To provide low-income parents residing in the District of Columbia (District) with expanded options for the education of their children.

This program is part of a broader school improvement effort in the District.

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Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2016: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2017: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2018: No Current Data Available

Grants for this Program

• Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII): District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program CFDA Number 84.370A
• School Choice Incentive Program CFDA 84.370A
• DC School Choice Incentive Program CFDA 84.370A
• Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE): District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program CFDA Number 84.370A

Selected Recipients for this Program

Fiscal Year 2016: No Current Data Available. Fiscal Year 2017: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2018: No Current Data Available

Uses and Use Restrictions

These scholarships of up to approximately $8,500 per student per school year for grades K-8 and approximately $12,750 per student per school year for grades 9-12 enable students to attend a participating nonpublic District elementary and secondary school of their choice and may be used to pay tuition and fees and transportation.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

An educational entity of the District of Columbia Government; a nonprofit organization; or a consortium of nonprofit organizations.

Beneficiary Eligibility

To receive an award under this program, an applicant must ensure that a majority of the members of its voting board or governing organization are residents of the District of Columbia. The Secretary gives priority to applications from eligible entities that will most effectively provide students and families with the widest range of educational options; to applications from eligible entities that will most effectively target resources to students and families who lack the financial resources to take advantage of available educational options; and to applications from eligible entities that will most effectively give priority to (A) eligible students who, in the school year preceding the school year in which the student would use the scholarship, attend an elementary or secondary school identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under section 1116 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) (20 U.S.C. 6316); (B) students who have been awarded a scholarship in a preceding year under the current authorizing legislation or the DC School Choice Incentive Act of 2003, as such Act was in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of the current authorizing legislation, but who have not used the scholarship, including eligible students who were provided notification of selection for a scholarship for school year 2009-2010, which was later rescinded in accordance with direction from the Secretary of Education; and (C) students whose household includes a sibling or other child who is already participating in the program of the eligible entity under this division, regardless of whether such students have, in the past, been assigned as members of a control study group for the purposes of an evaluation.

Credentials/Documentation

No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

This program is subject to the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79.

Environmental impact information is not required for this program.

This program is eligible for coverage under E.O.

12372, 'Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.' An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedures

This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. Applicants must submit the following by the designated deadline: (1) The applicant must provide a written narrative, which addresses the selection criteria (and the required application content) that reviewers use in evaluating their applications. (2) Required forms to be submitted with the application include SF424; Sections A, B, and C of ED Form 524; Assurance - Non Construction Programs; Certifications Regarding Lobbying, Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; Disclosure of Lobbying Activity; Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion - Lower Tier Covered Transactions. (3) Applicants for grants under this program are required to submit applications electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-Application) available through the Department's e-GRANTS system. Specific instructions for submitting applications electronically are included in the application notice.

Award Procedures

The Department of Education awards this grant on a competitive basis. The program office notifies the successful applicant of the award, negotiates the final budget, and awards the grant. Contact the program office for more information.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Authorization

Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Act, (Division C of Public Law 112-10, as amended by P.L. 115-31/.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Approximately 60 days.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Applicants may apply for a project period of up to 12 months. Continuation awards are subject to the availability of appropriations.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program. Matching requirements are not applicable to this program. MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Applicants may apply for a project period of up to 12 months. Renewals are subject to the availability of appropriations. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Electronic transfer.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Annual performance reports are required for each budget period.

Specific due dates are determined by the Department and forwarded to applicants accordingly.

Final performance reports are due 90 days after expiration or termination of the award.

Cash reports are not applicable.

Progress reports are not applicable.

Expenditure reports are not applicable.

Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, non-Federal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503.

Records

In accordance with the General Education Provisions Act and the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), certain financial records must be maintained for a period of 3 years.

Financial Information

Account Identification

91-0204-0-1-501.

Obigations

(Project Grants) FY 16 $13,000,000; FY 17 est $13,000,000; and FY 18 est $13,000,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Average new awards: $13,000,000.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

The Department will publish the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) in the Federal Register. Contact the Program Office for more information.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Jeanne Gilroy Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement, Parental Options and Information, 400 Maryland Ave., S.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20202 Email: jeanne.gilroy@ed.gov Phone: (202) 205-5482

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

The selection criteria are contained in the NIA.