SOAR Permanent Authorization Act
Sponsored By: Senator Ron Johnson
Introduced
Summary
Makes the SOAR DC scholarship program more permanent and better funded while tightening school accreditation and boosting tutoring, reporting, and evaluation. Grants may run for 5 years and be renewed once for up to 5 more years, governance is widened to the Washington metropolitan region, and the program gets stronger accreditation and testing rules.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
More tutoring and scholarship funding
This bill would let Opportunity Scholarship funds pay for tutoring and rename kindergarten uses to pre-kindergarten. If enacted, eligible entities would be required to prioritize tutoring for students who previously attended DC schools identified as lowest-performing when funds are limited. The bill would raise the program's annual authorized funding to $75,000,000 starting in fiscal year 2027 and increase the aggregate tutoring-related pot from $2,000,000 to $2,200,000. These changes would take effect when the law is enacted, while the new yearly authorization would begin in FY2027.
Public evaluations and school safety reports
This bill would require the Institute of Education Sciences to conduct rigorous public evaluations of the Opportunity Scholarship program and publish a report by January 1, 2028, and then every 7 years. The IES would be allowed to give students a nationally norm-referenced standardized test for evaluation purposes. The bill would also change grantee reporting so schools submit data on school violence, suspensions, and expulsions for school years beginning on or after enactment. These steps would make program results and safety data more publicly available.
Longer grants, possible lower scholarships
This bill would let an eligible entity set a yearly maximum scholarship amount that is lower than otherwise permitted. It would also allow grants to be issued for up to 5 years and renewed for up to 5 more years without a new competitive process if the Secretary finds renewal appropriate to maintain continuity. These changes would take effect upon enactment. Families could see more stable programs, but some students might receive smaller maximum awards if grantees set lower caps.
Stricter school accreditation and regional boards
This bill would require participating schools to be recognized by a national or regional accrediting body or by an accreditor identified by the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Program. Schools not participating when the law is enacted would need to become fully accredited within 5 years after they begin pursuing participation. The bill would also change eligible-entity board residency from only the District of Columbia to the wider Washington metropolitan region (DC; Montgomery and Prince George's Counties, MD; Arlington and Fairfax Counties and the Cities of Alexandria and Falls Church, VA). These rules would take effect upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Ron Johnson
WI • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC]
SC • R
Sponsored 1/28/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov