Merit Institute Merit

The Virginia Merit-Based Education & Workforce Reform Act (VA-MEWRA)

Virginia state companion to MEWRA. Builds on the Education Improvement Scholarships Tax Credit (Va. Code Sec. 58.1-439.25 et seq.), public charter schools (Va. Code Sec. 22.1-212.3 et seq.), lab schools (Va. Code Sec. 22.1-349.1 et seq.), and the Virginia Board of Workforce Development.

THE VIRGINIA MERIT-BASED EDUCATION & WORKFORCE REFORM ACT (VA-MEWRA)

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

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

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that Virginia operates the Education Improvement Scholarships Tax Credits Program under Va. Code Sec. 58.1-439.25 et seq.; that public charter schools are authorized under Va. Code Sec. 22.1-212.3 et seq.; that College Partnership Laboratory Schools (Lab Schools) are authorized under Va. Code Sec. 22.1-349.1 et seq.; that the Virginia Board of Workforce Development operates under Va. Code Title 2.2 Ch. 24; and that the Department of Education publishes the School Quality Profiles. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH VIRGINIA LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Virginia outcome-based school” means a provisional school authorized under Title II by the Virginia Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“VA-OBSA”).
  2. (b) “VA-EISTC” means the Education Improvement Scholarships Tax Credit program under Va. Code Sec. 58.1-439.25 et seq.
  3. (c) “VBWD” means the Virginia Board of Workforce Development.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Virginia Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Va. Code Sec. 58.1-439.25 et seq. (EISTC).
  • Va. Code Sec. 22.1-212.3 et seq. (public charter schools).
  • Va. Code Sec. 22.1-349.1 et seq. (lab schools).
  • Va. Code Title 2.2 Ch. 24 (VBWD).

TITLE II — VIRGINIA OUTCOME-BASED SCHOOL AUTHORIZER

Sec. 201. Establishment of VA-OBSA

  1. (a) The Board of Education, in coordination with SCHEV, shall designate a Virginia Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“VA-OBSA”) using the lab-school framework under Va. Code Sec. 22.1-349.1 et seq. and the charter-school framework under Va. Code Sec. 22.1-212.3 et seq.
  2. (b) VA-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 Va. Code Title 22.1.
  3. (c) Four-year term, renewable on thresholds.

TITLE III — EDUCATION-FUND PORTABILITY

Sec. 301. VA-EISTC Extension

  1. (a) A Title II-authorized school is eligible as a qualifying nonpublic school under Va. Code Sec. 58.1-439.25 et seq., and a Title II-authorized lab school is eligible to receive state payments per Va. Code Sec. 22.1-349.3.

Sec. 302. Workforce Disbursements

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

TITLE IV — PUBLISHED OUTCOME METRICS

Sec. 401. Virginia Outcome-Metrics Registry

  1. (a) VA-OBSA shall publish completion rate; one- and three-year earnings medians; licensure/VARMC/FRAC attainment.
  2. (b) Data sources: Virginia Longitudinal Data System and Virginia Employment Commission 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 Va. Code Sec. 2.2-3700 et seq. (FOIA) and FERPA.

TITLE V — ENFORCEMENT & REMEDIES

Sec. 501. Non-Compliant Provider Remedies

  1. (a) Suspension of VA-EISTC participating status; VA-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 Virginia bills: VA-ACSA, VA-GT&P, VA-AI-Workforce.