Merit Institute Merit

The Washington Merit-Based Education & Workforce Reform Act (WA-MEWRA)

Washington state companion to MEWRA. Builds on the Washington Charter Public Schools framework (RCW Ch. 28A.710), Running Start / College in the High School, and the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board.

THE WASHINGTON MERIT-BASED EDUCATION & WORKFORCE REFORM ACT (WA-MEWRA)

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

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

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that Washington Charter Public Schools operate under RCW Ch. 28A.710; that Running Start operates under RCW Ch. 28A.600.300 et seq. and College in the High School under RCW Ch. 28A.600.287; that the Washington State Report Card is published by OSPI; that the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board operates under RCW Ch. 28C.18; and that Washington does not operate an ESA or tax-credit scholarship. This Act extends these frameworks consistent with Washington’s public-school framework.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH WASHINGTON LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Washington outcome-based school” means a public charter school authorized under Title II by the Washington Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“WA-OBSA”) under RCW Ch. 28A.710.
  2. (b) “Workforce Board” means the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board.
  3. (c) “Dual-credit pathway” means a Running Start or College in the High School program.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Washington Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • RCW Ch. 28A.710 (Charter Public Schools).
  • RCW Ch. 28A.600 (dual credit).
  • RCW Ch. 28C.18 (Workforce Board).

TITLE II — WASHINGTON OUTCOME-BASED SCHOOL AUTHORIZER

Sec. 201. Establishment of WA-OBSA

  1. (a) The Washington State Charter School Commission, in coordination with OSPI, shall designate a Washington Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“WA-OBSA”) under RCW Ch. 28A.710.
  2. (b) WA-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 RCW Title 28A.
  3. (c) Four-year term, renewable on thresholds.

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

Sec. 301. Charter and Dual-Credit Funding

  1. (a) A Title II-authorized school operating as a charter public school under RCW Ch. 28A.710 is entitled to per-pupil state basic-education funding on the same terms as other charter public schools.
  2. (b) WA-OBSA schools may participate in Running Start and College in the High School programs.

Sec. 302. Workforce Disbursements

  1. (a) 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 WA-OBSA Registry or Federal NLMF.

TITLE IV — PUBLISHED OUTCOME METRICS

Sec. 401. Washington Outcome-Metrics Registry

  1. (a) WA-OBSA shall publish completion rate; one- and three-year earnings medians; licensure/WARMC/FRAC attainment.
  2. (b) Data sources: the Education Research and Data Center and ESD 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 RCW Ch. 42.56 (Public Records Act) and FERPA.

TITLE V — ENFORCEMENT & REMEDIES

Sec. 501. Non-Compliant Provider Remedies

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

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