H.R. 5181

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5181 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5181

To amend the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act to make 
improvements in the program for awarding school choice scholarships to 
students in the District of Columbia.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 8, 2025

Ms. Foxx introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act to make 
improvements in the program for awarding school choice scholarships to 
students in the District of Columbia.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``SOAR Act Improvements Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANT DURATION AND APPLICATIONS.

(a) Extension of Grant Duration.--Section 3004(a)(2) of the 
Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (sec. 38-1853.04(a)(2), 
D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking ``5 years'' and inserting 
``5 years, and may renew such grants for an additional period of not 
more than 5 years, without a competitive process, when the Secretary 
determines appropriate and desirable to maintain continuity in the 
program''.
(b) Changes to Application Content.--
(1) Noninterference in regular admissions standards or 
procedures.--Section 3005(b)(1)(C) of such Act (sec. 38-
1853.05(b)(1)(C), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking 
the semicolon at the end and inserting ``, if such a process 
will not interfere with the regular admission standards or 
procedures of the school;''.
(2) Change to residency requirement of eligible entity 
board members.--
(A) In general.--Section 3005(b)(1)(M) of such Act 
(sec. 38-1853.05(b)(1)(M), D.C. Official Code) is 
amended by striking ``District of Columbia'' and 
inserting ``Washington metropolitan region''.
(B) Washington metropolitan region defined.--
Section 3013 of such Act (sec. 38-1853.13, D.C. 
Official Code) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
``(12) Washington metropolitan region.--The term 
`Washington metropolitan region' includes the District of 
Columbia, the counties of Montgomery and Prince Georges in 
Maryland, and the counties of Arlington and Fairfax and the 
cities of Alexandria and Falls Church in Virginia.''.

SEC. 3. ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENTS.

(a) In General.--Section 3007(a)(5)(A) of the Scholarships for 
Opportunity and Results Act (sec. 38-1853.07(a)(5)(A), D.C. Official 
Code) is amended--
(1) by amending clause (i) to read as follows:
``(i) in the case of a school that is a 
participating school as of the date of 
enactment of the SOAR Act Improvements Act, is 
recognized by--
``(I) a national or regional 
accrediting body; or
``(II) an accrediting body sited by 
the Student and Visitor Exchange 
English Language Program administered 
by U.S. Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement; and''; and
(2) by amending clause (ii) to read as follows:
``(ii) in the case of a school that is not 
a participating school as of the date of 
enactment of the SOAR Act Improvements Act, is 
fully accredited by an accrediting body 
described under clause (i) not later than 5 
years after the date on which that school began 
the process of pursuing participation under 
this division.''.
(b) Removal of Completed Report.--Section 3007(a)(5) of such Act 
(sec. 38-1853.07(a)(5), D.C. Official Code) is further amended by 
striking subparagraph (B) and redesignating subparagraph (C) as 
subparagraph (B).

SEC. 4. USE OF FUNDS.

(a) Extension of Funds for Use in Pre-Kindergarten.--Section 
3007(a)(3)(B)(i)(I) of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act 
(sec. 38-1853.07(a)(3)(B)(i)(I), D.C. Official Code) is amended by 
striking ``kindergarten'' and inserting ``pre-kindergarten''.
(b) Maximum Scholarship Amount.--Section 3007(a)(3)(B)(ii) of such 
Act (sec. 38-1853.07(a)(3)(B)(ii), D.C. Official Code) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: ``In any year, an eligible entity 
receiving a grant under section 3004(a) has sole authority to establish 
a maximum scholarship amount less than the amount permitted in 
(3)(B)(i).''
(c) Extension of Funds for Additional Student Academic 
Assistance.--
(1) In general.--Section 3007 of such Act (sec. 38-1853.07, 
D.C. Official Code) is further amended--
(A) in subsection (b)--
(i) in the heading, by striking ``and 
Parental Assistance'' and inserting ``, 
Parental Assistance, and Student Academic 
Assistance''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) The expenses of providing tutoring service to 
participating eligible students who need additional academic 
assistance. If there are insufficient funds to provide tutoring 
services to all such students in a year, the eligible entity 
shall give priority in such year to students who previously 
attended an elementary school or secondary school identified as 
one of the lowest-performing schools under the District of 
Columbia's accountability system.'';
(B) by striking subsection (c) and redesignating 
subsection (d) as subsection (c); and
(C) in subsection (c), as so redesignated--
(i) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking 
``subsections (b) and (c)'' and inserting 
``subsection (b)''; and
(ii) in paragraph (3), by striking 
``subsections (b) and (c)'' and inserting 
``subsection (b)''.
(2) Increase in amount of funds.--Section 3007(b) of such 
Act (sec. 38-1853.07(b), D.C. Official Code) is further amended 
in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
``$2,000,000'' and inserting ``$2,200,000'';
(3) Removal of completed study.--Section 3007(b)(1) of such 
Act (sec. 38-1853.07(b)(1), D.C. Official Code) is further 
amended--
(A) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``; and'' and 
inserting a period; and
(B) by striking subparagraph (F).

SEC. 5. STANDARDIZED TESTING REQUIREMENTS.

Section 3008(h) of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act 
(sec. 38-1853.08(h), D.C. Official Code) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``section 
3009(a)(2)(A)(i)'' and inserting ``section 3009(a)'';
(2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
``(2) Administration of tests.--The Institute of Education 
Sciences may administer assessments to students participating 
in the evaluation under section 3009(a) for the purpose of 
conducting the evaluation under such section.''; and
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ``the nationally norm-
referenced standardized test described in paragraph (2)'' and 
inserting ``a nationally norm-referenced standardized test''.

SEC. 6. EVALUATIONS.

(a) Modification in Evaluation Frequency.--Section 3009(a)(1)(A) of 
the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (sec. 38-
1853.09(a)(1)(A), D.C. Official Code) is amended to read as follows:
``(A) jointly enter into an agreement with the 
Institute of Education Sciences of the Department of 
Education to--
``(i) conduct an evaluation of the 
opportunity scholarship program under this 
division; and
``(ii) not later than January 1, 2027, and 
every 7 years thereafter, issue a public report 
on the opportunity scholarship program under 
this division.''.
(b) Responsibility of Secretary.--
(1) Ensuring evaluations are rigorous.--Section 
3009(a)(2)(A)(i) of such Act (sec. 38-1853.09(a)(2)(A)(i), D.C. 
Official Code) is amended to read as follows:
``(i) is rigorous; and''.
(2) Ensuring proper information is made public.--Section 
3009(a)(2)(B) of such Act (sec. 38-1853.09(a)(2)(B), D.C. 
Official Code) is amended to read as follows:
``(B) disseminate information on the impact of the 
program on academic progress and educational 
attainment.''.
(c) Responsibility of Institute of Education Sciences.--
(1) Evaluation of participating eligible students.--Section 
3009(a)(3) of such Act (sec. 38-1853.09(a)(3), D.C. Official 
Code) is amended--
(A) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as 
follows:
``(A) assess the academic progress of participating 
eligible students who use an opportunity scholarship in 
each of grades 3 through 8;''; and
(B) by striking subparagraph (B) and redesignating 
subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B).
(2) Technical amendment.--Section 3009(a)(3) of such Act 
(sec. 38-1853.09(a)(3), D.C. Official Code) is further amended 
in the heading, by striking ``on education'' and inserting ``of 
education''.
(d) Issues To Be Evaluated.--Section 3009(a)(4) of such Act (sec. 
38-1853.09(a)(4), D.C. Official Code) is amended--
(1) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:
``(A) The academic progress of participating 
eligible students who use an opportunity scholarship 
compared to the academic progress of a comparison group 
of students with similar backgrounds, which may include 
students in the District of Columbia public schools and 
the District of Columbia public charter schools.'';
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``increasing the 
satisfaction of such parents and students with their choice'' 
and inserting ``the satisfaction of those parents and students 
with the program'';
(3) by amending subparagraph (D) to read as follows:
``(D) The high school graduation rates, college 
enrollment rates, college persistence rates, and 
college graduation rates of participating eligible 
students who use an opportunity scholarship compared 
with the rates of public school students described in 
subparagraph (A), to the extent practicable.'';
(4) by amending subparagraph (E) to read as follows:
``(E) The safety of the schools attended by 
participating eligible students who use an opportunity 
scholarship compared with the schools attended by 
public school students described in subparagraph (A), 
to the extent practicable.'';
(5) by striking subparagraphs (F) and (G); and
(6) by redesignating subparagraph (H) as subparagraph (F).
(e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to evaluations carried out on or after the 
expiration of the 2-year period beginning on the date of the enactment 
of this Act.

SEC. 7. REPORT BY ENTITY RECEIVING FUNDS.

(a) Change to Contents of Report.--Section 3010 of the Scholarships 
for Opportunity and Results Act (sec. 38-1853.10, D.C. Official Code) 
is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(1)--
(A) by striking subparagraph (A); and
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as 
subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively; and
(2) in subsection (c)(1)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``aggregate 
academic achievement of other participating students at 
the student's school in the same grade or level, as 
appropriate, and the''; and
(B) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as 
follows:
``(B) any incidents of school violence, student 
suspensions, and student expulsions; and''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made this section shall apply 
with respect to reports submitted for school years beginning on or 
after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 8. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION.

(a) In General.--Section 3014 of the Scholarships for Opportunity 
and Results Act (sec. 38-1853.14, D.C. Official Code) is amended in 
subsection (a)--
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
``through fiscal year 2023'' and inserting ``through fiscal 
year 2032'';
(2) in paragraph (1), by striking ``one-third'' and 
inserting ``one-half''; and
(3) in paragraph (2), by striking ``one-third'' and 
inserting ``one-sixth''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply beginning with respect to fiscal year 2024.
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