WASHINGTON, D.C. â The U.S. Department of Education last week unveiled major initiatives aimed at increasing transparency in higher education and deepening civic understanding among Kâ12 students, including a new federal portal to track foreign funding in universities and the launch of a national school tour celebrating Americaâs upcoming 250th birthday.
On Dec. 1, the Department notified colleges and universities that a long-awaited, fully modernized foreign funding reporting system will go live Jan. 2, 2026. Under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, institutions receiving federal aid must disclose foreign gifts and contracts totaling $250,000 or more annually. Education officials said the existing reporting portal had not been significantly updated since the first Trump Administration and was never prioritized under the Biden Administration.
The new platform will allow universities to upload disclosures in bulk, generate executive-summary dashboards for public inspection, and streamline drafting and submission tools. The system was beta-tested over three days by nine universities, including the University of Texas at Austin, MD Anderson, Purdue University, USC, and the University of Arizona.
âThe Trump Administration is launching a new state-of-the-art system for colleges and universities to more efficiently and securely report their foreign gifts and contracts as required under the law,â Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said. She called transparency a âmoral and legal obligationâ and said the system will help protect national security by improving compliance.
Section 117 enforcement has expanded sharply since January, with four new investigations opened into Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Michigan, and the University of California, Berkeley over concerns about inaccurate or late disclosures. Institutions that fail to comply risk civil enforcement action by the Justice Department.
The launch also fulfills Executive Order 14282, issued in April, directing federal agencies to end âsecrecy surrounding foreign fundsâ in higher education.
Secretary McMahon Launches âHistory Rocks!â School Tour
On Dec. 5, Secretary McMahon completed the first three stops of the departmentâs national History Rocks! Trail to Independence Tour, a civics-focused initiative tied to Americaâs 250th anniversary in 2026. The kickoff week included school visits in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Middletown, Delaware; and Colts Neck, New Jersey.
At Foose Elementary School in Harrisburg, students gathered for an assembly and themed games on civic participation. In Delaware, McMahon visited St. Georges Technical High School, observing civics instruction and hands-on training in fields such as biotechnology, medical assisting, early-childhood education, electrical trades, and automotive technology. The tourâs final stop of the week brought her to Cedar Drive Middle School in New Jersey, where she spoke with sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students about the nationâs founding principles.
âAs we approach the 250th anniversary of our nationâs founding, we have a responsibility to help every student understand the ideas that shaped the United States,â McMahon said. She emphasized that strong civics instruction should encourage critical thinking, appreciation of constitutional freedoms, and a sense of personal responsibility in democratic life.
The History Rocks! tour is a key feature of the Departmentâs America 250 initiative and is coordinated with the America 250 Civics Education Coalition â a national partnership involving the America First Policy Institute, Turning Point USA, Hillsdale College, and more than 50 other organizations. The coalition seeks to expand high-quality history and civics education and highlight model schools in all 50 states.
Officials said the department will continue the tour throughout 2026, with plans to highlight programs that bring Americaâs founding ideas into classrooms at every grade level.
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