Merit Institute
Replacing fake credentials with measurable proof of merit
We research, design, and advocate for transparent, data-driven reforms that measure what learners and workers can actually do — and reward them for it.
Federal bills — Draft Available
- The Alternative Credentialing & Skills Act Draft Available Establish federally recognized merit-based credentials; extend the Public Law 119-21 Workforce Pell framework with stackable, reusable aid; and codify an IRC Sec. 45AA employer tax credit for skills-based hiring.
- The Merit-Based Education & Workforce Reform Act Draft Available Tie federal education funds to measured outcomes, codify the April 2026 Department of Education accreditation rulemaking, and create a National Alternative School Registry so per-pupil federal funds can follow the student to new, outcome-accountable K-12 schools.
- The Government Transparency & Performance Act Draft Available Codify the Inspector General Act, CFO Act, and GPRA Modernization Act authorities into a real-time federal accountability dashboard, and enact a reconciliation-eligible performance-based funding formula that a future regulation cannot reverse.
- The Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act Draft Available Modernize workforce development under WIOA and NIST AI Risk Management Framework authority, with strictly meritocratic hiring standards measuring demonstrated competency, reproducible scoring, and documented inputs only.