Merit Institute Merit

The Massachusetts Merit-Based Education & Workforce Reform Act (MA-MEWRA)

Massachusetts state companion to MEWRA. Uses the Massachusetts Charter School Law (M.G.L. c. 71 Sec. 89), Early College Initiative, and Workforce Skills Cabinet. Massachusetts does not operate an ESA or tax-credit scholarship.

THE MASSACHUSETTS MERIT-BASED EDUCATION & WORKFORCE REFORM ACT (MA-MEWRA)

Vehicle: State passage. Massachusetts General Court, regular session. Primary referral to Joint Committee on Education.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

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

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Court finds that Massachusetts authorizes public charter schools under M.G.L. c. 71 Sec. 89; that the Massachusetts Early College Initiative operates under M.G.L. c. 15A Sec. 15A; that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education publishes School and District Profiles; that the Workforce Skills Cabinet coordinates workforce development; and that Massachusetts does not operate an ESA or tax-credit scholarship. This Act extends these frameworks consistent with Massachusetts’ public-school framework.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH MASSACHUSETTS LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Massachusetts outcome-based school” means a public charter school authorized under Title II by the Massachusetts Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“MA-OBSA”) under M.G.L. c. 71 Sec. 89.
  2. (b) “WSC” means the Workforce Skills Cabinet.
  3. (c) “Early-college pathway” means an Early College Initiative program under M.G.L. c. 15A Sec. 15A.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Massachusetts Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • M.G.L. c. 71 Sec. 89 (Charter Schools).
  • M.G.L. c. 15A Sec. 15A (Early College).

TITLE II — MASSACHUSETTS OUTCOME-BASED SCHOOL AUTHORIZER

Sec. 201. Establishment of MA-OBSA

  1. (a) The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall designate a Massachusetts Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“MA-OBSA”) under M.G.L. c. 71 Sec. 89.
  2. (b) MA-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 M.G.L. c. 71.
  3. (c) Four-year term, renewable on thresholds.

TITLE III — EDUCATION-FUND PORTABILITY (Charter & Early-College Rewire)

Sec. 301. Charter and Early-College Funding

  1. (a) A Title II-authorized school operating as a public charter under M.G.L. c. 71 Sec. 89 is entitled to per-pupil Chapter 70 Aid under M.G.L. c. 70 on the same terms as other public charters.
  2. (b) MA-OBSA schools may participate in Early College Initiative pathways under M.G.L. c. 15A Sec. 15A.

Sec. 302. Workforce Disbursements

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

TITLE IV — PUBLISHED OUTCOME METRICS

Sec. 401. Massachusetts Outcome-Metrics Registry

  1. (a) MA-OBSA shall publish completion rate; one- and three-year earnings medians; licensure/MARMC/FRAC attainment.
  2. (b) Data sources: the Department of Unemployment Assistance wage records and DESE longitudinal data.

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 M.G.L. c. 66 (Public Records) and FERPA.

TITLE V — ENFORCEMENT & REMEDIES

Sec. 501. Non-Compliant Provider Remedies

  1. (a) Suspension of MA-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 the July 1 following enactment.

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