Tell the Department of Education: We Are Professionals
Join AFSCME in raising awareness about how the Trump administration is making higher education even more unaffordable for those who want to serve their communities.
Higher education is already too expensive, and now a new rule by the U.S. Department of Education would exclude nurses, social workers and public health workers from being considered “professionals.”
This new rule would restrict access to federal student loans for these and other dedicated professionals who want to pursue a graduate degree. As a result, the path to an advanced degree would be blocked for many nurses, social workers and others from important public service fields.
Please use this toolkit to demand respect for our nation’s dedicated public service professionals and submit a comment today to oppose the proposed rule.
The deadline for comments is March 2, 2026.
On February 23, join AFSCME in solidarity by posting on social media and pushing comments to the Department of Education to declare that nurses, social workers and public health workers are professionals!
It’s more important than ever that we know how to protest safely and know our rights when we do. Before heading out on the 28th, refresh yourself on the basics and share with your fellow attendees.
We are Professionals Talking Points
- Higher education is already too expensive for many students. Now, the Trump administration is making it even harder for nurses, social workers and other AFSCME members to get the advanced degrees they need to serve our communities.
- A new rule proposed by the administration excludes nurses, social workers and others from being considered “professionals.” As a result, it restricts access to how much they can borrow in student loans for graduate school.
- AFSCME’s tens of thousands of nurses, health care workers, and social workers deserve respect for the work we do – and that means being classified as the professionals we are.
- We should be finding ways to make it easier and more affordable for people to pursue additional training and certifications.
- The rule harms AFSCME members who want to pursue advanced degrees and serve their communities by blocking their career path.
- Current staffing shortages in health care would only get worse as fewer workers seek advanced degrees, vacancies go unfilled, and health care workers leave the profession.
- If the pipeline of nurse practitioners and other vital health care professions dries up, all Americans, especially in rural communities, would struggle to receive the health care they need.
- This is about making sure the next generation of health care providers and other public service workers can take out loans that cover the cost of their advanced degrees, at a fair rate that allows them to pay off their debt.
- This rule is an insult to the workers who dedicate their lives to caring for others and will harm our communities by shrinking the pool of talented public service professionals at a time when we need them the most.
- That’s why AFSCME members are fighting back to stop this harmful rule. We are calling on the administration to rescind the proposed rule and treat our nation’s critical health care workforce with the respect we earn every single day, saving lives and keeping our communities strong.
Share graphics on social media to raise awareness on this rule and drive comments to the Department of Education.
