Schools must tell parents when kids change pronouns or use different bathrooms

What it does

This bill requires public elementary and middle schools receiving federal funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to obtain parental consent before changing a student's gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on school forms, or before changing sex-based accommodations like locker rooms and bathrooms. It also prohibits schools from using federal ESEA funds to teach concepts related to 'gender ideology' as defined in a 2025 executive order.

Why we flagged it

The bill's core mechanism is a conditional funding requirement (parental consent for identity/accommodation changes) paired with a curriculum prohibition. It is not a tax measure, appropriation, or commemorative act, but rather a regulatory condition on federal education funding tied to parental authority and curriculum content.

What the text implies

• The bill's definition of 'gender ideology' is delegated to Executive Order 14168, meaning the scope of prohibited curriculum is not defined in the statute itself but in an executive order that may be amended or rescinded without legislative action, creating regulatory drift.
• Schools may face conflicting legal obligations if state law or other federal law (e.g., Title IX as interpreted by courts) requires or permits gender-affirming accommodations without parental consent; the bill does not address this conflict.
• The parental consent requirement may force schools to disclose a student's gender identity to parents against the student's wishes, potentially triggering family harm or rejection for LGBTQ+ minors in unsupportive households.
• The bill does not define what constitutes 'teaching' gender ideology versus discussing it in response to student questions or in historical/literary contexts, creating ambiguity about what curriculum is actually prohibited.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill creates a concrete benefit for parents who wish to retain control over their children's identity documentation and school accommodations, and it restricts schools' ability to teach certain curriculum. However, it may harm transgender and non-binary students by requiring parental disclosure of identity changes, potentially exposing them to family rejection or harm, and by limiting access to affirming accommodations and curriculum. The balance between parental authority and student autono

Named in the bill

Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, Executive Order 14168, Public elementary and middle schools, U.S. Department of Education

Where it stands

4 cosponsors: 3 Republicans, 1 Independents.

• Apr 3, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Apr 3, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Education and Workforce and Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce”
• Apr 9, 2025 — Markup held in committee · Congress.gov: “Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held”
• Apr 9, 2025 — Reported out of committee · Congress.gov: “Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 12”
• May 20, 2026 — Passed the House · Congress.gov: “On passage Passed by recorded vote: 217 - 198 (Roll no. 184).”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

9 lobbying clients named this bill on 10 disclosure filings across 2 quarters, Dec 2025 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $1,908,885 in lobbying spend. A filing names 48 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 89% of bills with at least one filing.

Tim Walberg, the sponsor, reported $825,948 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc — $652,972 on 1 filing
• Human Rights Campaign — $439,908 on 2 filings
• American Federation of Teachers — $410,000 on 1 filing
• Heritage Action for America — $140,000 on 1 filing
• Planned Parenthood Action Fund Inc — $79,708 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 24, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.