Combating the Lies of Authoritarians in School Systems Act
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Would require public elementary and secondary schools to disclose to the Department of Education any foreign funding or contracts above $10,000, as a condition of receiving federal education assistance.
Though named after concerns about Chinese government influence in schools, the bill's operative text applies to all foreign sources — creating a new transparency layer for K-12 schools that accept money from or contract with any foreign entity.
What this bill would do
What it would do
The bill would require public elementary and secondary schools, as a condition of receiving federal education funds, to submit a written disclosure to the Secretary of Education within 30 days of receiving more than $10,000 in aggregate from a foreign source, or of entering into one or more contracts with a foreign source with an aggregate value exceeding $10,000. The disclosure must identify the name and country of origin of the foreign source, the amount received and any terms or conditions, or — in the case of a contract — the full contract terms and conditions.
Despite its title, the bill's operative disclosure requirement applies to all foreign sources as that term is defined in the Higher Education Act, not specifically to the Chinese government or Chinese Communist Party. The bill does not itself impose a dollar cap on foreign funding, mandate how the Secretary must respond to disclosures, or specify penalties beyond the implied risk of losing federal financial assistance.
Key provisions
- 1Would require public K-12 schools receiving federal education funds to disclose foreign funding or contracts exceeding $10,000 in aggregate to the Secretary of Education within 30 days.
- 2Disclosures must identify the foreign source's name and country of origin, and either the amount and terms of funds received or the terms of any contract entered.
- 3Compliance is a condition on receiving federal financial assistance under any applicable elementary and secondary education program.
Who would be affected
Public elementary and secondary schools that receive federal education assistance and have any financial relationship with a foreign source above $10,000. School administrators would bear the disclosure obligation. The Department of Education's Secretary would receive and hold the disclosures. Foreign entities providing money or contracting with these schools are indirectly affected by the new transparency requirement.
Why it matters
Schools that fail to file required disclosures could jeopardize their federal education funding — a significant financial exposure for most public schools. The transparency requirement could deter or complicate foreign-funded partnerships, cultural programs, or equipment contracts, and would create a federal record of foreign financial ties to K-12 schools that does not currently exist.
What would change
Changes to existing law
Amends Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Sec. 2)
Adds a foreign-funding disclosure condition on receipt of federal financial assistance by public elementary and secondary schools.
Agencies directed to act
Effective dates
- Disclosure deadline after a school receives foreign funds or enters a foreign contract above threshold
Funding and costs
Congressional Budget Office estimate
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1005, the CLASS Act, would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025–2030 period, with no effect on the deficit.
CBO estimates that H.R. 1005 would have no effect on direct spending or revenues, leaving the deficit unchanged over both the 2025–2030 and 2025–2035 scoring windows. The only budgetary impact is a small administrative cost — less than $500,000 over 2025–2030 — for the Department of Education to implement new foreign-funding disclosure requirements for public schools; that spending would depend on future appropriations (discretionary funds Congress must separately approve). CBO identified no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates in the bill.
How implementation would work
Schools would self-report by submitting written disclosures to the Secretary of Education within 30 days of crossing the $10,000 aggregate threshold for foreign funds received or contracts entered. The bill uses cross-referenced definitions from the General Education Provisions Act, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and the Higher Education Act of 1965 to define key terms. The bill does not specify rulemaking, a dedicated enforcement office, or a public disclosure database, leaving implementation details to the Department of Education. The primary enforcement lever is conditionality on receipt of federal financial assistance.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Official CRS summary
Show the CRS summaryHide the CRS summary
This bill prohibits public elementary and secondary schools, as a condition of receiving federal elementary and secondary education funds, from accepting funds from or entering into a contract with the Chinese government, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), or any individual or entity acting on behalf of the Chinese government or the CCP. The bill also requires schools to disclose funding from or contracts with a foreign source to the Department of Education.
Legislative subjects
Asia; China; Education; Education programs funding; Elementary and secondary education
Committee report
H. Rept. 119-12