SOAR Permanent Authorization Act

HR 3663, the SOAR Permanent Authorization Act, makes the District of Columbia's Opportunity Scholarship Program permanent by authorizing $75 million annually starting in fiscal year 2024 (up from $60 million previously). It requires private schools receiving scholarships to be accredited by a District of Columbia body or recognized by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Student and Visitor Exchange program. The bill revises program evaluations to focus on students' academic progress (not just achievement) and mandates comparisons with a control group of students who did not receive scholarships. This directly affects D.C. students eligible for the program and the private schools participating in it.