S. 2509: Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions to Education Act

This bill, titled the Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions to Education Act, aims to ensure that parents are informed about foreign influences in their children’s public schools. It introduces several requirements for local educational agencies in relation to funding received from foreign governments or entities. Here’s a breakdown of the key provisions:

Parents’ Right to Know

The bill states that as a condition of receiving federal education funds, each local educational agency must ensure that schools provide certain information to parents. This includes:

1. The right to review and obtain copies, free of charge, of any curricular or professional development materials purchased with funds from foreign sources. Parents can request this information at least every four weeks, and schools must respond within 30 days.
2. Information regarding staff compensation: Schools must inform parents in writing within 30 days of any personnel funded, either entirely or partially, through foreign sources.
3. Details about contributions and agreements: Schools must also provide written responses within 30 days detailing:
   • Any donations received from foreign countries or entities.
   • Written agreements (contracts or memoranda) between the school and foreign entities.
   • Any financial transactions involving foreign governments or entities.

Specific Information Required

Under the bill, the information about donations, agreements, and financial transactions must include:

1. The name of the foreign country or entity involved.
2. The amount of funds received from foreign sources and any conditions related to these funds.

Notices and Notifications

At the start of each school year, local educational agencies must:

1. Post a public notice on each school’s website or disseminate this information widely, summarizing parents' rights regarding foreign influence.
2. Notify state educational agencies about these requirements, which must also be communicated to local educational agencies.

Definitions

For the purposes of this bill:

1. Foreign country refers to any foreign nation or dependent territory.
2. Foreign entity of concern is defined as in existing legislation, specifically within the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act.

Relevant Companies

None found