H.R. 5181: SOAR Act Improvements Act

The bill titled **SOAR Act Improvements Act** proposes several modifications to the existing **Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act**, which governs school choice scholarships in the District of Columbia. Here is a summary of the key components of the bill:

1. Grant Duration and Applications

The bill allows for the extension of grant durations from an initial five years to an additional five years without a competitive re-evaluation, provided the Secretary of Education deems it necessary to maintain program continuity. It also modifies the application requirements to ensure the process will not interfere with a school's standard admission procedures and changes the residency requirement for eligible entity board members from being limited to the District of Columbia to including the broader Washington metropolitan region.

2. Accreditation Requirements

Changes are made to the accreditation requirements for schools participating in the program. Currently participating schools need to be recognized by a national or regional accrediting body. For new schools, they must become fully accredited within five years of beginning the participation process.

3. Use of Funds

The bill extends the use of funds to cover pre-Kindergarten expenses and allows eligible entities to set maximum scholarship amounts lower than previously established limits. Additionally, it broadens funding purposes to include tutoring services for students who require additional academic support, particularly focusing on students from low-performing schools. The funding cap is also increased from $2 million to $2.2 million.

4. Standardized Testing Requirements

Adjustments are made to standardized testing requirements, allowing the Institute of Education Sciences to administer assessments to participating students for evaluating the scholarship program.

5. Evaluations

The bill modifies the evaluation process, specifying that evaluations should occur jointly between the program and the Institute of Education Sciences every seven years, rather than the originally outlined frequency. It emphasizes rigorous evaluation methods and mandates the public dissemination of the program's impact on academic progress and educational outcomes among participating students.

6. Reporting by Fund Recipients

Reporting requirements for entities receiving funds are amended to streamline content, focusing on incidents of school violence, suspensions, and expulsions, rather than academic achievement comparisons.

7. Extension of Authorization of Appropriation

The authorization for appropriation for the program is extended through fiscal year 2032, with revisions to the allocation shares for various aspects of funding management.

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