A federal judge has temporarily blocked the U.S. Department of Education from implementing portions of its Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) final rule that would have reclassified many nurse practitioner and other advanced practice nursing education programs, reducing the federal student loan funding available to many students. The ruling comes just days before the policy was scheduled to take effect on July 1.
The lawsuit, led by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and a coalition of healthcare, education, and professional organizations, argues that the Department of Education exceeded its legal authority by changing the longstanding federal definition of a “professional degree.”
Had the rule taken effect, many nurse practitioner students would have been reclassified as graduate students rather than professional students, reducing the amount they could borrow through the federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan Program. Professional students are generally eligible to borrow up to $50,000 annually (up to $200,000 total), while graduate students are limited to $20,500 annually with a $100,000 lifetime cap.
The court concluded that the organizations challenging the rule are likely to succeed on their claim that the Department exceeded its authority and issued a preliminary injunction preventing the new definition from taking effect while the litigation continues.
The decision means eligible nurse practitioner students may continue to qualify for the higher federal loan limits available to professional degree programs while the case moves forward in federal court.
Texas Nurse Practitioners (TNP) supported the legal challenge by allowing the association to be cited in the complaint as an example of how the rule could negatively affect nurse practitioner students, educational programs, and patient access to care in Texas. While TNP is not a plaintiff in the lawsuit, our inclusion underscores the real-world impact the policy could have on the future NP workforce.
“Texas already faces significant shortages of primary care and behavioral health providers, and we cannot afford policies that make it harder for qualified students to become nurse practitioners,” said TNP President Tracy Hicks, DNP, MBA, APRN, FNP/PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP, FIAAN, FAANP, FAAN. “This ruling is an important victory for students, educational programs, and the patients who rely on nurse practitioners for timely access to care. TNP remains committed to working with our national partners to protect and strengthen the future healthcare workforce.”
