Federal
Federal Support for Systemic Approaches to Educator Workforce Development & Design
To address chronic teacher shortages, long-term sustainability gaps in preparation programs, and weakening federal accountability structures, 萌妹社 has developed reform framework,聽A Call to Action: Federal Support for Systemic Approaches for Educator Workforce Development and Design,聽which outlines four specific federal levers for change and is endorsed by major national organizations.
Federal Policy
萌妹社 maintains a constant presence on Capitol Hill and with the administration to advocate on behalf of educator preparation. See 萌妹社鈥檚 current federal policy priorities. For updates on federal policy and 萌妹社鈥檚 advocacy efforts, read 萌妹社 Talks Policy, our biweekly members-only newsletter.
萌妹社 Talks Policy
The latest policy newsletter covers an emerging bipartisan deal that will fund education for FY26, release of the 鈥淧rofessional Student鈥 regulation for public comment, and news that the Administration has dropped its legal fight regarding anti-DEI guidance. .听
ADVOCACY UPDATE: Professional Student Definition
On January 30, the U.S. Department of Education published to implement student loan provisions in the budget reconciliation bill passed last July (the 鈥淥ne Big Beautiful Bill鈥 or OB3). For more information on the student loan provisions of OB3 and their likely impact on education students, see our 鈥Explainer.鈥
The proposed regulations exclude education students from a newly created 鈥減rofessional student鈥 category. The exclusion of education students from the 鈥減rofessional student鈥 category has profound symbolic and practical implications. It signals that the federal government does not consider educators to be professionals. And, crucially, it cuts off education students from needed access to federal student loans, threatening their ability to enroll or remain in post-baccalaureate programs.
Public comments on the proposed regulations closed on March 2, 2026. 萌妹社 submitted these comments on behalf of 13 partner organizations, and many 萌妹社 members and others in education community submitted comments as well. In total, the Department of Education received more than 100,000 comments on the regulations. The Department is legally obligated to read and respond to all unique comments as it prepares to publish a final regulation.
As we await the final regulation, 萌妹社 has shifted its attention to advocating on behalf of several bills that would mandate inclusion of education students in the professional category, most notably legislation introduced by Representatives Mike Lawler () and Timothy Kennedy ().
Next Steps:聽 Soon, 萌妹社 will ask its members 鈥 and the broader education community 鈥 to contact their members of Congress about the Kennedy and Lawler bills. To keep up to date on this issue 鈥 and all the federal policy news affecting educator preparation 鈥 subscribe to 萌妹社 Talks Policy.
萌妹社 Responds to U.S. Department of Education Grant Cancellations
萌妹社 is partnering with the National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR) and several other organizations to address the cancellation of federal grants that directly affect our members. These vital grants support the essential work of our member institutions, ensuring a well-prepared educator workforce in classrooms across the nation. These actions include the following:
萌妹社, NCTR Joint LawsuitLetter to Congress
Federal Regulations for Programs Leading to State Licensure or Certification
On July 1, 2024, new federal regulations took effect for all institutions that participate in Title IV student aid programs and offer programs leading to state professional licensure or certification.
萌妹社 has prepared a detailed聽聽to help members prepare for these new regulations.
In addition, on May 20, the Department of Education released its own聽聽and a helpful聽聽on the new regulations.
Advocacy News
贵谤辞尘:听
Federal
State
Need Help?
Jacqueline E. King, Ph.D.
萌妹社 Consultant, Research, Policy, & Advocacy

