Short title

This Act may be cited as the

SOAR Act Improvements Act

Grant duration and Applications

(a)

Extension of grant duration

Section 3004(a)(2) of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (sec. 38–1853.04(a)(2), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking 5 years and inserting 5 years, and may renew such grants for an additional period of not more than 5 years, without a competitive process, when the Secretary determines appropriate and desirable to maintain continuity in the program. (b)

Changes to application content

(1)

Noninterference in regular admissions standards or procedures

Section 3005(b)(1)(C) of such Act (sec. 38–1853.05(b)(1)(C), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking the semicolon at the end and inserting , if such a process will not interfere with the regular admission standards or procedures of the school;. (2)

Change to residency requirement of eligible entity board members

(A)

In general

Section 3005(b)(1)(M) of such Act (sec. 38–1853.05(b)(1)(M), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking District of Columbia and inserting Washington metropolitan region. (B)

Washington metropolitan region defined

Section 3013 of such Act (sec. 38–1853.13, D.C. Official Code) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(12)

Washington metropolitan region

The term Washington metropolitan region includes the District of Columbia, the counties of Montgomery and Prince Georges in Maryland, and the counties of Arlington and Fairfax and the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church in Virginia.

Accreditation requirements

(a)

In general

Section 3007(a)(5)(A) of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (sec. 38–1853.07(a)(5)(A), D.C. Official Code) is amended— (1) by amending clause (i) to read as follows:

(i) in the case of a school that is a participating school as of the date of enactment of the SOAR Act Improvements Act, is recognized by— (I) a national or regional accrediting body; or (II) an accrediting body sited by the Student and Visitor Exchange English Language Program administered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and

; and

(2) by amending clause (ii) to read as follows:

(ii) in the case of a school that is not a participating school as of the date of enactment of the SOAR Act Improvements Act, is fully accredited by an accrediting body described under clause (i) not later than 5 years after the date on which that school began the process of pursuing participation under this division.

(b)

Removal of completed report

Section 3007(a)(5) of such Act (sec. 38–1853.07(a)(5), D.C. Official Code) is further amended by striking subparagraph (B) and redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B).

Use of funds

(a)

Extension of funds for use in pre-Kindergarten

Section 3007(a)(3)(B)(i)(I) of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (sec. 38–1853.07(a)(3)(B)(i)(I), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking kindergarten and inserting pre-kindergarten. (b)

Maximum scholarship amount

Section 3007(a)(3)(B)(ii) of such Act (sec. 38–1853.07(a)(3)(B)(ii), D.C. Official Code) is amended by adding at the end the following: In any year, an eligible entity receiving a grant under section 3004(a) has sole authority to establish a maximum scholarship amount less than the amount permitted in (3)(B)(i). (c)

Extension of funds for additional student academic assistance

(1)

In general

Section 3007 of such Act (sec. 38–1853.07, D.C. Official Code) is further amended— (A) in subsection (b)— (i) in the heading, by striking

and Parental Assistance

and inserting

, Parental Assistance, and Student Academic Assistance

; and (ii) by adding at the end the following:

(3) The expenses of providing tutoring service to participating eligible students who 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.

;

(B) by striking subsection (c) and redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c); and (C) in subsection (c), as so redesignated— (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). (2)

Increase in amount of funds

Section 3007(b) of such Act (sec. 38–1853.07(b), D.C. Official Code) is further amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking $2,000,000 and inserting $2,200,000; (3)

Removal of completed study

Section 3007(b)(1) of such Act (sec. 38–1853.07(b)(1), D.C. Official Code) is further amended— (A) in subparagraph (E), by striking ; and and inserting a period; and (B) by striking subparagraph (F).

Standardized testing requirements

Section 3008(h) of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results 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.

Evaluations

(a)

Modification in evaluation frequency

Section 3009(a)(1)(A) of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (sec. 38–1853.09(a)(1)(A), D.C. Official Code) is amended to read as follows:

(A) jointly enter into an agreement with the Institute of Education Sciences of the Department of Education to— (i) conduct an evaluation of the opportunity scholarship program under this division; and (ii) not later than January 1, 2027, and every 7 years thereafter, issue a public report on the opportunity scholarship program under this division.

(b)

Responsibility of Secretary

(1)

Ensuring evaluations are rigorous

Section 3009(a)(2)(A)(i) of such Act (sec. 38–1853.09(a)(2)(A)(i), D.C. Official Code) is amended to read as follows:

(i) is rigorous; and

(2)

Ensuring proper information is made public

Section 3009(a)(2)(B) of such Act (sec. 38–1853.09(a)(2)(B), D.C. Official Code) is amended to read as follows:

(B) disseminate information on the impact of the program on academic progress and educational attainment.

(c)

Responsibility of Institute of Education Sciences

(1)

Evaluation of participating eligible students

Section 3009(a)(3) of such Act (sec. 38–1853.09(a)(3), D.C. Official Code) is amended— (A) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:

(A) assess the academic progress of participating eligible students who use an opportunity scholarship in each of grades 3 through 8;

; and

(B) by striking subparagraph (B) and redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B). (2)

Technical amendment

Section 3009(a)(3) of such Act (sec. 38–1853.09(a)(3), D.C. Official Code) is further amended in the heading, by striking

on Education

and inserting

of Education

. (d)

Issues To be evaluated

Section 3009(a)(4) of such Act (sec. 38–1853.09(a)(4), D.C. Official Code) is amended— (1) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:

(A) The academic progress of participating eligible students who use an opportunity scholarship compared to the academic progress of a comparison group of students with similar backgrounds, which may include students in the District of Columbia public schools and the District of Columbia public charter schools.

;

(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking increasing the satisfaction of such parents and students with their choice and inserting the satisfaction of those parents and students with the program; (3) by amending subparagraph (D) to read as follows:

(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.

;

(4) by amending subparagraph (E) to read as follows:

(E) 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.

;

(5) by striking subparagraphs (F) and (G); and (6) by redesignating subparagraph (H) as subparagraph (F). (e)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to evaluations carried out on or after the expiration of the 2-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.

Report by entity receiving funds

(a)

Change to contents of report

Section 3010 of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (sec. 38–1853.10, D.C. Official Code) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)(1)— (A) by striking subparagraph (A); and (B) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively; and (2) in subsection (c)(1)— (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking aggregate academic achievement of other participating students at the student’s school in the same grade or level, as appropriate, and the; and (B) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:

(B) any incidents of school violence, student suspensions, and student expulsions; and

(b)

Effective date

The amendments made this section shall apply with respect to reports submitted for school years beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Extension of authorization of appropriation

(a)

In general

Section 3014 of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (sec. 38–1853.14, D.C. Official Code) is amended in subsection (a)— (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking through fiscal year 2023 and inserting through fiscal year 2032; (2) in paragraph (1), by striking one-third and inserting one-half; and (3) in paragraph (2), by striking one-third and inserting one-sixth. (b)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall apply beginning with respect to fiscal year 2024.