HR 4901 RDS 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES IN ACT. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Reauthoriza-
tion Act’’ or the ‘‘SOAR Reauthorization Act’’. 
(b) REFERENCES IN ACT.—Except as otherwise ex-
pressly provided, whenever in this Act an amendment is 
expressed in terms of an amendment to or repeal of a sec-
tion or other provision, the reference shall be considered 
to be made to that section or other provision of the Schol-
arships for Opportunity and Results Act (division C of 
Public Law 112–10; sec. 38–1853.01 et seq., D.C. Official 
Code). 
SEC. 2. REPEAL. 
Section 817 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
2016 (Public Law 114–113) is repealed, and any provision 
of law amended or repealed by such section is restored 
or revived as if such section had not been enacted into 
law. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSES. 
Section 3003 (sec. 38–1853.03, D.C. Official Code) 
is amended by striking ‘‘particularly parents’’ and all that 
follows through ‘‘, with’’ and inserting ‘‘particularly par-
ents of students who attend an elementary school or sec-
ondary school identified as one of the lowest-performing 
schools under the District of Columbia’s accountability 
system, with’’. 
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SEC. 4. PROHIBITING IMPOSITION OF LIMITS ON TYPES OF 
ELIGIBLE STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE 
PROGRAM. 
Section 3004(a) (sec. 38–1853.04(a), D.C. Official 
Code) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) PROHIBITING IMPOSITION OF LIMITS ON 
ELIGIBLE STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE PRO-
GRAM.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the 
program under this division, the Secretary may 
not limit the number of eligible students receiv-
ing scholarships under section 3007(a), and 
may not prevent otherwise eligible students 
from participating in the program under this 
division, based on any of the following: 
‘‘(i) The type of school the student 
previously attended. 
‘‘(ii) Whether or not the student pre-
viously received a scholarship or partici-
pated in the program, including whether 
an eligible student was awarded a scholar-
ship in any previous year but has not used 
the scholarship, regardless of the number 
of years of nonuse. 
‘‘(iii) Whether or not the student was 
a member of the control group used by the 
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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 eligible entity carrying out the program 
under this Act must carry out a random selec-
tion process, which gives weight to the priorities 
described in section 3006, if more eligible stu-
dents seek admission in the program than the 
program can accommodate.’’. 
SEC. 5. REQUIRING ELIGIBLE ENTITIES TO UTILIZE INTER-
NAL FISCAL AND QUALITY CONTROLS. 
Section 3005(b)(1) (sec. 38–1853.05(b)(1), D.C. Of-
ficial Code) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (I), by striking ‘‘, except 
that a participating school may not be required to 
submit to more than 1 site visit per school year’’; 
(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (K) and 
(L) as subparagraphs (L) and (M), respectively; 
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (J) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(K) how the entity will ensure the finan-
cial viability of participating schools in which 
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85 percent or more of the total number of stu-
dents enrolled at the school are participating el-
igible students that receive and use an oppor-
tunity scholarship;’’; 
(4) in subparagraph (L), as redesignated by 
paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; and 
(5) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(N) how the eligible entity will ensure 
that it— 
‘‘(i) utilizes internal fiscal and quality 
controls; and 
‘‘(ii) complies with applicable financial 
reporting requirements and the require-
ments of this division; and’’. 
SEC. 6. CLARIFICATION OF PRIORITIES FOR AWARDING 
SCHOLARSHIPS TO ELIGIBLE STUDENTS. 
Section 3006(1) (sec. 38–1853.06(1), D.C. Official 
Code) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘attended’’ 
and all that follows through the semicolon and in-
serting ‘‘attended an elementary school or secondary 
school identified as one of the lowest-performing 
schools under the District of Columbia’s account-
ability system; and’’; 
(2) by striking subparagraph (B); 
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(3) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as sub-
paragraph (B); and 
(4) in subparagraph (B), as redesignated by 
paragraph (3), by striking the semicolon at the end 
and inserting ‘‘or whether such students have, in the 
past, attended a private school;’’. 
SEC. 7. MODIFICATION OF REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICI-
PATING SCHOOLS AND ELIGIBLE ENTITIES. 
(a) CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS; COMPLIANCE 
WITH REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Section 3007(a)(4) 
(sec. 38–1853.07(a)(4), D.C. Official Code) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) by striking subparagraph (F) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(F) ensures that, with respect to core 
subject matter, participating students are 
taught by a teacher who has a baccalaureate 
degree or equivalent degree, whether such de-
gree was awarded in or outside of the United 
States;’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(G) conducts criminal background checks 
on school employees who have direct and unsu-
pervised interaction with students; and 
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opportunity scholarship in the grades described 
in subparagraph (A); and 
‘‘(C) work with eligible entities receiving a 
grant under this division to ensure that the par-
ents of each student who is a participating eli-
gible student that uses an opportunity scholar-
ship agrees to permit their child to participate 
in the evaluations and assessments carried out 
by the Institute of Education Sciences 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 
who use an opportunity scholarship on the 
measurements described in paragraph (3)(B) 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 division in expanding choice options for 
parents of participating eligible students and 
increasing the satisfaction of such parents and 
students with their choice. 
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‘‘(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 stu-
dents who use an opportunity scholarship with 
the rates of students in the comparison group 
described in subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(E) A comparison of the college enroll-
ment rates, college persistence rates, and col-
lege graduation rates of students who partici-
pated in the program in 2004, 2005, 2011, 
2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 as the result of 
winning the Opportunity Scholarship Program 
lottery with such enrollment, persistence, and 
graduation rates for students who entered but 
did not win such lottery in those years and who, 
as a result, served as the control group for pre-
vious evaluations of the program under this di-
vision. Nothing in this subparagraph may be 
construed to waive section 3004(a)(3)(A)(iii) 
with respect to any such student. 
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‘‘(F) A comparison of the safety of the 
schools attended by participating eligible stu-
dents who use an opportunity scholarship 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) An assessment of student academic 
achievement at participating schools in which 
85 percent of the total number of students en-
rolled at the school are participating eligible 
students who receive and use an opportunity 
scholarship. 
‘‘(H) Such other issues with respect to 
participating eligible students who use an op-
portunity scholarship as the Secretary considers 
appropriate for inclusion in the evaluation, such 
as the impact of the program on public elemen-
tary schools and secondary schools in the Dis-
trict of Columbia. 
‘‘(5) PROHIBITING DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL 
INFORMATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Any disclosure of per-
sonally identifiable information obtained under 
this division shall be in compliance with section 
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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 sec-
ondary school, personally identifiable informa-
tion obtained under this division shall only be 
disclosed to— 
‘‘(i) individuals carrying out the eval-
uation described in paragraph (1)(A) for 
such student; 
‘‘(ii) the group of individuals pro-
viding information for carrying out the 
evaluation of such student; and 
‘‘(iii) the parents of such student.’’. 
(2) TRANSITION OF EVALUATION.— 
(A) TERMINATION OF PREVIOUS EVALUA-
TIONS.—The Secretary of Education shall— 
(i) terminate the evaluations con-
ducted under section 3009(a) of the Schol-
arships for Opportunity and Results Act 
(sec. 38–1853.09(a), D.C. Official Code), 
as in effect on the day before the date of 
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enactment of this Act, after obtaining data 
for the 2016–2017 school year; and 
(ii) submit any reports required for 
the 2016–2017 school year or preceding 
years with respect to the evaluations in ac-
cordance with section 3009(b) of such Act. 
(B) NEW EVALUATIONS.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Effective beginning 
with respect to the 2017–2018 school year, 
the Secretary shall conduct new evalua-
tions in accordance with the provisions of 
section 3009(a) of the Scholarships for Op-
portunity and Results Act (sec. 38– 
1853.09(a), D.C. Official Code), as amend-
ed by this Act. 
(ii) MOST RECENT EVALUATION.—As 
a component of the new evaluations de-
scribed in clause (i), the Secretary shall 
continue to monitor and evaluate the stu-
dents who were evaluated in the most re-
cent evaluation under such section prior to 
the date of enactment of this Act, includ-
ing by monitoring and evaluating the test 
scores and other information of such stu-
dents. 
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(b) DUTY OF MAYOR TO ENSURE INSTITUTE HAS 
ALL INFORMATION NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT EVALUA-
TIONS.—Section 3011(a)(1) (sec. 38–1853.11(a)(1), D.C. 
Official Code) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) INFORMATION NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT 
EVALUATIONS.—Ensure that all District of Colum-
bia 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 re-
quired under section 3009(a).’’. 
SEC. 9. FUNDING FOR DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC 
SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS. 
(a) MANDATORY WITHHOLDING
OF FUNDS
FOR 
FAILURE
TO
COMPLY
WITH
CONDITIONS.—Section 
3011(b) (sec. 38–1853.11(b), D.C. Official Code) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(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 re-
quirements of subsection (a), the Secretary may withhold 
from the Mayor, in whole or in part— 
‘‘(1) the funds otherwise authorized to be ap-
propriated under section 3014(a)(2), if the failure to 
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comply relates to the District of Columbia public 
schools; 
‘‘(2) the funds otherwise authorized to be ap-
propriated 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 ap-
propriated under both paragraphs (2) and (3) of 
section 3014(a), if the failure relates to both the 
District of Columbia public schools and the District 
of Columbia public charter schools.’’. 
(b) RULES FOR USE OF FUNDS PROVIDED FOR SUP-
PORT
OF PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS.—Section 3011 
(sec. 38–1853.11, D.C. Official Code), as amended by sec-
tion 7(b) and section 8(a), is further amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub-
section (d); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(c) SPECIFIC RULES REGARDING FUNDS PROVIDED 
FOR SUPPORT OF PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS.—The fol-
lowing rules shall apply with respect to the funds provided 
under this division for the support of District of Columbia 
public charter schools: 
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‘‘(1) The Secretary may direct the funds pro-
vided for any fiscal year, or any portion thereof, to 
the Office of the State Superintendent of Education 
of the District of Columbia. 
‘‘(2) The Office of the State Superintendent of 
Education of the District of Columbia may transfer 
the funds to subgrantees that are— 
‘‘(A) specific District of Columbia public 
charter schools or networks of such schools; or 
‘‘(B) District of Columbia-based nonprofit 
organizations with experience in successfully 
providing support or assistance to District of 
Columbia public charter schools or networks of 
such schools. 
‘‘(3) The funds provided under this division for 
the support of District of Columbia public charter 
schools shall be available to any District of Columbia 
public charter school in good standing with the Dis-
trict of Columbia Charter School Board, and the Of-
fice of the State Superintendent of Education of the 
District of Columbia and the District of Columbia 
Charter School Board may not restrict the avail-
ability of such funds to certain types of schools on 
the basis of the school’s location, governing body, or 
the school’s facilities.’’. 
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SEC. 10. REVISION OF CURRENT MEMORANDUM OF UNDER-
STANDING. 
Not later than the beginning of the 2017–2018 school 
year, the Secretary of Education and the Mayor of the 
District of Columbia shall revise the memorandum of un-
derstanding which is in effect under section 3012(d) of 
the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act as of 
the day before the date of the enactment of this Act to 
address the following: 
(1) The amendments made by this Act. 
(2) The need to ensure that participating 
schools under the Scholarships for Opportunity and 
Results Act meet fire code standards and maintain 
certificates of occupancy. 
(3) The need to ensure that District of Colum-
bia public schools and District of Columbia public 
charter schools meet the requirements under such 
Act to comply with all reasonable requests for infor-
mation necessary to carry out the evaluations re-
quired under section 3009(a) of such Act. 
SEC. 11. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 3013 (sec. 38–1853.13, D.C. Official Code) 
is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through 
(10) as paragraphs (2) through (11), respectively; 
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(2) by inserting before paragraph (2), as redes-
ignated by paragraph (1), the following: 
‘‘(1) CORE SUBJECT MATTER.—The term ‘core 
subject matter’ means— 
‘‘(A) mathematics; 
‘‘(B) science; and 
‘‘(C) English, reading, or language arts.’’; 
and 
(3) in paragraph (4)(B)(ii), as redesignated by 
paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘household with a’’ be-
fore ‘‘student’’. 
SEC. 12. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA-
TIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3014 (sec. 38–1853.14, 
D.C. Official Code) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘and for each 
of the 4 succeeding fiscal years’’ and inserting ‘‘and 
for each fiscal year through fiscal year 2021’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts appropriated under 
subsection (a)(1), including amounts appropriated and 
available under such subsection before the date of enact-
ment of the SOAR Reauthorization Act, shall remain 
available until expended.’’. 
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(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a)(2) shall take effect on the date of enact-
ment of this Act. 
SEC. 13. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
Except as otherwise provided, the amendments made 
by this Act shall apply with respect to school year 2017– 
2018 and each succeeding school year. 
Passed the House of Representatives April 29, 2016. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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