A Chinese government-backed scholarship program is now operating inside American high schools in thirty states, and one Chicago campus has a student trip to China already scheduled.
Story Snapshot
- Beijing’s Young Envoys Scholarship now reaches at least 26 K-12 schools across 30 states.
- Chicago’s Taft High School is among the campuses involved, with a trip planned for 2027.
- The program is run by the China Education Association for International Exchange.
- It follows the Confucius Classroom model that federal officials warned about in 2020.
The Program Operating In Schools Right Now
Beijing’s Young Envoys Scholarship sends American students to China on funded trips. A 2026 summary reported by Fox News found the program touching at least 26 K-12 schools across 30 states, alongside a much larger university footprint. The program is administered by the China Education Association for International Exchange, a body tied to China’s education ministry. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has set a public target of bringing 50,000 American students to China over five years.
In Chicago, Taft High School is among the campuses named, with roughly twenty students scheduled to travel in 2027. Supporting groups include business and trade organizations that promote U.S.-China exchange. Backers describe these trips as ordinary cultural diplomacy. Critics note the funding chain runs back to a one-party government with a documented interest in shaping how foreign students see it.
🇺🇸🇨🇳 Chicago schools are expanding partnerships with China involving student trips, teacher exchanges and curriculum cooperation. Taft High School signed an agreement with Shandong Jinan No. 9 High School, whose own documents say it is guided by “Xi Jinping Thought,” prioritizes… pic.twitter.com/rVRjNSWQMM
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) September 11, 2026
Why Federal Officials Already Sounded An Alarm
This is not the first version of the model. In October 2020, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of State warned state school chiefs about foreign influence in K-12 classrooms. The joint letter said China’s government sent curriculum and China-trained teachers into hundreds of American schools through Confucius Classrooms, describing them as language and culture programs that were in reality part of a broader influence campaign.
The university-level version collapsed under that scrutiny. Confucius Institutes on American campuses fell from a peak of 118 in 2017 to fewer than five by 2023. The K-12 version proved more durable. A House Education and the Workforce Committee release said more than 500 K-12 schools had allowed Confucius Classrooms on their campuses, and Parents Defending Education reported more than $17 million flowed into U.S. K-12 schools for Confucius-linked programs between 2009 and 2023.
How Wide The Footprint Got
Counts vary by method and timeframe, but they point the same direction. One 2023 review tracked ties in 143 schools across 34 states and Washington, D.C. A Senate letter echoed that finding and estimated more than 170,000 students were affected across 143 districts. Some cases drew sharper scrutiny because of the partner involved. Reports tied Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Virginia to more than $1 million from Chinese-government-linked entities.
Congress has started to respond. A recent House report and draft language would restrict federal funds to schools that partner with institutes funded by China, including Confucius Institutes or their offshoots. Supporters say taxpayer money should not underwrite foreign influence in classrooms. Critics worry that blanket bans could chill basic language learning, and that students lose a real window on a country the United States has to deal with either way.
Why This Matters For Families
Parents care about who writes lesson plans and who stands in front of their children. Federal officials have already asserted that the earlier version of this model brought China-supplied curriculum and teachers into U.S. schools. The newer program moves in the other direction, sending American teenagers abroad on a foreign government’s budget. Either way, the question is the same: who is paying, and what do they expect for the money?
School boards often work with tight budgets, and outside grants can look like easy wins. Hidden strings create risk. Clear contracts, public disclosure, local curriculum control, and firm limits on student data would let districts judge these offers on the merits. Welcome open learning, block hidden influence, and keep parents informed about what their neighborhood school has signed.
Sources:
thegatewaypundit.com, foxnews.com, edworkforce.house.gov, bean.house.gov