the state would seek to eliminate vaccine requirements, including those for school-aged children.

To compound the concern, on September 18, 2025 a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) panel recommended changing the inoculation guidelines for the first shot of the combined measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox vaccine for children ages 4 and younger to further prevent rare cases of fever-related seizures. In addition, according to the CDC, vaccination participation among kindergarteners in the U.S. decreased for all reported vaccines in the 2024-25 school year, compared to the previous school year.

In the statement by NASN and FASN, the agencies said that “Vaccination is one of the greatest public health achievements in American history. It has eradicated or dramatically reduced the spread of numerous deadly and debilitating diseases. Thanks to vaccines, countless children — and vulnerable populations such as immunocompromised individuals and older adults — have been protected from preventable illnesses.”

The statement also references the recent rise in measles cases across several states earlier this year as a warning of what can happen when vaccination rates decline.

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NAPSA, PAPSA’s parent organization, joined a coalition of NASISP member organizations providing the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) with recommendations to help mitigate shortages of specialized instructional support personnel (SISP),

  NASISP is a coalition of national professional organizations whose members provide and support a variety of school-based prevention, early identification, and intervention services that remove barriers to learning and assist students in becoming effective learners and productive citizens. NASISP organizations represent over a million SISP nationwide, including school counselors, school nurses, psychologists, school psychologists, social workers and school social workers; occupational therapy practitioners, physical therapists; art, dance/movement, and music therapists; speech-language pathologists, and audiologists; and the major national organizations representing general and special education teachers and administrators. SISP are integral to implementing school-wide initiatives.

Thus, the letter requests that the USDE ensure that the regulatory definition of “professional degree program” includes the myriad school-based professionals (e.g. school counselors, school nurses, school psychologists, social workers and school social workers; occupational therapy practitioners, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and other specialized instructional support personnel) for which a master’s or doctoral degree is required to obtain a state credential to practice (e.g. licensure and/or certification).

As how the new loan limits will be implemented is discussed and debated, signers encourage the USDE to do all possible to address critical school SISP workforce shortages. To prevent the crisis being exacerbated, it is critical that post-baccalaureate school health professions programs are explicitly included within the scope of “professional degree programs.” All of these programs provide degrees that are rigorous, practice-based, and require substantial clinical and fieldwork components, and often lead to students obtaining a state licensure or certification required to practice.

Signers offered the following specific recommendations to the USDE:

1. USDE should adopt a clear and inclusive regulatory definition of “professional degree programs” that encompasses any master’s or doctoral degree education generally required for licensure or certification in health professions.
2. Such definition must maintain alignment with state and federally recognized licensure- or certification-based credentialing pathways when required. All health professions where a state license or certificate to practice is generally required should be treated consistently with other health professions in all relevant student aid regulations.

Any ambiguity in defining eligible professional degree programs could jeopardize access to financing for future health profession students, ultimately threatening workforce supply in schools, hospitals, and community settings where demand for health services continues to grow.

Click here to view the letter.