NAPSA joined a coalition of NASISP member organizations providing the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) with recommendations to help mitigate shortages of specialized instructional support personnel (SISP),
NASISP is a coalition of national professional organizations whose members provide and support a variety of school-based prevention, early identification, and intervention services that remove barriers to learning and assist students in becoming effective learners and productive citizens. NASISP organizations represent over a million SISP nationwide, including school counselors, school nurses, psychologists, school psychologists, social workers and school social workers; occupational therapy practitioners, physical therapists; art, dance/movement, and music therapists; speech-language pathologists, and audiologists; and the major national organizations representing general and special education teachers and administrators. SISP are integral to implementing school-wide initiatives.
Thus, the letter requests that the USDE ensure that the regulatory definition of “professional degree program” includes the myriad school-based professionals (e.g. school counselors, school nurses, school psychologists, social workers and school social workers; occupational therapy practitioners, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and other specialized instructional support personnel) for which a master’s or doctoral degree is required to obtain a state credential to practice (e.g. licensure and/or certification).
As how the new loan limits will be implemented is discussed and debated, signers encourage the USDE to do all possible to address critical school SISP workforce shortages. To prevent the crisis being exacerbated, it is critical that post-baccalaureate school health professions programs are explicitly included within the scope of “professional degree programs.” All of these programs provide degrees that are rigorous, practice-based, and require substantial clinical and fieldwork components, and often lead to students obtaining a state licensure or certification required to practice.
Signers offered the following specific recommendations to the USDE:
- USDE should adopt a clear and inclusive regulatory definition of “professional degree programs” that encompasses any master’s or doctoral degree education generally required for licensure or certification in health professions.
- Such definition must maintain alignment with state and federally recognized licensure- or certification-based credentialing pathways when required. All health professions where a state license or certificate to practice is generally required should be treated consistently with other health professions in all relevant student aid regulations.
Any ambiguity in defining eligible professional degree programs could jeopardize access to financing for future health profession students, ultimately threatening workforce supply in schools, hospitals, and community settings where demand for health services continues to grow.
Click here to view the letter.