DC school voucher program set to grow funding, ease renewal rules

What does this do?

This bill updates the SOAR Act governing the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, which gives lower-income D.C. families vouchers for private school tuition. It allows grants to run without new competitive bidding for up to 5 years, raises funding, broadens board residency rules, expands eligible accreditation and pre-K use, and changes evaluation timing and measures.

Who does it affect?

D.C. families using or eligible for these scholarships, participating private schools, and the nonprofit organizations that run the program are affected. The Department of Education, which oversees evaluations, is also affected.

Why does it matter?

The changes give program administrators more funding and operational flexibility while reducing how often formal evaluations occur, shifting the balance between oversight and administrative discretion.

What does it cost, and who pays?

• Funding rises from $60m to $75m per year
• Increase starts fiscal year 2027