[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 25, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5382-S5383]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3565. Mr. JOHNSON submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 3399 proposed by Mr. Shelby to the bill H.R. 6147, 
making appropriations for the Department of the Interior, environment, 
and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and 
for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of title VIII, add the following:

     SEC. 821. AMENDMENTS TO THE SOAR ACT.

       The Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (division 
     C of Public Law 112-10) is amended--
       (1) in section 3007(a)(5)(A)(i) (sec. 38-
     1853.07(a)(5)(A)(i) D.C. Official Code), by striking 
     subclause (I) and inserting the following:

       ``(I) is fully accredited by--

       ``(aa) an accrediting body with jurisdiction in the 
     District of Columbia and that is recognized by the Student 
     and Visitor Exchange

[[Page S5383]]

     English Language Program administered by the U.S. Immigration 
     and Customs Enforcement; or
       ``(bb) any international accrediting body that the 
     Secretary may designate, after consultation with the grantee 
     or grantees under section 3004(a); or'';
       (2) in section 3008(h) (sec. 38-1853.08(h) D.C. Official 
     Code)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``section 
     3009(a)(2)(A)(i)'' and inserting ``section 3009(a)'';
       (B) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
       ``(2) 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
       (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``the nationally norm-
     referenced standardized test described in paragraph (2)'' and 
     inserting ``a nationally norm-referenced standardized test''; 
     and
       (3) in section 3009(a) (sec. 38-1853.09(a) D.C. Official 
     Code)--
       (A) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``annually'';
       (B) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking clause (i) and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(i) is rigorous; and''; and
       (ii) 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 achievement and educational attainment.'';
       (C) in paragraph (3)--
       (i) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``on education'' 
     and inserting ``of education'';
       (ii) 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'';

       (iii) by striking subparagraph (B); and
       (iv) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B); 
     and
       (D) in paragraph (4)--
       (i) in subparagraph (A), 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'';
       (ii) 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''; and
       (iii) by striking subparagraph (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 in the District of Columbia attended by 
     public school students described in subparagraph (A), to the 
     extent practicable.''.
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