A negotiating committee convened by the Education Department has proposed excluding education degrees from the administration’s working definition of “professional degrees,” a move that could reduce federal lending caps for many graduate educators. The One Big Beautiful Bill tied higher federal loan limits to a narrow roster of professional fields; if education is omitted, aspiring teachers and school leaders could face lower graduate loan limits starting July 2026. Higher‑ed deans and teacher‑preparation programs warned the change may worsen teacher shortages by increasing up‑front costs for graduate certification, especially for aspiring K‑12 educators from low‑income backgrounds. Clarification: the rule under discussion determines which graduate programs qualify for a $200,000 aggregate loan cap versus a $100,000 cap for other advanced degrees.