Merit Institute Merit

The North Carolina Merit-Based Education & Workforce Reform Act (NC-MEWRA)

North Carolina state companion to MEWRA. Builds on the Opportunity Scholarship Program (N.C. Gen. Stat. Sec. 115C-562.1 et seq.), NC Charter School framework (Art. 14A), and the Department of Commerce / NCWorks.

THE NORTH CAROLINA MERIT-BASED EDUCATION & WORKFORCE REFORM ACT (NC-MEWRA)

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

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

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that North Carolina operates the Opportunity Scholarship Program under N.C. Gen. Stat. Sec. 115C-562.1 et seq. (universal since 2023); that charter schools are authorized under N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 115C Art. 14A; that the Department of Public Instruction publishes the NC School Report Cards; that the Department of Commerce and NCWorks Commission operate workforce programs under N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 143B; and that the Education Savings Account program operates under N.C. Gen. Stat. Sec. 115C-112.5 et seq. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH NORTH CAROLINA LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “North Carolina outcome-based school” means a provisional school authorized under Title II by the North Carolina Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“NC-OBSA”).
  2. (b) “NC-Opportunity” means the Opportunity Scholarship Program under N.C. Gen. Stat. Sec. 115C-562.1 et seq.
  3. (c) “NCWorks” means the NCWorks Commission.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing North Carolina Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. Sec. 115C-562.1 et seq. (Opportunity Scholarship).
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 115C Art. 14A (charter schools).
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 143B (Department of Commerce).

TITLE II — NORTH CAROLINA OUTCOME-BASED SCHOOL AUTHORIZER

Sec. 201. Establishment of NC-OBSA

  1. (a) The State Board of Education, in coordination with the Charter Schools Review Board, shall designate a North Carolina Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“NC-OBSA”) under N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 115C Art. 14A.
  2. (b) NC-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 N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 115C.
  3. (c) Four-year term, renewable on thresholds.

TITLE III — EDUCATION-FUND PORTABILITY

Sec. 301. NC-Opportunity Scholarship Extension

  1. (a) A Title II-authorized school is eligible as a nonpublic school under N.C. Gen. Stat. Sec. 115C-562.1 et seq.

Sec. 302. Workforce Disbursements

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

TITLE IV — PUBLISHED OUTCOME METRICS

Sec. 401. North Carolina Outcome-Metrics Registry

  1. (a) NC-OBSA shall publish completion rate; one- and three-year earnings medians; licensure/NCRMC/FRAC attainment.
  2. (b) Data sources: NC Longitudinal Data System and Division of Employment Security 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 N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 132 (Public Records) and FERPA.

TITLE V — ENFORCEMENT & REMEDIES

Sec. 501. Non-Compliant Provider Remedies

  1. (a) Suspension of NC-Opportunity participating status; NC-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 July 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: MEWRA. Other North Carolina bills: NC-ACSA, NC-GT&P, NC-AI-Workforce.