Merit Institute Merit

The Arkansas Merit-Based Education & Workforce Reform Act (AR-MEWRA)

Arkansas state companion to MEWRA. Builds on the Arkansas LEARNS Act (Act 237, 2023) Education Freedom Account, Ark. Code Ann. Title 6 Ch. 23 charter framework, and ADWS training-account infrastructure.

THE ARKANSAS MERIT-BASED EDUCATION & WORKFORCE REFORM ACT (AR-MEWRA)

Vehicle: State passage. Arkansas General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Education; fiscal to House / Senate Revenue and Taxation.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

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

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that Arkansas enacted the LEARNS Act under Act 237 of 2023, codified in part at Ark. Code Ann. Title 6 Ch. 18 Subch. 21, establishing the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program (universal phase-in beginning with the 2025-26 school year); that Arkansas’s charter-school framework operates under Ark. Code Ann. Title 6 Ch. 23; that the Arkansas Charter Authorizing Panel authorizes open-enrollment charters; that the Division of Higher Education administers performance-based funding under Ark. Code Ann. Title 6 Ch. 61; that ADWS administers training accounts under Ark. Code Ann. Title 11 Ch. 10; and that Arkansas publishes school-report-card performance ratings under Ark. Code Ann. Sec. 6-15-2105. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH ARKANSAS LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Arkansas outcome-based school” means a provisional school authorized under Title II by the Arkansas Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“AR-OBSA”).
  2. (b) “EFA” means the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program under Ark. Code Ann. Title 6 Ch. 18 Subch. 21.
  3. (c) “ADWS ITA” means a training account issued under Ark. Code Ann. Title 11 Ch. 10.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Arkansas Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Ark. Code Ann. Title 6 Ch. 18 Subch. 21 (LEARNS; EFA).
  • Ark. Code Ann. Title 6 Ch. 23 (charter schools).
  • Ark. Code Ann. Title 6 Ch. 61 (Division of Higher Education).
  • Ark. Code Ann. Title 11 Ch. 10 (ADWS).
  • Ark. Code Ann. Sec. 6-15-2105 (school-report-card).

TITLE II — ARKANSAS OUTCOME-BASED SCHOOL AUTHORIZER

Sec. 201. Establishment of AR-OBSA

  1. (a) The Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education shall designate, within charter-authorizer infrastructure under Ark. Code Ann. Title 6 Ch. 23, an Arkansas Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“AR-OBSA”) operating alongside the Arkansas Charter Authorizing Panel.
  2. (b) AR-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 Title 6 Ch. 23.
  3. (c) Four-year term, renewable on thresholds.

TITLE III — EDUCATION-FUND PORTABILITY

Sec. 301. Educational Freedom Account Extension

  1. (a) A Title II-authorized school is eligible as a participating education-service provider under the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program under Title 6 Ch. 18 Subch. 21.
  2. (b) The Department of Education shall treat Title II-authorized schools equivalently for administrative purposes.

Sec. 302. ADWS Training Accounts

  1. (a) ADWS shall ensure that within 24 months, at least 50 percent of training-account disbursements flow to providers publishing outcome data in the AR-OBSA Registry or Federal NLMF.
  2. (b) Through the Arkansas ETPL under 29 U.S.C. Sec. 3152 and Title 11 Ch. 10.

TITLE IV — PUBLISHED OUTCOME METRICS

Sec. 401. Arkansas Outcome-Metrics Registry

  1. (a) AR-OBSA shall publish completion rate; one- and three-year post-completion earnings medians; post-completion licensure, ARRMC, or Federal FRAC attainment.
  2. (b) Data sources: the Arkansas Research Center longitudinal-data system under Ark. Code Ann. Sec. 25-4-101 et seq. (where applicable) and ADWS 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 Ark. Code Ann. Title 25 Ch. 19 (Freedom of Information Act) and 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g (FERPA).

TITLE V — ENFORCEMENT & REMEDIES

Sec. 501. Non-Compliant Provider Remedies

  1. (a) Suspension of EFA eligibility; AR-OBSA Registry suspension; administrative penalty up to $500,000 per willful violation, consistent with Title 6 Ch. 23 enforcement.
  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 July 1 of the year following enactment.

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