[House Report 114-292]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


114th Congress   }                                      {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session     }                                      {      114-292

======================================================================



 
      SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OPPORTUNITY AND RESULTS REAUTHORIZATION ACT

                                _______
                                

October 16, 2015.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Chaffetz, from the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                             together with

                             MINORITY VIEWS

                         [To accompany H.R. 10]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, to whom 
was referred the bill (H.R. 10) to reauthorize the Scholarships 
for Opportunity and Results Act, and for other purposes, having 
considered the same, reports favorably thereon with amendments 
and recommends that the bill as amended do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Committee Statement and Views....................................     3
Section-by-Section...............................................     8
Explanation of Amendments........................................    10
Committee Consideration..........................................    11
Roll Call Votes..................................................    11
Application of Law to the Legislative Branch.....................    13
Statement of Oversight Findings and Recommendations of the 
  Committee......................................................    13
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............    13
Duplication of Federal Programs..................................    13
Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings..............................    13
Federal Advisory Committee Act...................................    13
Unfunded Mandate Statement.......................................    13
Earmark Identification...........................................    13
Committee Estimate...............................................    14
Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate...    14
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............    15
Minority Views...................................................    29
    The amendments (stated in terms of the page and line 
numbers of the introduced bill) are as follows:
  Page 10, strike line 18 and all that follows through page 11, 
line 6 and insert the following:

                          ``(iii) In the case of a school that, 
                        as of the date of enactment of the SOAR 
                        Reauthorization Act, is not a 
                        participating school, the school meets 
                        the requirements of clause (i) or, if 
                        it does not meet the requirements of 
                        clause (i)--
                                  ``(I) at the time the school 
                                notifies an eligible entity 
                                that it seeks to be a 
                                participating school, the 
                                school is actively pursuing 
                                full accreditation by an 
                                accrediting body described in 
                                clause (i);
                                  ``(II) not later than 5 years 
                                after the school notifies an 
                                eligible entity that it seeks 
                                to be a participating school, 
                                the school meets the 
                                requirements of clause (i), 
                                except that an eligible entity 
                                may extend this deadline for a 
                                single 1-year period if the 
                                school provides the eligible 
                                entity with evidence from such 
                                an accrediting body that the 
                                school's application for 
                                accreditation is in process and 
                                that the school will be awarded 
                                accreditation before the end of 
                                such period; and
                                  ``(III) the school meets all 
                                of the other requirements for 
                                participating schools under 
                                this Act.''.
  Page 14, strike lines 3 through 13 and insert the following:

  ``(d) Permitting Use of Funds Remaining Unobligated From 
Previous Fiscal Years.--To the extent that any funds 
appropriated for the opportunity scholarship program under this 
Act for any fiscal year (including a fiscal year occurring 
prior to the enactment of this subsection) remain unobligated 
at the end of the fiscal year, the Secretary shall make such 
funds available during the next fiscal year and (if still 
unobligated as of the end of that fiscal year) any subsequent 
fiscal year for scholarships for eligible students, except that 
an eligible entity may use not more than 5 percent of the funds 
for administrative expenses, parental assistance, and tutoring, 
in addition to the amounts appropriated for such purposes under 
section 3007(b) and (c).''.
  Page 17, line 17, strike ``their satisfaction with their 
child's school'' and insert ``the satisfaction of such parents 
and students with their choice''.

  Page 17, line 23, strike ``college admission'' and insert 
``college enrollment''.

  Page 18, beginning on line 3, strike ``college admission'' 
and insert ``college enrollment''.

  Page 19, line 15, strike ``such student,'' and insert the 
following: ``such student or the group of individuals providing 
information for carrying out the evaluation of such student,''.

  Page 20, line 4, strike the period and insert the following: 
``, and as a component of the new evaluations, the Secretary 
shall continue to monitor and evaluate the students who were 
evaluated in the most recent evaluation under such section 
prior to the enactment of this Act, along with their 
corresponding test scores and other information.''.

                     Committee Statement and Views


                          Purpose and Summary

    The Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) 
Reauthorization Act gives District of Columbia (DC) students 
choice in their education. The bill continues the three-sector 
approach to education in the District of Columbia by 
authorizing $60 million in annual funding, equally distributed 
to District of Columbia Public Schools, District of Columbia 
public charter schools, and the District of Columbia 
Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP). The OSP gives children 
of low-income District families access to a quality education 
through scholarships to attend private schools.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    H.R. 10 continues the three-sector approach to education in 
the District of Columbia.\1\ Since 2004, District students have 
had greater access to a quality education, and the SOAR 
Reauthorization Act would allow this trend to continue.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\The three-sector approach was part of the DC School Choice 
Incentive Act in P.L. 108-99 and was later formalized through the 
enactment of the Scholarship for Opportunity and Results Act of 2011 in 
P.L. 112-10.
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    In 2003, when the OSP was first designed, DC Public School 
students had the lowest test scores in the nation.\2\ Over the 
past decade, DC Public Schools have shown improvement,\3\ yet 
DC Public School students continue to test well below national 
averages, with scores that remain at or near the bottom of the 
United States.\4\
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    \2\Nat'l Center for Educ. Statistics, Digest of Education 
Statistics, Table 222.60, at 1 (2013) (hereinafter ``Table 222.60''); 
Nat'l Center for Educ. Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics, 
Table 222.50, at 1 (2013) (hereinafter ``Table 222.50''); Nat'l Center 
for Educ. Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics, Table 221.60, at 
1 (2013) (hereinafter ``Table 221.60''); Nat'l Center for Educ. 
Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics, Table 221.40, at 1 (2013) 
(hereinafter ``Table 221.40'').
    \3\Id. Each table demonstrates consistent improvement in DC test 
scores over the ten-year period.
    \4\Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In 2013, DC fourth graders had the lowest average math and 
reading scores of any state.\5\ In math, 34 percent of students 
scored below a basic level, compared to the national average of 
18 percent.\6\ In reading, 50 percent of students scored below 
a basic level, compared to the national average of 33 
percent.\7\ In 2013, DC eighth graders had the lowest average 
math and reading scores in the country.\8\ Among DC eighth 
graders, 46 percent of students tested below a basic level in 
math, compared to the national average of 27 percent.\9\ Forty 
three percent of students tested below a basic level in 
reading, compared to the national average of 23 percent.\10\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \5\Table 222.50, supra note 1; Table 221.40, supra note 1.
    \6\Table 222.50, supra note 1.
    \7\Table 221.40, supra note 1.
    \8\Table 222.60, supra note 1; Table 221.60, supra note 1.
    \9\Table 222.60, supra note 1.
    \10\Table 221.60, supra note 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Conversely, there is convincing evidence to demonstrate 
that OSP students are seeing improved achievement against non-
OSP students in reading. The 2009 U.S. Department of Education 
evaluation found that after three years, OSP students scored 
significantly higher in reading achievement, a difference 
equivalent to three or four months of additional learning.\11\ 
The final evaluation spanning 2004-2009 could not conclusively 
report on increased reading achievement, because the 
achievement over four years was only statistically significant 
at the 94 percent confidence level, and not the 95 percent 
confidence level included in the report.\12\ Dr. Patrick Wolf, 
the leading researcher on the study, indicated that this was 
the result of the sample having changed; as students graduated, 
the researches had a smaller, different group of students for 
the fourth-year study.\13\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \11\Patrick Wolf et al., Evaluation of the DC Opportunity 
Scholarship Program: Impacts After Three Years, U.S. Dep't of Educ., 
Inst. of Educ. Sciences, Nat'l Center for Educ. Evaluation & Regional 
Assistance, at 36-41 (Mar. 2009) (NCEE 2009-4050).
    \12\Patrick Wolf et al., Evaluation of the DC Opportunity 
Scholarship Program: Final Report, U.S. Dep't of Educ., Inst. of Educ. 
Sciences, Nat'l Center for Educ. Evaluation & Regional Assistance, at 
35-37, Table 3-2 and Figure 3-1 (June 2010) (NCEE 2010-4018) 
(hereinafter ``Wolf et al., 2010'').
    \13\H. Comm. on Oversight & Gov't Reform, Hearing on D.C. 
Opportunity Scholarship Program: Making the American Dream Possible, 
114th Cong. (May 14, 2015) (statement of Dr. Patrick Wolf, Professor 
and 21st Century Chair in School Choice at the College of Educ. & 
Health Professions at the University of Arkansas); Wolf et al., 2010, 
supra note 12, at 37, footnote 39.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Additionally, the OSP has resulted in a meaningful impact 
on graduation rates. During the 2013-2014 school year, OSP 
students had a graduation rate of 89 percent, while DC Public 
School students had a graduation rate of 58 percent.\14\ OSP 
students graduated well above the national average of 81 
percent.\15\ Students from low-achieving schools in particular 
appear to be benefiting from the OSP, as students in low-
achieving schools when they applied to the program increased 
their graduation rate from 66 percent to 79 percent as a result 
of the OSP.\16\ Of the 2014-2015 OSP population, 98 percent 
would have otherwise attended a school formerly designated as 
in need of improvement without the program.\17\ Further, in 
2013, the OSP saw 90 percent of its graduating students enroll 
in a two or four year college, with a 98 percent enrollment 
rate in 2014.\18\
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    \14\D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation, D.C. 
Opportunity Scholarship Program 2013-2014 Program Summary, available at 
http://www.dcscholarships.org/elements/file/OSP/Program%20Data/
2014_06_03%20DC%20OSP%20Program%20Summary.pdf; Office of the State 
Superintendent of Educ., District of Columbia; DC 2014 Adjusted Cohort 
4-Year Graduation Rate, available at http://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/
files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/
2014_ACGR_summary_wnongrad.pdf (last visited Oct. 14, 2015).
    \15\Nat'l Center for Educ. Statistics, Common Core of Data, Public 
high school 4-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR) for the 
United States, the 50 states, and the District of Columbia: School 
Years 2010-2011 to 2012-2013. This is the latest data available by 
NCES.
    \16\Wolf et al., 2010, supra note 12, at 41.
    \17\D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation, D.C. 
Opportunity Scholarship Program 2014-2015 Program Summary, available at 
http://www.dcscholarships.org/elements/file/OSP/Program%20Data/
DC%20OSP%20Program%20Summary%20-%20SY%202014-15.pdf (last visited Oct. 
14, 2015). The designation of ``school in need of improvement'' is no 
longer used in the District of Columbia.
    \18\D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation, D.C. 
Opportunity Scholarship Program 2012-2013 Parental Satisfaction and 
Program Summary, available at http://www.dcscholarships.org/elements/
file/OSP/
201311_06%20DC%20OSP%20Parental%20Satisfaction%20ana%20Program%20Summary
.pdf (last visited Oct. 14, 2015); D.C. Children and Youth Investment 
Trust Corporation, D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program 2013-2014 
Program Summary, available at http://www.dcscholarships.org/elements/
file/OSP/Program%20Data/2014_06_03%20DC%20OS P%20Program%20Summary.pdf 
(last visited Oct. 14, 2015).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The OSP is positioning students in the District of Columbia 
for academic success that will continue to benefit them for the 
rest of their lives. According to the Bureau of Labor 
Statistics, in 2014, high school graduates had a median weekly 
income that was $180 higher than those without a diploma.\19\ 
This number is even higher for those with some college 
experience, and for those with a college degree, their median 
weekly earnings were more than twice that of those without a 
high school diploma.\20\ Additionally, in 2014, the 
unemployment rate was 33 percent lower for those with a high 
school diploma than for those without.\21\ For those with a 
bachelor's degree, the unemployment rate was 61 percent lower 
than for those without a high school diploma.\22\ In addition 
to increased graduation rates, OSP parents report that the 
schools they are choosing for their children are safer than the 
alternative public schools.\23\ Parents also exhibited greater 
satisfaction with their child's school as a result of the 
OSP.\24\ In fact, the community demonstrates strong support for 
the OSP, with 74 percent of DC residents supporting the 
continuation of the program.\25\
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    \19\U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2014, 
available at http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm (last visited Oct. 
14, 2015).
    \20\Id.
    \21\Id.
    \22\Id.
    \23\Wolf et al., 2010, supra note 12, at 43-46.
    \24\Id.
    \25\Lester & Associates, The District of Columbia Citywide Survey, 
Feb. 2011, Question 25.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    As a result of the demonstrated success of the OSP, H.R. 10 
revises the structure for evaluating the program. Beginning in 
2004, the DC School Choice Incentive Act and the subsequent 
SOAR Act required the OSP be evaluated using the strongest 
possible research design. To fulfill this requirement, the U.S. 
Secretary of Education utilized a randomized control 
evaluation, creating a lottery system where some student 
applicants received scholarships, while other student 
applicants were placed in a ``control group'' and did not 
receive a scholarship. The current method of evaluation limits 
participation in the program, and excludes students from 
receiving a scholarship to complete the evaluation. Given the 
documented effectiveness of the OSP, H.R. 10 allows each 
student applicant the same opportunity to participate through 
the use of an alternate evaluation method.
    In order to ensure that the new evaluation method is 
rigorous, the bill requires the use of a quasi-experimental 
research design evaluation. This evaluation compares the 
academic achievement of OSP students to the academic 
achievement of a comparison group of students with similar 
backgrounds in District of Columbia Public Schools. The study 
is to continue evaluating students who received a scholarship 
and were previously studied under the former evaluation. The 
evaluation is not merely a descriptive analysis nor does it 
compare OSP students to their own performance over time, but 
rather is an evaluation of OSP student achievement compared to 
DC Public School student achievement, comparing students from 
similar backgrounds. The study should be designed to meet the 
U.S. Department of Education's What Works Clearinghouse 
standards for a ``qualified quasi-experimental design'' and 
therefore permit evaluators to draw causal conclusions about 
the program with the reservations typical of such non-
experimental analyses.\26\
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    \26\What Works Clearinghouse, Designing Quasi-Experiments: Meeting 
What Works Clearinghouse Standards Without Random Assignment, Webinar 
Transcript, Mar. 3, 2015, available at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/
multimedia/qedwebinar/wwc_webinar_qed_030315.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The legislation addresses prior concerns with 
administration of the OSP. Two previously published Government 
Accountability Office reports cited concerns with the OSP 
administrator's internal controls, including policies and 
procedures for financial management.\27\ These reports also 
noted that the OSP administrator did not maintain complete 
information about OSP schools' accreditation, which serves as a 
means of accountability and oversight.\28\ H.R. 10 responds to 
these recommendations by requiring the OSP Administrator to 
utilize internal fiscal and quality controls, and also requires 
participating OSP schools to become accredited within five 
years of this bill's passage.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \27\Gov't Accountability Office, District of Columbia Opportunity 
Scholarship Program: Additional Policies and Procedures Would Improve 
Internal Controls and Program Operations, at 20 (Nov. 2007) (GAO-08-9) 
(hereinafter ``GAO-08-9''); Gov't Accountability Office, District of 
Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program: Actions Needed to Address 
Weaknesses in Administration and Oversight, at 19 (Sept. 2013) (GAO-13-
805) (hereinafter ``GAO-13-805'').
    \28\Id.
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    Simply put, OSP is a cost effective program. A study 
conducted by Dr. Wolf and Dr. Michael McShane found that for 
every dollar spent on the program, the OSP produces $2.62, or a 
162 percent return on investment.\29\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \29\Patrick J. Wolf and Michael McShane, Is the Juice Worth the 
Squeeze? A Benefit/Cost Analysis of the District of Columbia 
Opportunity Scholarship Program, Education Finance and Policy (Winter 
2013), 8(1), at 74-99.
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    H.R. 10 reauthorizes the SOAR Act for an additional five 
years, providing $300 million in additional funding to support 
education in the District of Columbia. The $300 million 
authorized by H.R. 10 is divided equally among DC Public 
Schools, DC public charter schools, and the OSP. The OSP does 
not take any money away from public schools or public charter 
schools within the District. Rather, DC Public Schools and DC 
public charter schools benefit from additional funding that 
would otherwise not be available to support education within 
the District of Columbia.
    Reauthorizing the three-sector approach means improved 
educational outcomes for District of Columbia students. The 
District of Columbia benefits from a strong network of public 
charter schools that provide meaningful alternatives to 
families that would otherwise be assigned to low-performing 
public schools. H.R. 10 ensures that DC public charter schools 
receive funding for continued improvement, strengthening 
educational options for District children.
    Educational choice is aimed at bringing about improvements 
across all schools. In fact, evidence suggests that the OSP 
prompted public school principals within the District to 
implement changes to retain students who might pursue the OSP 
or private school education. According to Dr. Wolf's study of 
the OSP, 28 percent of public school principals indicated that 
they made changes to their operations in an effort to keep 
students from leaving public school for the OSP or a private 
school.\30\ H.R. 10 means a continued emphasis on educational 
quality across District of Columbia schools, and brings 
opportunity to those most in need.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \30\Wolf et al., 2010, supra note 12, at 67.
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                          Legislative History

    The OSP was first created as part of H.R. 2556, the DC 
Parental Choice Incentive Act, reported by the Committee on 
Government Reform by a 22 to 21 vote on July 10, 2003. The 
legislation was subsequently incorporated into H.R. 2673, the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (P.L. 108-199) as the DC 
School Choice Incentive Act of 2003 and became law on January 
23, 2004. Appropriations for the program were authorized 
through Fiscal Year 2008.
    The Omnibus Appropriation Act, 2009 (P.L. 111-8) specified 
that the use of any funds in any act for Opportunity 
Scholarships after the 2009-2010 school year be available only 
upon reauthorization of the program and the adoption of 
legislation by the District of Columbia approving such 
reauthorization. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 
(P.L. 111-117) eliminated this restriction on funding, 
allocating $13.2 million for Opportunity Scholarships to 
students who received scholarships in the 2009-2010 school 
year.
    During the 112th Congress, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) 
introduced H.R. 471, the ``Scholarships for Opportunity and 
Results Act,'' or ``SOAR Act,'' on January 26, 2011 to 
reauthorize the OSP. The bill was referred to the Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform. The companion bill, S. 206, 
was introduced on January 26, 2011 by Senator Joseph Lieberman 
(D-CT). The bill was referred to the Senate Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs Committee, which held a hearing on 
February 16, 2011.
    The Subcommittee on Health Care, D.C., Census, and National 
Archives of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
held a hearing on the OSP and H.R. 471 on March 1, 2011. The 
Committee then reported the legislation favorably by a 21-14 
vote on March 10, 2011. H.R. 471 passed the House on March 30, 
2011, by a recorded vote, 225-195. The legislation was 
subsequently incorporated into H.R. 1473, the Department of 
Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (P.L. 
112-10). Appropriations for the program were authorized through 
Fiscal Year 2016.
    Representative Trey Gowdy (R-SC) introduced H.R. 3237, the 
SOAR Technical Corrections Act on October 18, 2011. The bill 
was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform, and the Committee then reported the legislation 
favorably by voice vote on November 3, 2011. H.R. 3237 was 
signed into law on February 1, 2012 (P.L. 112-92).
    The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a 
field hearing on May 14, 2015 at Archbishop Carroll High 
School, a participating OSP school, to examine the 
reauthorization of the OSP.
    Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) introduced H.R. 10, the 
``Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Reauthorization 
Act'' or ``SOAR Reauthorization Act'' on October 5, 2015. 
Representatives Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), John Kline (R-MN), 
Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), Todd Rokita (R-IN), Rodney 
Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), and Luke Messer (R-IN) are original co-
sponsors.
    On October 9, 2015, the Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform ordered H.R. 10 favorably reported, as 
amended, by a recorded vote of 16-14. Representative Rod Blum 
(R-IA), a cosponsor of H.R. 10, was detained voting in another 
Committee. Had Representative Blum been present for the vote, 
he would have voted in favor of reporting the bill, as amended.

                           Section-by-Section


Section 1. Short title; references in act

    Designates the short title of the bill as the 
``Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Reauthorization 
Act'' or ``SOAR Reauthorization Act''.
    Any amendment or repeal cited within the Act is in 
reference to the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act 
(division C of Public Law 112-10; sec. 38-1853.01 et seq., D.C. 
Official Code).

Section 2. Findings; purpose

    Congress finds the following:
    Parents are best equipped to make educational decisions for 
their children. The OSP was part of a three-sector approach to 
education under the DC School Choice Incentive Act of 2003 that 
included funding for DC Public Schools DC public charter 
schools, and the OSP.
    Congress passed the SOAR Act in 2011, formally enacting the 
three-sector approach. The National Center for Education 
Statistics has shown that DC performed near the bottom of the 
country in math and reading when Congress passed the DC School 
Incentive Act of 2003. Despite huge improvements in math and 
reading, DC is still testing at or near the bottom of the 
country.
    DC parents and residents support the OSP, with 74 percent 
of DC residents supporting its continuation, according to a 
2011 poll.
    Students who have been awarded and used their opportunity 
scholarships have significantly higher graduation rates than 
those students attending DC Public Schools.
    The OSP offers educational alternatives to low-income 
families while public schools improve.
    The purpose of this bill is to continue to provide 
educational opportunities for the children of low-income 
parents within the District of Columbia.

Section 3. Prohibiting imposition of limits on types of eligible 
        students participating in the program

    The Secretary of the Department of Education may not limit 
an otherwise eligible student from participating in OSP based 
on the type of school the student previously attended, whether 
or not the student previously received a scholarship, or 
whether the student was a member of the evaluation ``control 
group'' that previously prohibited them from participating in 
OSP.
    If more students enter the OSP than the program can 
support, the program administrator must conduct a random 
selection process that gives weight to students who attend a 
school identified for improvement under the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965, students awarded a scholarship 
in the preceding year, and students whose household includes a 
sibling or other child already participating in the OSP.

Section 4. Requiring eligible entities to utilize internal fiscal and 
        quality controls

    The entity administering the OSP must have proper fiscal 
and quality controls in place as a condition to managing the 
scholarship program, in response to recommendations by the 
Government Accountability Office.

Section 5. Clarification of priorities for awarding scholarships to 
        determining eligible students

    Removes the restriction on students who have previously 
attended a private school. Instead of referencing section 1116 
(schools in need of improvement) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act, the Act gives priority to those 
students who have previously attended a low-performing DC 
Public School.

Section 6. Modification of requirements for participating schools and 
        eligible entities

    School employees with direct, unsupervised interaction with 
students must complete a criminal background check.
    OSP participating schools must be accredited, or in the 
process of seeking accreditation. Schools that seek to 
participate in the OSP are required to actively pursue 
accreditation, and must become accredited within five years of 
the date of enactment.
    Authorizes $2 million in appropriated funds to carry out 
administrative functions and provide parental education and 
assistance, including through streamlining the application.
    Previously unobligated funds shall be used to award new 
scholarships to students, of which not more than 5 percent of 
unobligated funds may be used for administrative costs, 
parental assistance, and tutoring. These unobligated funds may 
be available during the next fiscal year after the bill's 
enactment, or if additional unobligated funds remain, in 
subsequent fiscal years.

Section 7. Program evaluation

    Terminates the evaluation conducted under the current SOAR 
Act. OSP students who were part of the previous evaluation of 
the OSP will be transitioned into the new evaluation.
    Directs the Secretary of Education and the Mayor of the 
District of Columbia to have the Institute of Education 
Sciences of the U.S. Department of Education annually evaluate 
the OSP, in addition to the monitoring and evaluation of how DC 
Public Schools and public charter schools' use of the three-
sector funds authorized by this bill are contributing to 
student achievement. The evaluation must include student 
achievement; reasons for participating in the program; a 
comparison of retention, graduation, college enrollment, 
college persistence, and college graduation rates; school 
safety; parent and student satisfaction; and other issues. As 
part of the evaluation, the Secretary of Education will ensure 
that the annual OSP evaluation uses a quasi-experimental 
research design that does not require a control group that 
would prohibit eligible students from entering the OSP. The 
Institute of Education Sciences will assess participating 
students in grades 3 through 8 and one grade in high school.
    Requires the Mayor of the District of Columbia and 
Secretary of Education to monitor funds authorized and 
appropriated for DC Public Schools and DC public charter 
schools. Provides protections for the personally identifiable 
information of students.
    Individuals carrying out the evaluation, or those 
individuals that have necessary information for the evaluation, 
can disclose information necessary to carry out the evaluation.

Section 8. Funding for District of Columbia public schools and public 
        charter schools

    The Secretary of Education may withhold funds from the 
Mayor of the District of Columbia if the Mayor fails to comply 
with any of the requirements, and reasonable notice was given 
as well as the opportunity for a hearing.
    The Secretary may direct funds to the Office of the State 
Superintendent of Education of the District of Columbia (OSSE), 
and OSSE may transfer funds to subgrantees that are DC public 
charter schools, public charter school networks, nonprofits 
that support DC public charters, or networks of schools.

Section 9. Revision of current memorandum of understanding

    The Secretary of Education and the Mayor of the District of 
Columbia will revise their Memorandum of Understanding to 
reflect the amendments within the bill, the need to ensure that 
participating schools meet fire code standards and maintain 
certificates of occupancy, and to ensure that DC public and 
public charter schools meet the requirements to provide 
information necessary to carry out evaluations.

Section 10. Extension of authorization of appropriations

    Authorizes the OSP and the three-sector funding approach 
for five additional years, through September 30, 2021.

Section 11. Effective date

    The amendments in the Act take effect during the 2016-2017 
school year and each succeeding school year.

                       Explanation of Amendments

    Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) offered a Manager's 
Amendment. The amendment strengthens the accreditation 
standards in Section 6 by requiring schools that seek to 
participate in the OSP to actively pursue accreditation, and 
become accredited within five years of the bill's enactment. 
The amendment also clarifies how rollover funds are to be used 
for the OSP as described in Section 6. The amendment clarifies 
that any funds appropriated for the OSP, including funds 
appropriated in previous fiscal years under the DC School 
Choice Incentive Act of 2003 or the SOAR Act, that remain 
unobligated at the end of a fiscal year may be available to 
award scholarships for eligible students. These unobligated 
funds may be available during the next fiscal year, or if 
additional unobligated funds remain, in subsequent fiscal 
years. The amendment states that these unobligated funds are 
available to award scholarships for eligible students, except 
that an eligible entity may also use not more than 5 percent of 
the funds for administrative expenses, parental assistance, and 
tutoring. Additionally, the amendment ensures that the 
Department of Education continues to evaluate student 
satisfaction in its evaluation as described in Section 7. The 
amendment also makes technical corrections to clarify the 
terminology in Section 7 regarding college enrollment. Finally, 
the amendment ensures that the evaluators have access to 
necessary data on students not attending public schools to 
conduct a review while also protecting personally identifiable 
information. The amendment specifies that individuals carrying 
out the evaluation, or those individuals that have necessary 
information for the evaluation such as data providers, can 
disclose information to carry out the evaluation. The Manager's 
Amendment was adopted by a voice vote.
    Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) offered an amendment 
to Section 6 to limit schools that accept OSP scholarship 
students to 50 percent of total school enrollment, without 
affecting current voucher students or siblings. The amendment 
also changes the evaluation in Section 7 to maintain the 
strongest possible research design when evaluating the OSP. The 
amendment offered by Rep. Norton was defeated by a voice vote.
    Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) offered an amendment to clarify 
and strengthen the required evaluation of the OSP in Section 7. 
This amendment clarifies that OSP students who were part of the 
previous evaluation of the OSP, including OSP students who were 
awarded scholarships, will be transitioned into the new 
evaluation. The amendment offered by Rep. Meadows was adopted 
by a voice vote.

                        Committee Consideration

    On October 9, 2015 the Committee met in open session and 
ordered reported favorably the bill, H.R. 10, as amended, by 
roll call vote of 16 to 14, a quorum being present.

                            Roll Call Votes

    There was one recorded vote during consideration of H.R. 
10:

'GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

              Application of Law to the Legislative Branch

    Section 102(b)(3) of Public Law 104-1 requires a 
description of the application of this bill to the legislative 
branch where the bill relates to the terms and conditions of 
employment or access to public services and accommodations. 
This bill reauthorizes the Scholarships for Opportunity and 
Results Act. As such this bill does not relate to employment or 
access to public services and accommodations.

  Statement of Oversight Findings and Recommendations of the Committee

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII and clause 
(2)(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives, the Committee's oversight findings and 
recommendations are reflected in the descriptive portions of 
this report.

         Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives

    In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee's performance 
goal or objective of this bill is to reauthorize the 
Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act.

                    Duplication of Federal Programs

    No provision of this bill establishes or reauthorizes a 
program of the Federal Government known to be duplicative of 
another Federal program, a program that was included in any 
report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress 
pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program 
related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance.

                  Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings

    The Committee estimates that enacting this bill does not 
direct the completion of any specific rule makings within the 
meaning of 5 U.S.C. 551.

                     Federal Advisory Committee Act

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not establish 
or authorize the establishment of an advisory committee within 
the definition of 5 U.S.C. App., Section 5(b).

                       Unfunded Mandate Statement

    Section 423 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment 
Control Act (as amended by Section 101(a)(2) of the Unfunded 
Mandates Reform Act, P.L. 104-4) requires a statement as to 
whether the provisions of the reported include unfunded 
mandates. In compliance with this requirement the Committee has 
received a letter from the Congressional Budget Office included 
herein.

                         Earmark Identification

    This bill does not include any congressional earmarks, 
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in 
clause 9 of rule XXI.

                           Committee Estimate

    Clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the 
Committee of the costs that would be incurred in carrying out 
this bill. However, clause 3(d)(2)(B) of that Rule provides 
that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has 
included in its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the 
bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974.

     Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

    With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and with respect 
to requirements of clause (3)(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives and section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received 
the following cost estimate for this bill from the Director of 
Congressional Budget Office:

H.R. 10--Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Reauthorization Act

    Summary: H.R. 10 would amend and reauthorize the 
Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act and would 
authorize the appropriation of $60 million for each of fiscal 
years 2017 through 2021. CEO estimates that enacting H.R. 10 
would cost $240 million over the 2017-2020 period, assuming 
appropriation of the authorized amounts.
    Enacting H.R. 10 would not affect direct spending or 
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply to 
this legislation.
    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 10 would not increase net 
direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four 
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2026.
    H.R. 10 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) 
and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal 
governments. Any costs incurred by the District of Columbia 
would be incurred voluntarily and would result from complying 
with conditions of assistance.
    Estimated Cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
budgetary effect of H.R. 10 is shown in the following table. 
The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 500 
(education, training, employment, and social services).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                          2016-
                        2016                            2017      2018      2019      2020      2020      2020
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
 
Authorization Level.................................         0        60        60        60        60       240
Estimated Outlays...................................         0        60        60        60        60       240
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Basis of estimate: H.R. 10 would authorize the 
appropriation of $60 million for each of fiscal years 2017 
through 2021. The program is currently authorized through 
fiscal year 2016 at $60 million annually. In fiscal year 2015, 
the Congress appropriated $45 million for this program.
    The bill would direct the funds to be divided equally for 
the following three purposes:
           To provide scholarships for private-school 
        tuition to parents of students who reside in the 
        District of Columbia and meet certain criteria under 
        the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program;
           To improve public education in the District 
        of Columbia; and
           To improve and expand quality public charter 
        schools in the District of Columbia.
    Based on historical spending patterns for this program and 
assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO projects 
that enacting the bill would cost $240 million over the 2017-
2020 period.
    Pay-As-You-Go Considerations: None.
    Increase in long-term net direct spending and deficits: CBO 
estimates that enacting H.R. 10 would not increase net direct 
spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 
10-year periods beginning in 2026.
    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 10 
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or 
tribal governments. The provisions in H.R. 10 apply to grant 
conditions in the District of Columbia; therefore, they would 
be voluntary and not mandates as defined by UMRA. An 
educational entity of the District of Columbia may voluntarily 
choose to apply to the Department of Education to distribute 
the grants, but any requirements would be conditions of 
receiving a federal grant. If low-income students choose to 
attend private schools, the District of Columbia school system 
could lose federal funding based on the number of low-income 
students in the system.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Leah Koestner; Impact 
on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Jon Sperl; Impact on 
the Private Sector: Paige Piper-Bach.
    Estimate approved by: H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

  In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italics, and existing law in which no 
change is proposed is shown in roman):

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OPPORTUNITY AND RESULTS ACT

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



DIVISION C--SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OPPORTUNITY AND RESULTS ACT

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 3004. GENERAL AUTHORITY.

  (a) Opportunity Scholarships.--
          (1) In general.--From funds appropriated under 
        section 3014(a)(1), the Secretary shall award grants on 
        a competitive basis to eligible entities with approved 
        applications under section 3005 to carry out a program 
        to provide eligible students with expanded school 
        choice opportunities. The Secretary may award a single 
        grant or multiple grants, depending on the quality of 
        applications submitted and the priorities of this 
        division.
          (2) Duration of grants.--The Secretary may make 
        grants under this subsection for a period of not more 
        than 5 years.
          (3) Prohibiting imposition of limits on eligible 
        students participating in the program.--
                  (A) In general.--In carrying out the program 
                under this division, the Secretary may not 
                limit the number of eligible students receiving 
                scholarships under section 3007(a), and may not 
                prevent otherwise eligible students from 
                participating in the program under this Act, on 
                any of the following grounds:
                          (i) The type of school the student 
                        previously attended.
                          (ii) Whether or not the student 
                        previously received a scholarship or 
                        participated in the program.
                          (iii) Whether or not the student was 
                        a member of the control group used by 
                        the Institute of Education Sciences to 
                        carry out previous evaluations of the 
                        program under section 3009.
                  (B) Rule of construction.--Nothing in 
                subparagraph (A) may be construed to waive the 
                requirement under section 3005(b)(1)(B) that 
                the entity carrying out the program under this 
                Act must carry out a random selection process 
                which gives weight to the priorities described 
                in section 3006 if more eligible students seek 
                admission in the program than the program can 
                accommodate.
  (b) DC Public Schools and Charter Schools.--From funds 
appropriated under paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 3014(a), 
the Secretary shall provide funds to the Mayor of the District 
of Columbia, if the Mayor agrees to the requirements described 
in section 3011(a), for--
          (1) the District of Columbia public schools to 
        improve public education in the District of Columbia; 
        and
          (2) the District of Columbia public charter schools 
        to improve and expand quality public charter schools in 
        the District of Columbia.

SEC. 3005. APPLICATIONS.

  (a) In General.--In order to receive a grant under section 
3004(a), an eligible entity shall submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
information as the Secretary may require.
  (b) Contents.--The Secretary may not approve the request of 
an eligible entity for a grant under section 3004(a) unless the 
entity's application includes--
          (1) a detailed description of--
                  (A) how the entity will address the 
                priorities described in section 3006;
                  (B) how the entity will ensure that if more 
                eligible students seek admission in the program 
                of the entity than the program can accommodate, 
                eligible students are selected for admission 
                through a random selection process which gives 
                weight to the priorities described in section 
                3006;
                  (C) how the entity will ensure that if more 
                participating eligible students seek admission 
                to a participating school than the school can 
                accommodate, participating eligible students 
                are selected for admission through a random 
                selection process;
                  (D) how the entity will notify parents of 
                eligible students of the expanded choice 
                opportunities in order to allow the parents to 
                make informed decisions;
                  (E) the activities that the entity will carry 
                out to provide parents of eligible students 
                with expanded choice opportunities through the 
                awarding of scholarships under section 3007(a);
                  (F) how the entity will determine the amount 
                that will be provided to parents under section 
                3007(a)(2) for the payment of tuition, fees, 
                and transportation expenses, if any;
                  (G) how the entity will seek out private 
                elementary schools and secondary schools in the 
                District of Columbia to participate in the 
                program;
                  (H) how the entity will ensure that each 
                participating school will meet the reporting 
                and other program requirements under this 
                division;
                  (I) how the entity will ensure that 
                participating schools submit to site visits by 
                the entity as determined to be necessary by the 
                entity, except that a participating school may 
                not be required to submit to more than 1 site 
                visit per school year;
                  (J) how the entity will ensure that 
                participating schools are financially 
                responsible and will use the funds received 
                under section 3007 effectively;
                  (K) how the entity will address the renewal 
                of scholarships to participating eligible 
                students, including continued eligibility; 
                [and]
                  (L) how the entity will ensure that a 
                majority of its voting board members or 
                governing organization are residents of the 
                District of Columbia; and
                  (M) how the entity will ensure that it 
                utilizes internal fiscal and quality controls; 
                and
          (2) an assurance that the entity will comply with all 
        requests regarding any evaluation carried out under 
        section 3009(a).

SEC. 3006. PRIORITIES.

  In awarding grants under section 3004(a), the Secretary shall 
give priority to applications from eligible entities that will 
most effectively--
          (1) in awarding scholarships under section 3007(a), 
        give priority to--
                  (A) eligible students who, in the school year 
                preceding the school year for which the 
                eligible students are seeking a scholarship, 
                attended an elementary school or secondary 
                school [identified for improvement, corrective 
                action, or restructuring under section 1116 of 
                the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
                1965 (20 U.S.C. 6316)] identified as a low-
                achieving school according to the Office of the 
                State Superintendent of Education of the 
                District of Columbia;
                  (B) students who have been awarded a 
                scholarship in a preceding year under this 
                division or the DC School Choice Incentive Act 
                of 2003 (sec. 38-1851.01 et seq., D.C. Official 
                Code), as such Act was in effect on the day 
                before the date of the enactment of this 
                division, but who have not used the 
                scholarship, including eligible students who 
                were provided notification of selection for a 
                scholarship for school year 2009-2010, which 
                was later rescinded in accordance with 
                direction from the Secretary of Education; and
                  (C) students whose household includes a 
                sibling or other child who is already 
                participating in the program of the eligible 
                entity under this division, regardless of 
                whether such students have, in the past, been 
                assigned as members of a control study group 
                for the purposes of an evaluation under section 
                3009(a)[;], or whether such students have, in 
                the past, attended a private school;
          (2) target resources to students and families that 
        lack the financial resources to take advantage of 
        available educational options; and
          (3) provide students and families with the widest 
        range of educational options.

SEC. 3007. USE OF FUNDS.

  (a) Opportunity Scholarships.--
          (1) In general.--Subject to [paragraphs (2) and (3)] 
        paragraphs (2), (3), and (5), an eligible entity 
        receiving a grant under section 3004(a) shall use the 
        grant funds to provide eligible students with 
        scholarships to pay the tuition, fees, and 
        transportation expenses, if any, to enable the eligible 
        students to attend the District of Columbia private 
        elementary school or secondary school of their choice 
        beginning in school year 2011-2012. Each such eligible 
        entity shall ensure that the amount of any tuition or 
        fees charged by a school participating in such entity's 
        program under this division to an eligible student 
        participating in the program does not exceed the amount 
        of tuition or fees that the school charges to students 
        who do not participate in the program.
          (2) Payments to parents.--An eligible entity 
        receiving a grant under section 3004(a) shall make 
        scholarship payments under the entity's program under 
        this division to the parent of the eligible student 
        participating in the program, in a manner which ensures 
        that such payments will be used for the payment of 
        tuition, fees, and transportation expenses (if any), in 
        accordance with this division.
          (3) Amount of assistance.--
                  (A) Varying amounts permitted.--Subject to 
                the other requirements of this section, an 
                eligible entity receiving a grant under section 
                3004(a) may award scholarships in larger 
                amounts to those eligible students with the 
                greatest need.
                  (B) Annual limit on amount.--
                          (i) Limit for school year 2011-
                        2012.--The amount of assistance 
                        provided to any eligible student by an 
                        eligible entity under the entity's 
                        program under this division for school 
                        year 2011-2012 may not exceed--
                                  (I) $8,000 for attendance in 
                                kindergarten through grade 8; 
                                and
                                  (II) $12,000 for attendance 
                                in grades 9 through 12.
                          (ii) Cumulative inflation 
                        adjustment.--Beginning with school year 
                        2012-2013, the Secretary shall adjust 
                        the maximum amounts of assistance 
                        described in clause (i) for inflation, 
                        as measured by the percentage increase, 
                        if any, from the preceding fiscal year 
                        in the Consumer Price Index for All 
                        Urban Consumers, published by the 
                        Bureau of Labor Statistics of the 
                        Department of Labor.
          (4) Participating school requirements.--None of the 
        funds provided under this division for opportunity 
        scholarships may be used by an eligible student to 
        enroll in a participating private school unless the 
        participating school--
                  (A) has and maintains a valid certificate of 
                occupancy issued by the District of Columbia;
                  (B) makes readily available to all 
                prospective students information on its school 
                accreditation;
                  (C) in the case of a school that has been 
                operating for 5 years or less, submits to the 
                eligible entity administering the program proof 
                of adequate financial resources reflecting the 
                financial sustainability of the school and the 
                school's ability to be in operation through the 
                school year;
                  (D) agrees to submit to site visits as 
                determined to be necessary by the eligible 
                entity pursuant to section 3005(b)(1)(I);
                  (E) has financial systems, controls, 
                policies, and procedures to ensure that funds 
                are used according to this division; [and]
                  (F) ensures that, with respect to core 
                academic subjects (as such term is defined in 
                section 9101(11) of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                7801(11)), participating students are taught by 
                a teacher who has a baccalaureate degree or 
                equivalent degree, whether such degree was 
                awarded in or outside of the United States[.];
                  (G) conducts criminal background checks on 
                school employees who have direct and 
                unsupervised interaction with students; and
                  (H) complies with all requests for data and 
                information regarding the reporting 
                requirements described in section 3010.
          (5) Accreditation requirements.--
                  (A) In general.--None of the funds provided 
                under this division for opportunity 
                scholarships may be used by an eligible student 
                to enroll in a participating private school 
                unless one of the following applies:
                          (i) In the case of a school that, as 
                        of the date of enactment of the SOAR 
                        Reauthorization Act, is a participating 
                        school, the school is provisionally or 
                        fully accredited by an accrediting body 
                        described in subparagraphs (A) through 
                        (G) of section 2202(16) of the District 
                        of Columbia School Reform Act of 1995 
                        (sec. 38-1802.02(16)(A-G), D.C. 
                        Official Code), or by any other 
                        accrediting body determined appropriate 
                        by the District of Columbia Office of 
                        the State Superintendent for Schools 
                        for the purposes of accrediting an 
                        elementary or secondary school.
                          (ii) In the case of a school that, as 
                        of the day before the date of enactment 
                        of the SOAR Reauthorization Act, is a 
                        participating school but does not meet 
                        the requirements of clause (i)--
                                  (I) not later than 1 year 
                                after the date of enactment of 
                                such Act, the school is 
                                pursuing full accreditation by 
                                an accrediting body described 
                                in clause (i); and
                                  (II) not later than 5 years 
                                after the date of enactment of 
                                such Act, the school meets the 
                                requirements of clause (i), 
                                except that an eligible entity 
                                may extend this deadline for a 
                                single 1-year period if the 
                                school provides the eligible 
                                entity with evidence from such 
                                an accrediting body that the 
                                school's application for 
                                accreditation is in process and 
                                that the school will be awarded 
                                accreditation before the end of 
                                such period.
                          (iii) In the case of a school that, 
                        as of the date of enactment of the SOAR 
                        Reauthorization Act, is not a 
                        participating school, the school meets 
                        the requirements of clause (i) or, if 
                        it does not meet the requirements of 
                        clause (i)--
                                  (I) at the time the school 
                                notifies an eligible entity 
                                that it seeks to be a 
                                participating school, the 
                                school is actively pursuing 
                                full accreditation by an 
                                accrediting body described in 
                                clause (i);
                                  (II) not later than 5 years 
                                after the school notifies an 
                                eligible entity that it seeks 
                                to be a participating school, 
                                the school meets the 
                                requirements of clause (i), 
                                except that an eligible entity 
                                may extend this deadline for a 
                                single 1-year period if the 
                                school provides the eligible 
                                entity with evidence from such 
                                an accrediting body that the 
                                school's application for 
                                accreditation is in process and 
                                that the school will be awarded 
                                accreditation before the end of 
                                such period; and
                                  (III) the school meets all of 
                                the other requirements for 
                                participating schools under 
                                this Act.
                  (B) Reports to eligible entity.--Not later 
                than 5 years after the date of enactment of the 
                SOAR Reauthorization Act, each participating 
                school shall submit to the eligible entity a 
                certification that the school has been fully or 
                provisionally accredited in accordance with 
                subparagraph (A), or has been granted an 
                extension by the eligible entity in accordance 
                with subparagraph (A)(ii)(II).
                  (C) Assisting students in enrolling in other 
                schools.--If a participating school fails to 
                meet the requirements of subparagraph (A), the 
                eligible entity shall assist the parents of the 
                eligible students who attend the school in 
                identifying, applying to, and enrolling in 
                another participating school under this Act.
  [(b) Administrative Expenses.--An eligible entity receiving a 
grant under section 3004(a) may use not more than 3 percent of 
the amount provided under the grant each year for the 
administrative expenses of carrying out its program under this 
division during the year, including--
          [(1) determining the eligibility of students to 
        participate;
          [(2) selecting eligible students to receive 
        scholarships;
          [(3) determining the amount of scholarships and 
        issuing the scholarships to eligible students;
          [(4) compiling and maintaining financial and 
        programmatic records; and
          [(5) conducting site visits as described in section 
        3005(b)(1)(I).
  [(c) Parental Assistance.--An eligible entity receiving a 
grant under section 3004(a) may use not more than 2 percent of 
the amount provided under the grant each year for the expenses 
of educating parents about the entity's program under this 
division, and assisting parents through the application 
process, under this division, including--
          [(1) providing information about the program and the 
        participating schools to parents of eligible students;
          [(2) providing funds to assist parents of students in 
        meeting expenses that might otherwise preclude the 
        participation of eligible students in the program; and
          [(3) streamlining the application process for 
        parents.]
  (b) Administrative Expenses and Parental Assistance.--The 
Secretary shall make $2,000,000 of the amount provided under 
the grant each year available to an eligible entity receiving a 
grant under section 3004(a) to cover the following expenses:
          (1) The administrative expenses of carrying out its 
        program under this Act during the year, including--
                  (A) determining the eligibility of students 
                to participate;
                  (B) selecting the eligible students to 
                receive scholarships;
                  (C) determining the amount of the 
                scholarships and issuing the scholarships to 
                eligible students;
                  (D) compiling and maintaining financial and 
                programmatic records; and
                  (E) conducting site visits as described in 
                section 3005(b)(1)(l).
          (2) The expenses of educating parents about the 
        entity's program under this Act, and assisting parents 
        through the application process under this Act, 
        including--
                  (A) providing information about the program 
                and the participating schools to parents of 
                eligible students;
                  (B) providing funds to assist parents of 
                students in meeting expenses that might 
                otherwise preclude the participation of 
                eligible students in the program; and
                  (C) streamlining the application process for 
                parents.
  [(d)] (c) Student Academic Assistance.--An eligible entity 
receiving a grant under section 3004(a) may use not more than 1 
percent of the amount provided under the grant each year for 
expenses to provide tutoring services 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 that was [identified for 
improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under section 
1116 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 6316)] identified as a low-achieving school according to 
the Office of the State Superintendent of Education of the 
District of Columbia.
  (d) Permitting Use of Funds Remaining Unobligated From 
Previous Fiscal Years.--To the extent that any funds 
appropriated for the opportunity scholarship program under this 
Act for any fiscal year (including a fiscal year occurring 
prior to the enactment of this subsection) remain unobligated 
at the end of the fiscal year, the Secretary shall make such 
funds available during the next fiscal year and (if still 
unobligated as of the end of that fiscal year) any subsequent 
fiscal year for scholarships for eligible students, except that 
an eligible entity may use not more than 5 percent of the funds 
for administrative expenses, parental assistance, and tutoring, 
in addition to the amounts appropriated for such purposes under 
section 3007(b) and (c).

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 3009. EVALUATIONS.

  [(a) In General.--
          [(1) Duties of the secretary and the mayor.--The 
        Secretary and the Mayor of the District of Columbia 
        shall--
                  [(A) jointly enter into an agreement with the 
                Institute of Education Sciences of the 
                Department of Education to evaluate annually 
                the performance of students who received 
                scholarships under the 5-year program under 
                this division;
                  [(B) jointly enter into an agreement to 
                monitor and evaluate the use of funds 
                authorized and appropriated for the District of 
                Columbia public schools and the District of 
                Columbia public charter schools under this 
                division; and
                  [(C) make the evaluations described in 
                subparagraphs (A) and (B) public in accordance 
                with subsection (c).
          [(2) Duties of the secretary.--The Secretary, through 
        a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, shall--
                  [(A) ensure that the evaluation under 
                paragraph (1)(A)--
                          [(i) is conducted using the strongest 
                        possible research design for 
                        determining the effectiveness of the 
                        opportunity scholarship program under 
                        this division; and
                          [(ii) addresses the issues described 
                        in paragraph (4); and
                  [(B) disseminate information on the impact of 
                the program--
                          [(i) in increasing the academic 
                        growth and achievement of participating 
                        eligible students; and
                          [(ii) on students and schools in the 
                        District of Columbia.
          [(3) Duties of the institute of education sciences.--
        The Institute of Education Sciences of the Department 
        of Education shall--
                  [(A) use a grade appropriate, nationally 
                norm-referenced standardized test each school 
                year to assess participating eligible students 
                in a manner consistent with section 3008(h);
                  [(B) measure the academic achievement of all 
                participating eligible students; and
                  [(C) work with the eligible entities to 
                ensure that the parents of each student who 
                applies for a scholarship under this division 
                (regardless of whether the student receives the 
                scholarship) and the parents of each student 
                participating in the scholarship program under 
                this division, agree that the student will 
                participate, if requested by the Institute of 
                Education Sciences, in the measurements given 
                annually by the Institute of Educational 
                Sciences for the period for which the student 
                applied for or received the scholarship, 
                respectively, except that nothing in this 
                subparagraph shall affect a student's priority 
                for an opportunity scholarship as provided 
                under section 3006.
          [(4) Issues to be evaluated.--The issues to be 
        evaluated under paragraph (1)(A) shall include the 
        following:
                  [(A) A comparison of the academic growth and 
                achievement of participating eligible students 
                in the measurements described in paragraph (3) 
                to the academic growth and achievement of the 
                eligible students in the same grades who sought 
                to participate in the scholarship program under 
                this division but were not selected.
                  [(B) The success of the program in expanding 
                choice options for parents of participating 
                eligible students, improving parental and 
                student satisfaction of such parents and 
                students, respectively, and increasing parental 
                involvement of such parents in the education of 
                their children.
                  [(C) The reasons parents of participating 
                eligible students choose for their children to 
                participate in the program, including important 
                characteristics for selecting schools.
                  [(D) A comparison of the retention rates, 
                high school graduation rates, and college 
                admission rates of participating eligible 
                students with the retention rates, high school 
                graduation rates, and college admission rates 
                of students of similar backgrounds who do not 
                participate in such program.
                  [(E) A comparison of the safety of the 
                schools attended by participating eligible 
                students and the schools in the District of 
                Columbia attended by students who do not 
                participate in the program, based on the 
                perceptions of the students and parents.
                  [(F) Such other issues with respect to 
                participating eligible students as the 
                Secretary considers appropriate for inclusion 
                in the evaluation, such as the impact of the 
                program on public elementary schools and 
                secondary schools in the District of Columbia.
                  [(G) An analysis of the issues described in 
                subparagraphs (A) through (F) by applying such 
                subparagraphs by substituting ``the subgroup of 
                participating eligible students who have used 
                each opportunity scholarship awarded to such 
                students under this division to attend a 
                participating school'' for ``participating 
                eligible students'' each place such term 
                appears.
          [(5) Prohibition.--Personally identifiable 
        information regarding the results of the measurements 
        used for the evaluations may not be disclosed, except 
        to the parents of the student to whom the information 
        relates.]
  (a) In General.--
          (1) Duties of the secretary and the mayor.--The 
        Secretary and the Mayor of the District of Columbia 
        shall--
                  (A) jointly enter into an agreement with the 
                Institute of Education Sciences of the 
                Department of Education to evaluate annually 
                the opportunity scholarship program under this 
                Act;
                  (B) jointly enter into an agreement to 
                monitor and evaluate the use of funds 
                authorized and appropriated for the District of 
                Columbia Public Schools and the District of 
                Columbia public charter schools under this Act; 
                and
                  (C) make the evaluations described in 
                subparagraphs (A) and (B) public in accordance 
                with subsection (c).
          (2) Duties of the secretary.--The Secretary, through 
        a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, shall--
                  (A) ensure that the evaluation under 
                paragraph (1)(A)--
                          (i) is conducted using an acceptable 
                        quasi-experimental research design for 
                        determining the effectiveness of the 
                        opportunity scholarship program under 
                        this Act which does not use a control 
                        study group consisting of students who 
                        applied for but who did not receive 
                        opportunity scholarships; and
                          (ii) addresses the issues described 
                        in paragraph (4); and
                  (B) disseminate information on the impact of 
                the program--
                          (i) in increasing academic 
                        achievement and educational attainment 
                        of participating eligible students; and
                          (ii) on students and schools in the 
                        District of Columbia.
          (3) Duties of the institute of education sciences.--
        The Institute of Education Sciences of the Department 
        of Education shall--
                  (A) assess participating eligible students in 
                each of the grades 3 through 8, as well as one 
                of the grades in the high school level, by 
                supervising the administration of the same 
                reading and math assessment used by the 
                District of Columbia Public Schools to comply 
                with section 1111(b) of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                6311(b));
                  (B) measure the academic achievement of all 
                participating students in the grades described 
                in subparagraph (A); and
                  (C) work with the eligible entities to ensure 
                that the parents of each student who receives a 
                scholarship under this Act agree to permit the 
                student to participate in the evaluations and 
                assessments carried out by the Institute under 
                this subsection.
          (4) Issues to be evaluated.--The issues to be 
        evaluated under paragraph (1)(A) shall include the 
        following:
                  (A) A comparison of the academic achievement 
                of participating eligible students in the 
                measurements described in paragraph (3) to the 
                academic achievement of a comparison group of 
                students with similar backgrounds in the 
                District of Columbia Public Schools.
                  (B) The success of the program under this Act 
                in expanding choice options for parents of 
                participating eligible students and increasing 
                the satisfaction of such parents and students 
                with their choice.
                  (C) The reasons parents of participating 
                eligible students choose for their children to 
                participate in the program, including important 
                characteristics for selecting schools.
                  (D) A comparison of the retention rates, high 
                school graduation rates, college enrollment 
                rates, college persistence rates, and college 
                graduation rates of participating eligible 
                students with the rates of students in the 
                comparison group described in subparagraph (A).
                  (E) A comparison of the college enrollment 
                rates, college persistence rates, and college 
                graduation rates of students who participated 
                in the program in 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 
                2014, and 2015 as the result of winning the 
                Opportunity Scholarship Program lottery with 
                the rates of students who entered but did not 
                win such lottery in those years and who, as a 
                result, served as the control group for 
                previous evaluations of the program under this 
                Act.
                  (F) A comparison of the safety of the schools 
                attended by participating eligible students and 
                the schools in the District of Columbia 
                attended by students in the comparison group 
                described in subparagraph (A), based on the 
                perceptions of the students and parents.
                  (G) Such other issues with respect to 
                participating eligible students as the 
                Secretary considers appropriate for inclusion 
                in the evaluation, such as the impact of the 
                program on public elementary schools and 
                secondary schools in the District of Columbia.
          (5) Prohibiting disclosure of personal information.--
                  (A) In general.--Any disclosure of personally 
                identifiable information shall be in compliance 
                with section 444 of the General Education 
                Provisions Act (commonly known as the ``Family 
                Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974'') 
                (20 U.S.C. 1232g).
                  (B) Students not attending public schools.--
                With respect to any student who is not 
                attending a public elementary school or 
                secondary school, personally identifiable 
                information may not be disclosed outside of the 
                group of individuals carrying out the 
                evaluation for such student or the group of 
                individuals providing information for carrying 
                out the evaluation of such student, other than 
                to the parents of such student.
  (b) Reports.--The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
Appropriations, Education and the Workforce, and Oversight and 
Government Reform of the House of Representatives and the 
Committees on Appropriations, Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions, and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
Senate--
          (1) annual interim reports, not later than April 1 of 
        the year following the year of the date of enactment of 
        this division, and each subsequent year through the 
        year in which the final report is submitted under 
        paragraph (2), on the progress and preliminary results 
        of the evaluation of the opportunity scholarship 
        program funded under this division; and
          (2) a final report, not later than 1 year after the 
        final year for which a grant is made under section 
        3004(a), on the results of the evaluation of the 
        program.
  (c) Public Availability.--All reports and underlying data 
gathered pursuant to this section shall be made available to 
the public upon request, in a timely manner following 
submission of the applicable report under subsection (b), 
except that personally identifiable information shall not be 
disclosed or made available to the public.
  (d) Limit on Amount Expended.--The amount expended by the 
Secretary to carry out this section for any fiscal year may not 
exceed 5 percent of the total amount appropriated under section 
3014(a)(1) for the fiscal year.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 3011. DC PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND DC PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS.

  (a) Condition of Receipt of Funds.--As a condition of 
receiving funds under this division on behalf of the District 
of Columbia public schools and the District of Columbia public 
charter schools, the Mayor shall agree to carry out the 
following:
          [(1) Information requests.--Ensure that all the 
        District of Columbia public schools and the District of 
        Columbia public charter schools comply with all 
        reasonable requests for information for purposes of the 
        evaluation under section 3009(a).]
          (1) Information necessary to carry out evaluations.--
        Ensure that all District of Columbia public schools and 
        District of Columbia public charter schools make 
        available to the Institute of Education Sciences of the 
        Department of Education all of the information the 
        Institute requires to carry out the assessments and 
        perform the evaluations required under section 3009(a).
          (2) Agreement with the secretary.--Enter into the 
        agreement described in section 3009(a)(1)(B) to monitor 
        and evaluate the use of funds authorized and 
        appropriated for the District of Columbia public 
        schools and the District of Columbia public charter 
        schools under this division.
          (3) Submission of report.--Not later than 6 months 
        after the first appropriation of funds under section 
        3014, and each succeeding year thereafter, submit to 
        the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on 
        Education and the Workforce, and the Committee on 
        Oversight and Government Reform of the House of 
        Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations, 
        the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
        Pensions, and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
        Governmental Affairs of the Senate, information on--
                  (A) how the funds authorized and appropriated 
                under this division for the District of 
                Columbia public schools and the District of 
                Columbia public charter schools were used in 
                the preceding school year; and
                  (B) how such funds are contributing to 
                student achievement.
  [(b) Enforcement.--If, after reasonable notice and an 
opportunity for a hearing for the Mayor, the Secretary 
determines that the Mayor has not been in compliance with 1 or 
more of the requirements described in subsection (a), the 
Secretary may withhold from the Mayor, in whole or in part, 
further funds under this division for the District of Columbia 
public schools and the District of Columbia public charter 
schools.]
  (b) Enforcement.--If, after reasonable notice and an 
opportunity for a hearing, the Secretary determines that the 
Mayor has failed to comply with any of the requirements of 
subsection (a), the Secretary may withhold from the Mayor, in 
whole or in part--
          (1) the funds otherwise authorized to be appropriated 
        under section 3014(a)(2), if the failure to comply 
        relates to the District of Columbia public schools;
          (2) the funds otherwise authorized to be appropriated 
        under section 3014(a)(3), if the failure to comply 
        relates to the District of Columbia public charter 
        schools; or
          (3) the funds otherwise authorized to be appropriated 
        under both section 3014(a)(2) and section 3014(a)(3), 
        if the failure relates to both the District of Columbia 
        public schools and the District of Columbia public 
        charter schools.
  (c) Specific Rules Regarding Funds Provided for Support of 
Public Charter Schools.--The following rules shall apply with 
respect to the funds provided under this Act for the support of 
District of Columbia public charter schools:
          (1) The Secretary may direct the funds provided for 
        any fiscal year, or any portion thereof, to the Office 
        of the State Superintendent of Education of the 
        District of Columbia (OSSE).
          (2) The OSSE may transfer the funds to subgrantees 
        who are specific District of Columbia public charter 
        schools or networks of such schools or who are District 
        of Columbia-based non-profit organizations with 
        experience in successfully providing support or 
        assistance to District of Columbia public charter 
        schools or networks of schools.
          (3) The funds shall be available to any District of 
        Columbia public charter school in good standing with 
        the District of Columbia Charter School Board (Board), 
        and the OSSE and Board may not restrict the 
        availability of the funds to certain types of schools 
        on the basis of the school's location, governing body, 
        or any other characteristic.
  [(c)] (d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section 
shall be construed to reduce, or otherwise affect, funding 
provided under this division for the opportunity scholarship 
program under this division.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 3014. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
$60,000,000 for fiscal year 2012 and for [each of the 4 
succeeding fiscal years] each of the 9 succeeding fiscal years, 
of which--
          (1) one-third shall be made available to carry out 
        the opportunity scholarship program under this division 
        for each fiscal year;
          (2) one-third shall be made available to carry out 
        section 3004(b)(1) for each fiscal year; and
          (3) one-third shall be made available to carry out 
        section 3004(b)(2) for each fiscal year.
  (b) Apportionment.--If the total amount of funds appropriated 
under subsection (a) for a fiscal year does not equal 
$60,000,000, the funds shall be apportioned in the manner 
described in subsection (a) for such fiscal year.

                             MINORITY VIEWS

    We strongly oppose H.R. 10 because the District of Columbia 
private school voucher program has failed to improve academic 
achievement; is unnecessary given the city's own robust public 
school choice programs; provides federal funds to schools that 
are unaccountable to the public and not subject to all federal 
civil rights laws; and violates the District's right to self-
government.
    The bill reauthorizes a program that Congress imposed on 
the District of Columbia in 2004\1\ and reauthorized in 
2011,\2\ in neither case at the District's request or with its 
consent.\3\ A majority of the D.C. Council submitted a letter 
to the Committee in opposition to the bill.\4\ Under the Home 
Rule Act of 1973, the city has authority to establish its own 
education system, including a private school voucher program. 
The city has never created its own voucher program.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Consolidated Appropriations Act, Pub. L. No. 108-199.
    \2\Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations 
Act, Pub. L. No. 112-10.
    \3\The Majority did not invite any District government officials to 
testify at the Committee's hearing this year on the program.
    \4\Letter from Eight D.C. Council Members to the House Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform (Oct. 8, 2015).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The prior authorizations mandated an evaluation of the 
program's effectiveness. The program has failed to improve 
academic achievement, as measured by math and reading 
scores.\5\ Moreover, while the program prioritizes the 
admission of students from the lowest performing public 
schools, it has had ``no significant impacts'' on the academic 
achievement of these students.\6\ The program is required to be 
``conducted using the strongest possible research design for 
determining the effectiveness of the program,'' and it has been 
evaluated with the gold standard of scientific research, a 
randomized controlled trial. That is, the study compared the 
outcomes of eligible applicants randomly assigned to receive or 
not receive a voucher.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \5\Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 
Evaluation of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program: Final Report 
(June 2010).
    \6\Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    We are disappointed that the bill abandons Congress' 
commitment to a rigorous evaluation of the program and that the 
Committee rejected Congresswoman Norton's amendment to restore 
the current evaluation requirement. The bill requires the 
evaluation to be conducted ``using an acceptable quasi-
experimental research design,'' and it expressly prohibits the 
use of a randomized controlled trial. However, according to the 
researchers conducting the current evaluation, a randomized 
controlled trial ``is especially important in the context of 
school choice because families wanting to apply for a choice 
program may have educational goals and aspirations that differ 
from the average family.''\7\ While the program has improved 
high school graduation rates, the evaluation did not examine 
either the rigor of the schools' curriculum or graduation 
requirements. The program improved parents', but not students', 
ratings of satisfaction and safety.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \7\Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 
Evaluation of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program: An Early Look at 
Applicants and Participating Schools Under the SOAR Act (Oct. 2014).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The District has robust public school choice programs that 
include publically accountable charter schools, and the 
District permits students in traditional public schools to 
attend out-of-boundary schools. Currently, approximately 44% of 
D.C. public school students attend charter schools, and the 
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools ranked the 
District as the ``healthiest charter school movement'' in the 
country.\8\ In addition, 75% of students in public schools 
attend out-of-boundary schools.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \8\National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, The Health of the 
Public Charter School Movement: A State-By-State Analysis (Oct. 2014).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In July, both the House and Senate considered several 
national voucher amendments during debate on the 
reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 
and yet none passed. That outcome mirrors those in the states. 
Since 1970, every state referendum to establish a voucher 
program or tuition tax credit has failed. The timing of the 
bill is also striking. At the same time House Republicans are 
supporting funding for the program, they are proposing to cut 
$2 billion from K-12 public school programs nationally.

                                   Elijah E. Cummings,
                                           Ranking Member.
                                   Gerald E. Connolly,
                                           Ranking Member,
                             Subcommittee on Government Operations.
                                   Eleanor Holmes Norton.

                                  [all]