This Senate bill would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to block federal education funds from being used to develop, run, host, promote, or provide programs and materials for children under 18 that include sexually oriented content. It would apply to schools and education programs that receive federal support under that law, shaping what kinds of books, lessons, events, and outreach can be connected to those dollars. The measure is aimed at limiting federal involvement in age-inappropriate content and would be enforced through the funding conditions tied to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
What This Bill Does
- Bars use of Elementary and Secondary Education Act funds for programs or activities for children under 18 that include sexually oriented material.
- Prohibits federally funded programs from developing, implementing, facilitating, hosting, or promoting the covered content.
- Applies to literature or other materials provided to minors through education programs receiving federal support.
- Would affect schools, districts, and other recipients of federal education funds that serve students under 18.
Who This Bill Affects
If you are a student, parent, teacher, librarian, or school administrator in a program that receives Elementary and Secondary Education Act funds, this bill could limit which books, lessons, speakers, or student programs can be supported with those dollars. Schools would need to screen more carefully for sexually oriented content in materials aimed at anyone under 18, which could change what is available in classrooms, school libraries, and sponsored events. For most other people, the effect would be indirect, through how local schools spend federal education money.
See how this bill affects you — sign in for a personalized analysisWho Supports & Opposes This
- Parents concerned about school content They may see the bill as a straightforward guardrail that keeps federal education dollars from supporting materials they believe are inappropriate for minors. Supporters would argue that schools should be accountable to families when children are involved.
- School board members favoring stricter content standards They are likely to support a clear federal funding condition because it gives districts a uniform rule and reduces controversy over what can be offered to younger students. A bright-line standard can also simplify compliance reviews.
- Taxpayer advocates They may argue that federal education funds should be limited to core academic purposes and not used to promote sexually oriented material. In their view, the bill narrows the use of taxpayer money to what they consider more defensible educational spending.
- Educators and school administrators They may worry the bill’s wording could be hard to apply in practice and could force schools to pull or restrict materials that have educational or literary value. That uncertainty could make districts overly cautious.
- Public library and school library advocates They are likely to argue that age-appropriate books and materials with mature themes can still be educational, and that broad restrictions could reduce students’ access to legitimate reading choices. They may also fear pressure to remove content without careful review.
- Civil liberties and student rights advocates They may contend that the bill could be used to police classroom and library content too aggressively, especially when terms like sexually oriented material are interpreted broadly. Their concern is that the rule could chill speech and educational discretion.
Key Implications
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““prohibit the use of funds provided under such Act””
Any school or program receiving funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act would need to ensure those dollars are not used for the restricted purposes. That affects budgeting, vendor contracts, and the approval of educational content.
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““develop, implement, facilitate, host, or promote””
The prohibition reaches beyond direct purchase of materials and includes a wide range of program activities. That could affect guest speakers, events, online platforms, and district-sponsored outreach.
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““literature or other materials to, children under the age of 18””
The rule is aimed at minors, so schools serving adolescents would need to review materials with student age in mind. It could also shape what is placed in classrooms, libraries, and reading programs funded with covered dollars.
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““includes sexually oriented material””
This phrase is the core standard that schools and agencies would have to interpret and apply. In practice, it could lead to content reviews and disputes over whether a particular book, lesson, or program falls inside the prohibition.
Official Source & Bill Facts
BillBoard checks this page against public Congress.gov metadata, then adds plain-English analysis where available.
- Bill
- S 4925
- Congress
- 119th Congress
- Official title
- A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to prohibit the use of funds provided under such Act to develop, implement, facilitate, host, or promote any program or activity for, or to provide or promote literature or other materials to, children under the age of 18 that includes sexually oriented material, and for other purposes.
- Policy area
- Education
- Latest action
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (June 24, 2026)
- Last updated
- June 25, 2026
Latest Status
June 24, 2026
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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