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The Ohio Merit-Based Education & Workforce Reform Act (OH-MEWRA)

Ohio state companion to MEWRA. Builds on the universal EdChoice Scholarship (O.R.C. Ch. 3310), Ohio Community Schools (O.R.C. Ch. 3314), and TechCred outcome infrastructure.

THE OHIO MERIT-BASED EDUCATION & WORKFORCE REFORM ACT (OH-MEWRA)

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

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

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that Ohio operates the universal Educational Choice Scholarship Program (EdChoice Expansion) under O.R.C. Ch. 3310, with income-scaled eligibility reaching 100% of all students as of HB 33 (135th General Assembly); that Ohio’s community-school (charter-school) framework operates under O.R.C. Ch. 3314; that the Ohio Department of Higher Education operates under O.R.C. Title 33; that the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation operates the TechCred program and Individual Microcredential Assistance Program under executive and budget authority; and that Ohio publishes school-performance data through the Ohio School Report Cards. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH OHIO LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Ohio outcome-based school” means a provisional school authorized under Title II by the Ohio Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“OH-OBSA”).
  2. (b) “EdChoice” means the Educational Choice Scholarship Program under O.R.C. Ch. 3310.
  3. (c) “TechCred” means Ohio TechCred.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Ohio Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • O.R.C. Ch. 3310 (EdChoice).
  • O.R.C. Ch. 3314 (community schools).
  • O.R.C. Title 33 (Ohio Department of Higher Education; Ohio Department of Education and Workforce).
  • TechCred and Individual Microcredential Assistance Program.

TITLE II — OHIO OUTCOME-BASED SCHOOL AUTHORIZER

Sec. 201. Establishment of OH-OBSA

  1. (a) The Director of Education and Workforce, in coordination with the Chancellor of Higher Education, shall designate an Ohio Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“OH-OBSA”) under O.R.C. Ch. 3314.
  2. (b) OH-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 O.R.C. Title 33.
  3. (c) Four-year term, renewable on thresholds.

TITLE III — EDUCATION-FUND PORTABILITY

Sec. 301. EdChoice Extension

  1. (a) A Title II-authorized school is eligible as a participating school under O.R.C. Ch. 3310.
  2. (b) The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce shall treat Title II-authorized schools equivalently.

Sec. 302. TechCred Disbursements

  1. (a) The Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation shall ensure that within 24 months, at least 50 percent of TechCred and IMAP disbursements flow to providers publishing outcome data in the OH-OBSA Registry or Federal NLMF.

TITLE IV — PUBLISHED OUTCOME METRICS

Sec. 401. Ohio Outcome-Metrics Registry

  1. (a) OH-OBSA shall publish completion rate; one- and three-year earnings medians; licensure/OHRMC/FRAC attainment.
  2. (b) Data sources: the Ohio Education Research Center and Ohio Department of Job and Family Services 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 O.R.C. Sec. 149.43 (Public Records) and 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g (FERPA).

TITLE V — ENFORCEMENT & REMEDIES

Sec. 501. Non-Compliant Provider Remedies

  1. (a) Suspension of EdChoice participating status; OH-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 90 days following enactment.

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