Foreign-backed influence in schools to be exposed under GOP ‘TRACE Act’ giving parents access to curriculum
In a significant move aimed at increasing transparency in education, Congressional Republicans have introduced the TRACE Act, which stands for “Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions in Education.” Spearheaded by Rep. Aaron Bean of Florida and Rep. Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania, the bill seeks to empower parents by requiring schools to disclose any foreign influence in their curricula, particularly from entities connected to adversarial nations like China. As part of the proposed legislation, schools that receive federal funding would be mandated to allow parents to review any curriculum materials purchased with foreign funds and to inform them of any contracts or financial transactions involving foreign countries. This initiative comes in response to growing concerns about foreign influence in American education, particularly from the Chinese Communist Party, and aims to ensure that classrooms remain free from external propaganda.
The TRACE Act would require schools to provide parents with free copies of curricular materials and professional development resources at least once a month, or within 30 days of a parent’s request. Rep. Bean emphasized the need to protect American education from foreign influence, stating, “American schools are for education, not espionage.” The bill aims to put parents back in control of their children’s education, exposing any foreign influence and preventing hostile nations from infiltrating American classrooms. Rep. Mackenzie echoed this sentiment, asserting that parents have the right to know what their children are being taught, especially when it involves adversaries like China. The urgency of this legislation has been underscored by recent warnings from education officials in states like Oklahoma, who have raised alarms about programs linked to the Chinese Communist Party, such as Confucius Classrooms, which they argue pose a national security risk.
This renewed legislative effort follows previous attempts to address foreign influence in education, including a similar bill introduced in 2024 that ultimately did not progress in Congress. The TRACE Act is part of a broader push by lawmakers to safeguard American educational institutions from foreign interference, with bipartisan support from figures like Rep. Andy Barr and Rep. Erin Houchin. As the conversation around foreign funding in education continues to evolve, the TRACE Act represents a significant step toward ensuring that parents are informed and involved in their children’s educational experiences.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSus3lMyEQA
EXCLUSIVE:
Congressional Republicans renewed their efforts Wednesday to give parents a window into whether their child’s education is being influenced by the Chinese Communist Party or other malign actors.
Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., chair of the House DOGE Caucus, and Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., will put forward their
TRACE Act
on Wednesday morning, which seeks to “TRACE” foreign funding and influence – or provide “Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions in Education.”
The bill would require that, as a condition of federal funding, schools must provide parents with the right to review any curriculum provided by or purchased with funds of a foreign country.
It also mandates parents have the right to know or be informed of any contract or financial transaction a school or district has with any foreign country.
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Schools would be required to provide free copies roughly once a month and no later than 30 days after a parent submits a written request for any student
curricular materials
or teacher professional-development materials.
The bill would also shine a light on foreign countries’ donations to schools across the country, particularly those contributions from formally designated “foreign entities of concern.”
“American schools are for education, not espionage,” Bean told Fox News Digital.
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“Yet this is what happens when our institutions of learning accept the Trojan horse of foreign funding. The TRACE Act
puts parents back in charge
, exposes foreign influence for what it is, and slams the door on hostile nations trying to reach America’s youth.”
Bean said the House seeks to protect parental rights, secure classrooms from foreign influence and “keep American schools rooted in freedom.”
“Our future is on the line, and we’re going to get this done.”
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Mackenzie added that parents have a right to know what is being taught to their kids – “especially when
overseas adversaries like China
may be involved.”
“Our children and our democracy depend on keeping foreign propaganda campaigns out of American classrooms, and parents are the first line of defense,” Mackenzie told Fox News Digital.
He echoed Bean in that the TRACE Act will strengthen parental rights and harden
classrooms against outside academic intercession
.
Two other House lawmakers: Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., and Erin Houchin, R-Ind., have also signed on to the bill.
The issue has come to the fore in recent years, as education officials in
states such as Oklahoma
warn against
Chinese Communist Party
-linked Confucius Classrooms and other foreign-funded or globally-based initiatives.
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Oklahoma’s top elected education official had called for
congressional action in 2023
to blunt foreign influence in schools – and further pledged to be on the front lines of pushing back against untoward interference in children’s education.
State Superintendent of Education Ryan Walters previously told Fox News Digital he believes
foreign influence over education
is a national security risk – especially when it comes without the knowledge of children or their parents.
He challenged his state’s largest school district, alleging funding for Confucius Classrooms had been “hidden” from parents and that it was “actually the Chinese Communist Party that was funding a nonprofit that was working directly in the school.”
In a statement to Fox News at the time on the matter, Tulsa Public Schools said the district “has no Confucius Classroom programs in its schools” in response to allegations it partnered with a China-linked entity.
A similar bill
was launched in 2024, but languished in the House.
Sen.
Ted Cruz
, R-Texas, also previously authored a Senate version of the prior legislation, but it died in committee, according to the Congressional Record.
Eric
Eric is a seasoned journalist covering US Politics news.
