Officially: “Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act” Read the full text
Education
What it does
Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act or the PROTECT Kids Act This bill requires public elementary and middle schools, as a condition of receiving certain federal funds for elementary and secondary education, to obtain parental consent before changing a student's gender on school forms or changing a student's sex-based accommodations. Specifically, an elementary school or a school consisting of only grades 5-8 must obtain parental consent before changing a minor student's (1) gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form; or (2) sex-based accommodations
Summary by the Congressional Research Service, from the official record. Plain-language version below. Not legal advice.
Read it in plain language
AI plain language2 sections
Written by AI from the complete official bill text and independently fact-checked against it. Not legal advice.
1Short title
This section would give the Act the short title Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act, also called the PROTECT Kids Act.
Show official text
Official text, verbatim from the record
1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act or the PROTECT Kids Act .
2Requirement related to gender markers, pronouns, and preferred names on school forms
This section would require any public elementary or middle school that receives funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to get a parent's consent before changing a covered student's gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form, or before changing the student's sex-based accommodations, including locker room or bathroom access. Getting that consent first would be a condition of the school continuing to receive funds under that Act. A covered student means a minor who is an elementary school student or a student in the middle grades. The terms elementary school, middle grades, and parent would carry the same meanings given to them in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
Show official text
Official text, verbatim from the record
2. Requirement related to gender markers, pronouns, and preferred names on school forms
(a) Requirement
As a condition of receiving funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq. ), a public school that receives funds under such Act shall be required to obtain parental consent before changing a covered student’s—
(1) gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form; or
(2) sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms.
(b) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Covered student
The term covered student means a minor who is—
(A) an elementary school student; or
(B) a student in any of the middle grades.
(2) ESEA terms
The terms elementary school , middle grades , and parent have the meanings given such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7801 ).
The on-site text is shown verbatim from the GovInfo publication, captured 2026-07-23. The same version at GovInfo.
The numbers
29%
of bills that passed one chamber became law in the 118th Congress, 2023 to 2024 (n=939)
5
sponsors, out of 218 needed to pass
Who is lobbying on this
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGNvia HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN
5 filings
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNIONvia AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
3 filings
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERSvia AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
3 filings
EXPERIAN NORTH AMERICAvia EXPERIAN NORTH AMERICA
3 filings
NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATIONvia NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
2 filings
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATIONvia AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
1 filing
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATIONvia PENN HILL GROUP
1 filing
NATIONAL WOMEN'S LAW CENTER ACTION FUNDvia NATIONAL WOMEN'S LAW CENTER ACTION FUND
1 filing
From 22 filings in federal lobbying disclosures (LDA), via lda.gov, naming this bill (2025 to 2026). Filings are self-reported by lobbying firms and show who is paid to influence this bill. They do not say which side, or whether it worked.
Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record. Last action: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (2026-05-21).