US HB10 | 2015-2016 | 114th Congress

Status

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Republican 14-1)
Status: Engrossed on October 22 2015 - 50% progression, died in chamber
Action: 2016-07-14 - Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 561.
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Summary

SOAR Reauthorization Act Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Reauthorization Act (Sec. 3) This bill amends the District of Columbia Code to prohibit the Department of Education from limiting the number of eligible students receiving District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP) scholarships, and from preventing otherwise eligible students from participating in the OSP because of: the type of school the student previously attended; or whether or not the individual previously received the scholarship or participated in OSP, or was a member of the control group used by the Institute of Education Sciences to carry out previous OSP evaluations. This prohibition may not be construed to waive the requirements under the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (SOAR) that the entity implementing the OSP must implement a random selection process giving weight to SOAR priorities if more eligible students seek admission in the OSP than it can accommodate. (Sec. 4) An eligible nonprofit organization's application for an OSP grant must include how it will ensure that it utilizes internal fiscal and quality controls. (Sec. 5) Priorities for the award of scholarships to eligible students are modified to give priority to students who: in the preceding school year attended a school identified as one of the lowest-performing schools under the DC accountability system (currently certain elementary or secondary schools identified for improvements, corrective action, or restructuring), and certain students regardless of whether they have attended a private school. (Sec. 6) OSP-participating schools must: conduct criminal background checks on school employees who have direct and unsupervised interactions with students, and comply with all requests for data and information regarding SOAR reporting requirements. Participating private schools must be provisionally or fully accredited, or in the process of seeking accreditation: within one year after enactment of this Act; and within five years after such enactment, must be accredited. An eligible entity may extend this deadline for a single one-year period if the school provides it with evidence from an accrediting body that its application for accreditation is in process and that it will be awarded accreditation before the end of such period. After notifying the eligible entity, non-participating private schools seeking to participate in the OSP, and meeting all other requirements, must also be provisionally or fully accredited, or in the process of seeking accreditation within such five-year period. The entity may also extend this deadline for such period. The Department must make OSP funds available to eligible entities receiving a grant for administrative expenses and parental education and assistance, including streamlining of the application process. The Department must make previously unobligated OSP funds for any fiscal year (including one occurring before enactment of this Act) available to award new scholarships to students during the next fiscal year and (if still unobligated at the end of that fiscal year) any subsequent fiscal year. (Sec. 7) The Department must ensure that the evaluation of scholarship students is conducted using an acceptable quasi-experimental research design for determining the effectiveness of the OSP without using a control study group consisting of students who applied for, but did not receive, opportunity scholarships. The Institute of Education Sciences of the Department must assess participating eligible students in each of grades 3 through 8, and 1 of the grades in the high school level, by supervising the administration of the same reading and math assessment used by the DC public schools to comply with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. This bill also, however, repeals the requirement that the Institute use a grade appropriate, nationally norm-referenced standardized test each school year to assess participating eligible students. The Department must: (1) terminate the current OSP evaluation procedures after obtaining data for the 2015-2016 school year; and (2) submit the required SOAR reports for them. The Department shall conduct new evaluations for the 2016-2017 school year in accordance with SOAR's procedures as amended by this section. As a component of the new evaluations, the Department shall continue to monitor and evaluate the students evaluated in the most recent evaluation before the enactment of this Act, along with their corresponding test scores and other information. The DC Mayor shall ensure that all DC public schools and public charter schools make available to the Institute of Education Sciences all the information the Institute requires to carry out assessments and perform evaluations. (Sec. 8) The Department's authority is revised for withholding specified OSP funds provided to the DC Mayor for DC public and charter schools for noncompliance with SOAR requirements. The Department must also direct to the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) the funds provided to support DC public charter schools, and the OSSE may transfer them to subgrantees that are: specific DC public charter schools in good standing or networks of such schools, or DC-based non-profit organizations with experience in successfully providing support or assistance to such schools or networks. The OSSE and the DC Charter School Board may not restrict the availability of such funds to certain types of schools based on their location, governing body, or any other characteristic. (Sec. 9) The Department and the Mayor shall revise the memorandum of understanding in effect to address the need to ensure that participating schools meet fire code standards and maintain certificates of occupancy. (Sec. 10) The OSP is reauthorized through FY2021.

Tracking Information

Register now for our free OneVote public service or GAITS Pro trial account and you can begin tracking this and other legislation, all driven by the real-time data of the LegiScan API. Providing tools allowing you to research pending legislation, stay informed with email alerts, content feeds, and share dynamic reports. Use our new PolitiCorps to join with friends and collegaues to monitor & discuss bills through the process.

Monitor Legislation or view this same bill number from multiple sessions or take advantage of our national legislative search.

Title

SOAR Reauthorization Act Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Reauthorization Act

Sponsors


Roll Calls

2015-10-21 - House - On Passage (Y: 240 N: 191 NV: 3 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2015-10-21 - House - On Motion to Recommit with Instructions (Y: 185 N: 242 NV: 7 Abs: 0) [FAIL]

History

DateChamberAction
2016-07-14SenateRead the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 561.
2016-07-13SenateRead the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
2015-10-22SenateReceived in the Senate.
2015-10-21HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2015-10-21HouseOn passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 240 - 191 (Roll no. 559).
2015-10-21HouseOn motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 185 - 242 (Roll no. 558).
2015-10-21HouseConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H7077-7079)
2015-10-21HousePOSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Scott (VA) motion to recommit with instructions, the Chair put the question on adopting the motion to recommit and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Scott (VA) demanded the yeas and nays and pursuant to the order of the House of today, the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the motion to recommit until a time to be announced.
2015-10-21HouseThe previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection. (consideration: CR H7077)
2015-10-21HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Scott (VA) motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to apply civil rights protections to all voucher students and applicants who are impacted by the legislation.
2015-10-21HouseMr. Scott (VA) moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on Oversight and Government. (consideration: CR H7076-7077; text: CR H7076)
2015-10-21HouseThe previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H7076)
2015-10-21HouseThe House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 10.
2015-10-21HouseH.Amdt.723 On agreeing to the Norton amendment (A002) Failed by voice vote.
2015-10-21HouseDEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 480, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Norton amendment No. 2.
2015-10-21HouseH.Amdt.723 Amendment (A002) offered by Ms. Norton. (consideration: CR H7073-7076; text: CR H7073)
2015-10-21HouseH.Amdt.722 On agreeing to the Chaffetz amendment (A001) Agreed to by voice vote.
2015-10-21HouseDEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 480, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Chaffetz amendment No. 1.
2015-10-21HouseH.Amdt.722 Amendment (A001) offered by Mr. Chaffetz. (consideration: CR H7073; text: CR H7073)
2015-10-21HouseGENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 10.
2015-10-21HouseThe Speaker designated the Honorable George Holding to act as Chairman of the Committee.
2015-10-21HouseHouse resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 480 and Rule XVIII.
2015-10-21HouseResolution provides for consideration of both H.R. 10 and H.R. 692.
2015-10-21HouseConsidered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 480. (consideration: CR H7061-7077; text of measure as reported in House: CR H7070-7073)
2015-10-20HouseRules Committee Resolution H. Res. 480 Reported to House. Resolution provides for consideration of both H.R. 10 and H.R. 692.
2015-10-16HousePlaced on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 221.
2015-10-16HouseReported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 114-292.
2015-10-09HouseOrdered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 16 - 14.
2015-10-09HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
2015-10-05HouseReferred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
2015-10-05HouseIntroduced in House

Same As/Similar To

SB2171 (Related) 2015-11-04 - Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Hearings held.
HR480 (Related) 2015-10-21 - Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Subjects


US Congress State Sources


Bill Comments

feedback