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The Maryland Merit-Based Education & Workforce Reform Act (MD-MEWRA)

Maryland state companion to MEWRA. Uses the Maryland Public Charter School Act (Md. Code, Education Art. Title 9) and Dual Enrollment provisions. Maryland does not operate an ESA or general tax-credit scholarship.

THE MARYLAND MERIT-BASED EDUCATION & WORKFORCE REFORM ACT (MD-MEWRA)

Vehicle: State passage. Maryland General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Ways and Means / Education, Energy, and the Environment.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

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

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that Maryland authorizes public charter schools under the Maryland Public Charter School Act, Md. Code, Education Art. Title 9 Subtitle 1; that dual-enrollment is authorized under Md. Code, Education Art. Sec. 7-205.1; that the Maryland State Department of Education publishes the Maryland Report Card; that the Governor’s Workforce Development Board operates under Md. Code, Labor and Employment Art. Title 11; and that Maryland does not operate an ESA or general tax-credit scholarship. This Act extends these frameworks consistent with Maryland’s public-school framework.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH MARYLAND LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Maryland outcome-based school” means a public charter school authorized under Title II by the Maryland Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“MD-OBSA”) under Md. Code, Education Art. Title 9 Subtitle 1.
  2. (b) “GWDB” means the Governor’s Workforce Development Board.
  3. (c) “Dual-enrollment pathway” has the meaning given in Md. Code, Education Art. Sec. 7-205.1.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Maryland Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Md. Code, Education Art. Title 9 Subtitle 1 (charter schools).
  • Md. Code, Education Art. Sec. 7-205.1 (dual enrollment).
  • Md. Code, Labor and Employment Art. Title 11 (GWDB).

TITLE II — MARYLAND OUTCOME-BASED SCHOOL AUTHORIZER

Sec. 201. Establishment of MD-OBSA

  1. (a) The State Board of Education shall designate a Maryland Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“MD-OBSA”) under Md. Code, Education Art. Title 9 Subtitle 1.
  2. (b) MD-OBSA shall authorize provisional public charter 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 Md. Code, Education Art.
  3. (c) Four-year term, renewable on thresholds.

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 Md. Code, Education Art. Title 9 Subtitle 1 is entitled to per-pupil state aid on the same terms as other public charters under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.
  2. (b) MD-OBSA schools may participate in dual-enrollment pathways under Md. Code, Education Art. Sec. 7-205.1.

Sec. 302. Workforce Disbursements

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

TITLE IV — PUBLISHED OUTCOME METRICS

Sec. 401. Maryland Outcome-Metrics Registry

  1. (a) MD-OBSA shall publish completion rate; one- and three-year earnings medians; licensure/MDRMC/FRAC attainment.
  2. (b) Data sources: Maryland Longitudinal Data System and Maryland Department of Labor 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 Maryland Public Information Act (Md. Code, Gen. Prov. Art. Title 4) and FERPA.

TITLE V — ENFORCEMENT & REMEDIES

Sec. 501. Non-Compliant Provider Remedies

  1. (a) Suspension of MD-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 on July 1 of the year following enactment.

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