Pub. L. 115-31, div. E, tit. IX (as amended)

907.(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 degree 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 unsupervised interaction with students; and(H)complies with all requests for data and information regarding the reporting requirements described in section 3010..(b)Accreditation.—Section 3007(a) (sec. 38-1853.07(a), D.C. Official Code), as amended by subsection (a), is further amended—(1)in paragraph (1), by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and inserting paragraphs (2), (3), and (5); and(2)by adding at the end the following:(5)Accreditation requirements.—(A)In general.—None of the funds provided under this division for opportunity scholarships may be used by a participating eligible student to enroll in a participating private school unless the school—(i)in the case of a school that is a participating school as of the date of enactment of the SOAR Reauthorization Act—(I)is fully accredited by an accrediting body described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (G) of section 2202(16) of the District of Columbia School Reform Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-134; sec. 38-1802.02(16)(A)-(G), D.C. Official Code); or(II)if such participating school does not meet the requirements of subclause (I)—(aa)not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Public Law 114-113), the school is pursuing full accreditation by an accrediting body described in subclause (I); and(bb)is fully accredited by such an accrediting body not later than 5 years after the date on which that school began the process of pursuing full accreditation in accordance with item (aa); and(ii)in the case of a school that is not a participating school as of the date of enactment of the SOAR Reauthorization Act, is fully accredited by an accrediting body described in clause (i)(I) before becoming a participating school under this division.(B)Reports to eligible entity.—Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of the SOAR Reauthorization Act, each participating school shall submit to the eligible entity a certification that the school has been fully accredited in accordance with subparagraph (A).(C)Assisting students in enrolling in other schools.—If a participating school fails to meet the requirements of this paragraph, the eligible entity shall assist the parents of the participating eligible students who attend the school in identifying, applying to, and enrolling in another participating school under this division.(6)Treatment of students awarded a scholarship in a previous year.—An eligible entity shall treat a participating eligible student who was awarded an opportunity scholarship in any previous year and who has not used the scholarship as a renewal student and not as a new applicant, without regard as to—(A)whether the eligible student has used the scholarship; and(B)the year in which the scholarship was previously awarded..(c)Use of Funds for Administrative Expenses and Parental Assistance.—(1)In general.—Section 3007 (sec. 38-1853.07, D.C. Official Code) is amended—(A)by striking subsections (b) and (c) and inserting the following:(b)Administrative Expenses and Parental Assistance.—The Secretary shall make $2,000,000 of the amount made available under section 3014(a)(1) for each fiscal year available to eligible entities receiving a grant under section 3004(a) to cover the following expenses:(1)The administrative expenses of carrying out its program under this division during the year, including—(A)determining the eligibility of students to participate;(B)selecting the eligible students to receive scholarships;(C)determining the amount of the scholarships and issuing the scholarships to eligible students;(D)compiling and maintaining financial and programmatic records;(E)conducting site visits as described in section 3005(b)(1)(I); and(F)(i)conducting a study, including a survey of participating parents, on any barriers for participating eligible students in gaining admission to, or attending, the participating school that is their first choice; and(ii)not later than the end of the first full fiscal year after the date of enactment of the SOAR Reauthorization Act, submitting a report to Congress that contains the results of such study.(2)The expenses of educating parents about the eligible entity’s program under this division, and assisting parents through the application process under this division, including—(A)providing information about the program and the participating schools to parents of eligible students, including information on supplemental financial aid that may be available at participating schools;(B)providing funds to assist parents of students in meeting expenses that might otherwise preclude the participation of eligible students in the program; and(C)streamlining the application process for parents.;(B)by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c); and(C)by redesignating subsection (e), as added by section 162(b) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2017 (division C of Public Law 114-223, as amended by section 101(3) of the Further Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 114-254)), as subsection (d).(2)Conforming amendment.—Section 3007(d) (sec. 38-1853.07(d), D.C. Official Code), as redesignated by paragraph (1)(C), is amended by striking subsections (b), (c), and (d) each place it appears in paragraphs (2)(B) and (3) and inserting subsections (b) and (c).(d)Clarification of Use of Funds for Student Academic Assistance.—Section 3007(c) (sec. 38-1853.07(c), D.C. Official Code), as redesignated by subsection (c)(1)(B), is amended by striking previously attended and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting previously attended an elementary school or secondary school identified as one of the lowest-performing schools under the District of Columbia’s accountability system..