SOAR Permanent Authorization Act

This bill, known as the SOAR Permanent Authorization Act, significantly amends the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act by permanently authorizing an annual appropriation of $75,000,000 , an increase from previous levels. It also broadens the acceptable accreditation standards for participating schools, allowing for recognition by additional accrediting bodies. Furthermore, the bill removes the previous limit on student academic assistance, increasing the allocation to $2,200,000 and prioritizing tutoring services for students from the lowest-performing schools. Key changes are also made to the program's testing and evaluation requirements. The Institute of Education Sciences is now authorized to administer assessments, and the requirement for a specific nationally norm-referenced test is broadened. The frequency of program evaluation shifts from "annually" to "regularly," with revised standards focusing on academic progress and educational attainment, including new metrics like high school graduation rates, college enrollment, and school safety comparisons.