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The Montana Merit-Based Education & Workforce Reform Act (MT-MEWRA)

Montana state companion to MEWRA. Builds on Montana's Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account, Community Choice Schools Act (charter), and Montana Tax Credit for Qualified Education Contributions.

THE MONTANA MERIT-BASED EDUCATION & WORKFORCE REFORM ACT (MT-MEWRA)

Vehicle: State passage. Montana Legislature, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Education.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

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

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that Montana operates the Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account under MCA 20-7-1601 et seq.; that Montana enacted the Community Choice Schools Act under MCA 20-6-901 et seq. authorizing a public commission charter framework (2023); that Montana operates a Tax Credit for Qualified Education Contributions under MCA 15-30-3110 et seq. allowing donations to Student Scholarship Organizations that fund tuition at qualified education providers; that the Montana University System administers performance-based funding under Board of Regents Policy; that MDLI administers Individual Training Accounts under MCA Title 39; and that Montana publishes school-performance data through the Office of Public Instruction. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH MONTANA LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Montana outcome-based school” means a provisional school authorized under Title II by the Montana Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“MT-OBSA”).
  2. (b) “ESA” means the Special Needs Equal Opportunity ESA under MCA 20-7-1601 et seq.
  3. (c) “SSO credit” means the Tax Credit for Qualified Education Contributions under MCA 15-30-3110 et seq.
  4. (d) “MDLI ITA” means a training account under MCA Title 39.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Montana Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • MCA 20-7-1601 et seq. (Special Needs ESA).
  • MCA 20-6-901 et seq. (Community Choice Schools Act).
  • MCA 15-30-3110 et seq. (Qualified Education Contributions Credit).
  • MCA Title 20 Ch. 25 (Montana University System).
  • MCA Title 39 (MDLI).

TITLE II — MONTANA OUTCOME-BASED SCHOOL AUTHORIZER

Sec. 201. Establishment of MT-OBSA

  1. (a) The Board of Public Education shall designate, in coordination with the Community Choice Schools Commission under MCA 20-6-903, a Montana Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“MT-OBSA”).
  2. (b) MT-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 MCA 20-6-901 et seq.
  3. (c) Four-year term, renewable on thresholds.

TITLE III — EDUCATION-FUND PORTABILITY

Sec. 301. ESA and SSO Credit Extension

  1. (a) A Title II-authorized school is eligible as a qualified education provider for purposes of the Special Needs ESA under MCA 20-7-1601 et seq. and as a qualified education provider for tuition funded through Student Scholarship Organizations that receive contributions qualifying for the credit under MCA 15-30-3110 et seq.
  2. (b) Administrators shall treat Title II-authorized schools equivalently.

Sec. 302. MDLI Training Accounts

  1. (a) MDLI shall ensure that within 24 months, at least 50 percent of ITA disbursements flow to providers publishing outcome data in the MT-OBSA Registry or Federal NLMF.
  2. (b) Through the Montana ETPL under 29 U.S.C. Sec. 3152 and MCA Title 39.

TITLE IV — PUBLISHED OUTCOME METRICS

Sec. 401. Montana Outcome-Metrics Registry

  1. (a) MT-OBSA shall publish completion rate; one- and three-year post-completion earnings medians; post-completion licensure, MTRMC, or Federal FRAC attainment.
  2. (b) Data sources: the Montana Statewide Longitudinal Data System and MDLI 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 MCA Title 2 Ch. 6 (Public Records) and 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g (FERPA).

TITLE V — ENFORCEMENT & REMEDIES

Sec. 501. Non-Compliant Provider Remedies

  1. (a) Suspension of ESA / SSO-credit eligibility; MT-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 October 1 of the year following enactment.

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