Merit Institute Merit

The Arizona Merit-Based Education & Workforce Reform Act (AZ-MEWRA)

Arizona state companion to MEWRA. Builds on the universal Empowerment Scholarship Account Program (A.R.S. Sec. 15-2401 et seq.), Arizona charter framework (A.R.S. Sec. 15-181 et seq.), and Arizona Workforce Innovation Fund.

THE ARIZONA MERIT-BASED EDUCATION & WORKFORCE REFORM ACT (AZ-MEWRA)

Vehicle: State passage. Arizona Legislature, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Education.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Arizona Merit-Based Education & Workforce Reform Act (AZ-MEWRA).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that Arizona operates the universal Empowerment Scholarship Account Program under A.R.S. Sec. 15-2401 et seq., available to all Arizona K-12 students; that Arizona’s charter-school framework operates under A.R.S. Sec. 15-181 et seq. with the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools under A.R.S. Sec. 15-182; that Arizona also operates the Lexie’s Law and Original and Switcher Tuition Tax Credit scholarships under A.R.S. Title 43; that the Arizona Commerce Authority operates under A.R.S. Title 41 Ch. 10; that the Office of Economic Opportunity administers workforce programs under A.R.S. Sec. 41-5402; and that Arizona publishes school-performance data through the A-F Letter Grade system. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH ARIZONA LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Arizona outcome-based school” means a provisional school authorized under Title II by the Arizona Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“AZ-OBSA”).
  2. (b) “AZ-ESA” means the Empowerment Scholarship Account Program under A.R.S. Sec. 15-2401 et seq.
  3. (c) “OEO” means the Office of Economic Opportunity.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Arizona Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • A.R.S. Sec. 15-2401 et seq. (ESA).
  • A.R.S. Sec. 15-181 et seq. (charter schools).
  • A.R.S. Sec. 15-182 (State Board for Charter Schools).
  • A.R.S. Sec. 41-5402 (OEO).

TITLE II — ARIZONA OUTCOME-BASED SCHOOL AUTHORIZER

Sec. 201. Establishment of AZ-OBSA

  1. (a) The Arizona State Board for Charter Schools, in coordination with the State Board of Education, shall designate an Arizona Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“AZ-OBSA”) under A.R.S. Sec. 15-182.
  2. (b) AZ-OBSA shall authorize provisional schools without requiring regional-accreditor accreditation.

Sec. 202. Outcome-Based Authorization Standard

  1. (a) Authorization requires publication of outcome metrics under Sec. 401.
  2. (b) Facilities, safety, and background-check standards applicable under A.R.S. Title 15.
  3. (c) Four-year term, renewable on thresholds.

TITLE III — EDUCATION-FUND PORTABILITY

Sec. 301. AZ-ESA Extension

  1. (a) A Title II-authorized school is eligible as a qualified school under A.R.S. Sec. 15-2401 et seq.
  2. (b) The Arizona Department of Education shall treat Title II-authorized schools equivalently.

Sec. 302. Workforce Disbursements

  1. (a) OEO shall ensure that within 24 months, at least 50 percent of WIOA-aligned workforce-program disbursements flow to providers publishing outcome data in the AZ-OBSA Registry or Federal NLMF.

TITLE IV — PUBLISHED OUTCOME METRICS

Sec. 401. Arizona Outcome-Metrics Registry

  1. (a) AZ-OBSA shall publish completion rate; one- and three-year earnings medians; licensure/AZRMC/FRAC attainment.
  2. (b) Data sources: the Arizona Workforce Statistics Longitudinal Data System and DES wage records, to the extent permitted by law.

Sec. 402. Coordination with the Federal NLMF

  1. (a) Crosswalked to the Federal NLMF.
  2. (b) Nothing authorizes disclosure of PII except as permitted under A.R.S. Sec. 39-121 et seq. (Public Records) and 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g (FERPA).

TITLE V — ENFORCEMENT & REMEDIES

Sec. 501. Non-Compliant Provider Remedies

  1. (a) Suspension of AZ-ESA participating status; AZ-OBSA Registry suspension; administrative penalty up to $500,000 per willful violation.
  2. (b) No private right of action.

TITLE VI — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 601. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 602. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect the general effective date following the legislative session.

Canonical federal version: MEWRA. Other Arizona bills: AZ-ACSA, AZ-GT&P, AZ-AI-Workforce.