The U.S. Department of Education has announced two new interagency agreements aimed at reducing federal bureaucracy in education and shifting more control to states. These partnerships involve the Department of State and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and are intended to improve the management and delivery of specific education programs.
According to the Department, these steps are part of a broader strategy to streamline federally funded activities, reduce administrative work for state agencies, and ensure that programs serve students more effectively. The Department emphasized that working with other agencies that have relevant expertise can help achieve these goals.
The agreement with the State Department focuses on Section 117 foreign gift reporting requirements for higher education institutions. Under this arrangement, the State Department will help manage the reporting portal for foreign gifts and contracts, drawing on its experience in national security and academic admissions involving foreign nationals. The goal is to increase transparency around foreign funding in American universities and enable national security experts to address potential threats.
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said, “As we continue to break up the federal education bureaucracy and return education to the states, our new partnerships with the State Department and HHS represent a practical step toward greater efficiency, stronger coordination, and meaningful improvement.” She added, “Foreign gift data reported by universities should be readily accessible to our top national security experts, allowing for proactive and decisive action to protect America’s critical interests, as this partnership with State enables. By leveraging HHS’s extensive emergency preparedness capabilities, we are creating a stronger foundation for supporting students and strengthening the safety of the school building. Together, these efforts strengthen accountability and security in our education system, ensuring it serves students and families above all else.”
Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers commented on the importance of transparency: “President Trump has been clear: Americans deserve transparency regarding foreign funding in American higher education. This partnership gives the State Department additional tools and resources to make good on that promise while safeguarding the integrity of our academic institutions. We look forward to deploying these new authorities to strengthen both research security and national security.”
In addition to partnering with State on university funding oversight, ED is expanding its collaboration with HHS concerning school safety programs. HHS will play an increased role in managing initiatives such as Project SERV (School Emergency Response to Violence), School Safety National Activities, Ready to Learn Programming, Full-Service Community Schools, Promise Neighborhoods, and Statewide Family Engagement Centers. This move aims to combine resources under a unified federal strategy focusing on student safety.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated: “Nothing matters more than the safety of our children,” adding that “HHS brings decades of frontline experience responding to crises and disasters, and we are putting that expertise directly into our schools. We will equip communities with the tools they need to protect students, support teachers, and keep families safe.”
These agreements build upon previous partnerships formed by ED last year—including one with the Department of Labor—which sought similar efficiencies in workforce development programs by integrating related services across agencies.
