H.R. 954

119 HR 954 IH: SOAR Permanent Authorization Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2025-02-04
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 I  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  H. R. 954  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   February 4, 2025   Mr. Moolenaar  introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Oversight and Government Reform    A BILL
To amend the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act with respect to certain funding, testing, and evaluation requirements and to permanently authorize an appropriation for such Act.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   SOAR Permanent Authorization Act  .
2.
Amendments to Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act
(a)
Change in accreditation requirements
Section 3007(a)(5)(A)(i)(I) of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (sec. 38–1853.07(a)(5)(A)(i)(I), D.C. Official Code) is amended to read as follows:
(I)
is fully accredited by an accrediting body with jurisdiction in the District of Columbia or that is recognized by the Student and Visitor Exchange English Language Program administered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; or
  .
(b)
Removal of student academic assistance limit
(1)
In general
Section 3007(b) of such Act (sec. 38–1853.07 (b), D.C. Official Code) is amended—
(A)
in the header, by striking
and Parental Assistance   and inserting
, Parental Assistance, and Student Academic Assistance  ;
(B)
in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking  $2,000,000  and inserting  $2,200,000 ; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:
(3)
The expenses of providing tutoring service to participating eligible students that need additional academic assistance. If there are insufficient funds to provide tutoring services to all such students in a year, the eligible entity shall give priority in such year to students who previously attended an elementary school or secondary school identified as one of the lowest-performing schools under the District of Columbia’s accountability system.
 .
(2)
Conforming amendments
Section 3007 of such Act (sec. 38–1853.07, D.C. Official Code) is amended—
(A)
by striking subsection (c) and redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c); and
(B)
in subsection (c), as so redesignated by paragraph (A)—
(i)
in paragraph (2)(B), by striking  subsections (b) and (c)  and inserting  subsection (b) ; and
(ii)
in paragraph (3), by striking  subsections (b) and (c)  and inserting  subsection (b) .
(c)
Change in standardized testing requirements
Section 3008(h) of such Act (sec. 38–1853.08(h), D.C. Official Code) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1), by striking  section 3009(a)(2)(A)(i)  and inserting  section 3009(a) ;
(2)
by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
(2)
Administration of tests
The Institute of Education Sciences may administer assessments to students participating in the evaluation under section 3009(a) for the purpose of conducting the evaluation under such section.
 ; and
(3)
in paragraph (3), by striking  the nationally norm-referenced standardized test described in paragraph (2)  and inserting  a nationally norm-referenced standardized test .
(d)
Change in evaluation frequency and standards
Section 3009(a) of such Act (sec. 38–1853.09(a), D.C. Official Code) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1)(A), by striking  annually  and inserting  regularly ;
(2)
in paragraph (2)—
(A)
by amending subparagraph (A)(i) to read as follows:
(i)
is rigorous; and
 ; and
(B)
in subparagraph (B), by striking  impact of the program  and all that follows through the end of the subparagraph and inserting  impact of the program on academic progress and educational attainment. ;
(3)
in paragraph (3)—
(A)
in the header, by striking
on Education   and inserting
of Education  ;
(B)
in subparagraph (A)—
(i)
by inserting  the academic progress of  after  assess ; and
(ii)
by striking  in each of grades 3  and all that follows through the end of the subparagraph and inserting  ; and ;
(C)
by striking subparagraph (B); and
(D)
by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B); and
(4)
in paragraph (4)—
(A)
in subparagraph (A)—
(i)
by striking  A comparison of the academic achievement of participating eligible students who use an opportunity scholarship on the measurements described in paragraph (3)(B) to the academic achievement  and inserting  The academic progress of participating eligible students who use an opportunity scholarship compared to the academic progress ; and
(ii)
by inserting  , which may include students  after  students with similar backgrounds ;
(B)
in subparagraph (B), by striking  increasing the satisfaction of such parents and students with their choice  and inserting  those parents' and students' satisfaction with the program ;
(C)
by striking subparagraphs (D) through (F) and inserting the following:
(D)
The high school graduation rates, college enrollment rates, college persistence rates, and college graduation rates of participating eligible students who use an opportunity scholarship compared with the rates of public school students described in subparagraph (A), to the extent practicable.
(E)
The college enrollment rates, college persistence rates, and college graduation rates of students who participated in the program as the result of winning the Opportunity Scholarship Program lottery compared to the enrollment, persistence, and graduation rates for students who entered but did not win such lottery and who, as a result, served as the control group for previous evaluations of the program under this division. Nothing in this subparagraph may be construed to waive section 3004(a)(3)(A)(iii) with respect to any such student.
(F)
The safety of the schools attended by participating eligible students who use an opportunity scholarship compared with the schools attended by public school students described in subparagraph (A), to the extent practicable.
 ; and
(D)
in subparagraph (G), by striking  achievement  and inserting  progress .
(e)
Permanent authorization of appropriation
Section 3014 of such Act (sec. 38–1853.14, D.C. Official Code) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a), by striking “$60,000,000 for fiscal year 2012 and for each fiscal year through fiscal year 2023” and inserting  $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2024 and for each succeeding fiscal year ; and
(2)
in subsection (b), by striking  $60,000,000  and inserting  $75,000,000 .