A new federal student-loan policy could reduce the number of educators who can afford graduate degrees that serve as stepping stones to school administration, according to a research analysis led by Arizona State University assistant professor Lennon Audrain. The analysis focuses on the U.S. Department of Education’s implementation of borrowing limits under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” including a judge-ordered change to how the department defines “professional” graduate degrees. While the law sets higher caps for “professional” programs, the updated regulatory list still omits most education degrees. Audrain argues the practical impact will be felt less by future classroom teachers—whose cumulative undergraduate borrowing typically stays below aggregate limits—but more by administrators-to-be who often rely on master’s-level coursework in educational administration beyond initial licensure requirements. The study frames the issue as a workforce pipeline concern for K–12: advancement is often built through stacked credentials over time, and a tighter $100,000 limit could start to bind earlier than intended for those moving into assistant principal and principal roles.