I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5181 
To amend the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act to make improve-
ments 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 Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘SOAR Act Improve-
ments Act’’. 
SEC. 2. GRANT DURATION AND APPLICATIONS. 
(a) EXTENSION
OF
GRANT
DURATION.—Section 
3004(a)(2) of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Re-
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sults 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
ADMIS-
SIONS
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 ad-
mission 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 met-
ropolitan 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: 
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‘‘(12) WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN REGION.— 
The term ‘Washington metropolitan region’ includes 
the District of Columbia, the counties of Mont-
gomery 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 en-
actment of the SOAR Act Improvements 
Act, is recognized by— 
‘‘(I) a national or regional ac-
crediting body; or 
‘‘(II) an accrediting body sited by 
the Student and Visitor Exchange 
English Language Program adminis-
tered by U.S. Immigration and Cus-
toms 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 en-
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actment 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 par-
ticipation under this division.’’. 
(b) REMOVAL
OF COMPLETED REPORT.—Section 
3007(a)(5) of such Act (sec. 38–1853.07(a)(5), D.C. Offi-
cial 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-KIN-
DERGARTEN.—Section 3007(a)(3)(B)(i)(I) of the Scholar-
ships 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).’’ 
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(c) EXTENSION OF FUNDS FOR ADDITIONAL STU-
DENT 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 fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(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 elemen-
tary 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 redesig-
nating subsection (d) as subsection (c); and 
(C) in subsection (c), as so redesignated— 
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(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. Offi-
cial Code) is further amended in the matter pre-
ceding 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 fol-
lows: 
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‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATION OF TESTS.—The Insti-
tute of Education Sciences may administer assess-
ments 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 nation-
ally 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 De-
partment of Education to— 
‘‘(i) conduct an evaluation of the op-
portunity 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 pro-
gram under this division.’’. 
(b) RESPONSIBILITY OF SECRETARY.— 
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(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 amend-
ed to read as follows: 
‘‘(B) disseminate information on the im-
pact 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 par-
ticipating eligible students who use an oppor-
tunity scholarship in each of grades 3 through 
8;’’; and 
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(B) by striking subparagraph (B) and re-
designating 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 EDU-
CATION’’. 
(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 partici-
pating 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 Dis-
trict of Columbia public charter schools.’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘increas-
ing the satisfaction of such parents and students 
with their choice’’ and inserting ‘‘the satisfaction of 
those parents and students with the program’’; 
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(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 partici-
pating 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 op-
portunity 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 sub-
paragraph (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 begin-
ning on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
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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), respec-
tively; and 
(2) in subsection (c)(1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘ag-
gregate academic achievement of other partici-
pating 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, stu-
dent 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 enact-
ment of this Act. 
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SEC. 8. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA-
TION. 
(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. 
Æ 
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