Merit Institute Merit

The Missouri Merit-Based Education & Workforce Reform Act (MO-MEWRA)

Missouri state companion to MEWRA. Builds on the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program (MOScholars; Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 135.712 et seq.), Missouri charter framework (Sec. 160.400 et seq.), and Missouri Fast Track workforce program.

THE MISSOURI MERIT-BASED EDUCATION & WORKFORCE REFORM ACT (MO-MEWRA)

Vehicle: State passage. Missouri General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Education.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

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

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that Missouri operates the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program (MOScholars) under Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 135.712 et seq., a tax-credit-funded scholarship program administered by the State Treasurer; that Missouri’s charter-school framework operates under Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 160.400 et seq.; that the Missouri Charter Public School Commission operates under Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 160.405; that the Missouri Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant operates under Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 173.2553; that the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development operates under Mo. Rev. Stat. Ch. 173; and that Missouri publishes school-performance data through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH MISSOURI LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Missouri outcome-based school” means a provisional school authorized under Title II by the Missouri Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“MO-OBSA”).
  2. (b) “MOScholars” means the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program under Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 135.712 et seq.
  3. (c) “MO Fast Track” means the Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant under Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 173.2553.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Missouri Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 135.712 et seq. (MOScholars).
  • Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 160.400 et seq. (charter schools).
  • Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 173.2553 (MO Fast Track).
  • Mo. Rev. Stat. Ch. 173 (Higher Education and Workforce Development).

TITLE II — MISSOURI OUTCOME-BASED SCHOOL AUTHORIZER

Sec. 201. Establishment of MO-OBSA

  1. (a) The Missouri Charter Public School Commission, in coordination with the State Board of Education, shall designate a Missouri Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“MO-OBSA”) under Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 160.405.
  2. (b) MO-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 Mo. Rev. Stat. Ch. 160.
  3. (c) Four-year term, renewable on thresholds.

TITLE III — EDUCATION-FUND PORTABILITY

Sec. 301. MOScholars Extension

  1. (a) A Title II-authorized school is eligible as a participating school under Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 135.712 et seq.
  2. (b) The State Treasurer and participating Educational Assistance Organizations shall treat Title II-authorized schools equivalently.

Sec. 302. MO Fast Track Grants

  1. (a) The Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development shall ensure that within 24 months, at least 50 percent of MO Fast Track disbursements flow to providers publishing outcome data in the MO-OBSA Registry or Federal NLMF.

TITLE IV — PUBLISHED OUTCOME METRICS

Sec. 401. Missouri Outcome-Metrics Registry

  1. (a) MO-OBSA shall publish completion rate; one- and three-year earnings medians; licensure/MORMC/FRAC attainment.
  2. (b) Data sources: the Missouri Statewide Longitudinal Data System and Department of Labor and Industrial Relations 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 Mo. Rev. Stat. Ch. 610 (Sunshine Law) and 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g (FERPA).

TITLE V — ENFORCEMENT & REMEDIES

Sec. 501. Non-Compliant Provider Remedies

  1. (a) Suspension of MOScholars participating status; MO-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 August 28 of the year following enactment.

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