A federal court on Thursday granted preliminary relief in the case of AANP v. McMahon, in which Democracy Forward represented the plaintiffs in challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s rule redefining “professional degree.” The government’s action at the heart of the case would have limited the ability of people seeking education in critically important fields from accessing the financial aid they need.
In response to the ruling, Democracy Forward President & CEO Skye Perryman released the following statement:
“This is a victory for all Americans and for our system of higher education. Many Americans rely on the Direct Loan Program to contribute to their communities by seeking degrees in professional fields such as nursing, public health, education, and marriage and family therapy. These are key services that the federal government should be supporting by welcoming those who wish to enter them, not creating barriers to vital support. The court rejected the U.S. Department of Education’s effort to impose extra barriers on people seeking these degrees, and told the agency to look again at the instructions that Congress gave it. We appreciate our brave clients who joined the fight for people across America.”
Plaintiffs include the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP), the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH), the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), and the National Education Association (NEA).
Additional information from Democracy Forward can be found here.