A New Resource From ATI Explains Why Title VIII Is Vital to Expanding Educational Capacity 

Throughout 2026, we have highlighted federal policy developments affecting nursing education, including proposed changes to federal student aid and efforts to strengthen the nursing workforce pipeline. Another issue deserving close attention is the future of Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs, the federal government's primary investment in nursing workforce development. These programs support nursing education, faculty development, workforce entry, and retention, making them highly relevant to nursing schools and educators nationwide.

To help educators better understand these programs and the policy discussions surrounding them, ATI Advocacy and Government Affairs recently developed a new downloadable resource, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs. This brief provides a concise overview of the major Title VIII programs, current nursing workforce challenges, pending reauthorization legislation, and FY 2027 funding priorities. It is designed to help educators, academic leaders and institutional stakeholders quickly understand why Title VIII matters and how policy developments could affect nursing education.

A Quick Refresher on Title VIII

Authorized under the Public Health Service Act and administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Title VIII programs support the full nursing workforce pipeline, from student recruitment through advanced practice preparation and faculty development. The programs highlighted in ATI's resource include:

• Nurse Faculty Loan Program
• Nurse Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention Programs
• Nurse Corps Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs
• Nursing Workforce Diversity Program
• Advanced Nursing Education Program.

These programs address many of the workforce challenges nursing educators encounter every day. As we report in ATI's new brief on Title VIII, national data shows that action is needed: Nearly 6 million registered nurses are licensed in the United States, advanced practice nursing occupations are projected to grow by 35%, and the national nurse faculty vacancy rate remains 7.2% — with 80% of open faculty positions requiring advanced degrees.

Current Policy Status

The Title VIII programs were last reauthorized in 2020 through the CARES Act. Bipartisan legislation, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025 (S. 1874 / H.R. 3593), would extend authorization for the programs through 2030.

At the same time, Congress will continue making annual appropriations decisions that determine actual funding levels. In FY 2026, Congress provided $305.471 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs. ATI is currently advocating for:

• $346 million for all Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs
• $57 million for the Nurse Faculty Loan Program, doubling FY 2026 funding
• Appropriations report language directing HRSA to prioritize faculty conversion and retention and expansion of clinical training sites, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

These priorities reflect ongoing concerns about nurse faculty shortages and clinical training capacity, two challenges that continue to limit the ability of nursing programs to grow and meet workforce demand.

Why Nurse Educators Should Pay Attention

Federal workforce policy can sometimes feel distant from day-to-day educational operations, but Title VIII programs directly affect many of the issues nurse educators discuss most frequently, including:

• Faculty recruitment and retention
• Advanced nursing education pathways
• Clinical training opportunities
• Workforce diversity initiatives
• Student financial support and loan assistance
• Academic-practice partnerships.

As Congress considers both reauthorization legislation and future funding decisions, Title VIII will remain an important part of the national discussion about strengthening the nursing workforce and expanding educational capacity.

Learn More and Stay Engaged

We developed ATI's Title VIII brief as a practical resource for nurse educators, academic leaders and other stakeholders seeking to better understand these programs and the federal policy issues affecting nursing education. This resource can support discussions about workforce needs, faculty shortages, clinical placement capacity, and long-term nursing education priorities.

Use the brief to support conversations about:

• Student affordability and financial support programs
• Enrollment planning and program growth
• Faculty recruitment and retention
• Clinical training capacity and academic-practice partnerships
• Healthcare workforce development priorities
• Federal nursing workforce policy.

We encourage you to download and share the brief with colleagues across academic affairs, nursing leadership, financial aid, government relations, workforce development, and employer partnership teams.

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Download the Brief Here

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ATI Advocacy and Government Affairs will continue advocating for policies that strengthen nursing education and the healthcare workforce, including robust support for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs. We will also continue monitoring reauthorization and appropriations activity and sharing updates, resources and analysis to help educators stay informed about developments that could affect their programs, faculty and students.

Have a question, perspective, or story to share? We encourage you to reach out to Kurt Burkum with ATI Advocacy and Government Affairs. Hearing directly from nurse educators helps us better understand the challenges and opportunities facing nursing programs and strengthens our ability to advocate on behalf of the profession. Whether Title VIII programs have supported your students, faculty, clinical partnerships or program growth, we welcome the opportunity to learn from your experience and elevate educator voices in policy discussions affecting the future of nursing education.