Merit Institute Merit

The Rhode Island Merit-Based Education & Workforce Reform Act (RI-MEWRA)

Rhode Island state companion to MEWRA. Uses public charter schools (R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 16-77) and PrepareRI / dual-enrollment. Rhode Island does not operate an ESA.

THE RHODE ISLAND MERIT-BASED EDUCATION & WORKFORCE REFORM ACT (RI-MEWRA)

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

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

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that Rhode Island authorizes public charter schools under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 16-77; that dual-enrollment and PrepareRI programs are authorized in conjunction with CCRI, Rhode Island College, and URI; that the Department of Education publishes school performance data; that the Governor’s Workforce Board operates under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-102; and that Rhode Island does not operate an ESA. This Act extends these frameworks consistent with Rhode Island’s public-school framework.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH RHODE ISLAND LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Rhode Island outcome-based school” means a public charter school authorized under Title II by the Rhode Island Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“RI-OBSA”) under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 16-77.
  2. (b) “Workforce Board” means the Governor’s Workforce Board.
  3. (c) “Dual-enrollment pathway” includes PrepareRI and Advanced Coursework Network.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Rhode Island Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 16-77 (charter schools).
  • R.I. Gen. Laws Title 16 (public schools, dual enrollment).
  • R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-102 (Workforce Board).

TITLE II — RHODE ISLAND OUTCOME-BASED SCHOOL AUTHORIZER

Sec. 201. Establishment of RI-OBSA

  1. (a) The Council on Elementary and Secondary Education, in coordination with the Department of Education, shall designate a Rhode Island Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“RI-OBSA”) under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 16-77.
  2. (b) RI-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 R.I. Gen. Laws Title 16.
  3. (c) Four-year term, renewable on thresholds.

TITLE III — EDUCATION-FUND PORTABILITY (Charter & Dual-Enrollment Rewire)

Sec. 301. Charter and Dual-Enrollment Funding

  1. (a) A Title II-authorized school operating as a public charter under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 16-77 is entitled to per-pupil funding-formula distributions on the same terms as other public charters.
  2. (b) RI-OBSA schools may participate in PrepareRI and Advanced Coursework Network dual-enrollment.

Sec. 302. Workforce Disbursements

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

TITLE IV — PUBLISHED OUTCOME METRICS

Sec. 401. Rhode Island Outcome-Metrics Registry

  1. (a) RI-OBSA shall publish completion rate; one- and three-year earnings medians; licensure/RIRMC/FRAC attainment.
  2. (b) Data sources: RIDE and Department of Labor and Training 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 the Access to Public Records Act (R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 38-2) and FERPA.

TITLE V — ENFORCEMENT & REMEDIES

Sec. 501. Non-Compliant Provider Remedies

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

Canonical federal version: MEWRA. Other Rhode Island bills: RI-ACSA, RI-GT&P, RI-AI-Workforce.