January 28, 2026
Mr. Johnson (for himself and Mr. Scott of South Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
To amend the SOAR Act.
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 Permanent Authorization 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 Permanent Authorization 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 Permanent Authorization 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, 2028, 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)
in subparagraph (A)—
(i)
by inserting the academic progress of
after assess
; and
(ii)
by striking in each of grades 3
and all that follows through the end of the subparagraph and inserting ; and
; 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—
(1)
in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2012 and for each fiscal year through fiscal year 2023
and inserting $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 and for each succeeding fiscal year
; and
(2)
in subsection (b), by striking $60,000,000
and inserting $75,000,000
.
(b) Effective date
The amendments made by this section shall apply beginning with respect to fiscal year 2027.