Merit Institute Merit

The California Merit-Based Education & Workforce Reform Act (CA-MEWRA)

California state companion to MEWRA. Because California does not operate an ESA or tax-credit scholarship program, this Act operates through the charter-school framework (Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 47600 et seq.), dual-enrollment pathways, and the California Workforce Development Board.

THE CALIFORNIA MERIT-BASED EDUCATION & WORKFORCE REFORM ACT (CA-MEWRA)

Vehicle: State passage. California Legislature, regular session. Primary referral to Assembly / Senate Education / Labor, Public Employment and Retirement.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

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

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that California authorizes public charter schools under the Charter Schools Act of 1992, codified at Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 47600 et seq.; that California operates dual-enrollment and College and Career Access Pathways partnerships under Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 76004; that the California School Dashboard is published under Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 52060 et seq.; that the California Workforce Development Board operates under Cal. Unemp. Ins. Code Sec. 14000 et seq.; and that California does not operate an ESA or tax-credit scholarship program. This Act extends these frameworks consistent with California’s public-school framework.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH CALIFORNIA LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “California outcome-based school” means a public charter school authorized under Title II by the California Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“CA-OBSA”) under Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 47600 et seq.
  2. (b) “CWDB” means the California Workforce Development Board.
  3. (c) “Dual-enrollment pathway” has the meaning given in Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 76004.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing California Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 47600 et seq. (Charter Schools Act).
  • Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 76004 (dual enrollment).
  • Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 52060 et seq. (Local Control and Accountability Plans).
  • Cal. Unemp. Ins. Code Sec. 14000 et seq. (CWDB).

TITLE II — CALIFORNIA OUTCOME-BASED SCHOOL AUTHORIZER

Sec. 201. Establishment of CA-OBSA

  1. (a) The State Board of Education, in coordination with the California Department of Education, shall designate a California Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“CA-OBSA”) operating under the Charter Schools Act framework (Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 47600 et seq.).
  2. (b) CA-OBSA shall authorize provisional public charter schools without requiring regional-accreditor accreditation, consistent with the outcome-based provisions of Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 47607.

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 Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 47605.
  3. (c) Four-year term, renewable on thresholds consistent with Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 47607.

TITLE III — EDUCATION-FUND PORTABILITY (Charter & Dual-Enrollment Rewire)

Sec. 301. Charter and Dual-Enrollment Funding

  1. (a) A Title II-authorized school operating as a public charter under Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 47600 et seq. is entitled to per-pupil Local Control Funding Formula apportionment under Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 42238.02 on the same terms as other public charters.
  2. (b) CA-OBSA schools may participate in College and Career Access Pathways partnerships under Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 76004.

Sec. 302. Workforce Disbursements

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

TITLE IV — PUBLISHED OUTCOME METRICS

Sec. 401. California Outcome-Metrics Registry

  1. (a) CA-OBSA shall publish completion rate; one- and three-year earnings medians; licensure/CARMC/FRAC attainment.
  2. (b) Data sources: the Cradle-to-Career Data System under Cal. Educ. Code Sec. 10860 et seq. and EDD wage records.

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 the California Public Records Act (Cal. Gov. Code Sec. 7920.000 et seq.) and FERPA.

TITLE V — ENFORCEMENT & REMEDIES

Sec. 501. Non-Compliant Provider Remedies

  1. (a) Suspension of CA-OBSA authorization; 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 January 1 of the year following enactment.

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