Merit Institute Merit

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

West Virginia state companion to MEWRA. Builds on the Hope Scholarship ESA (W. Va. Code Sec. 18-31-1 et seq., 2021), Professional Charter School Board authorization framework, and HEPC performance infrastructure.

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

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

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

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that West Virginia enacted the Hope Scholarship Program under W. Va. Code Sec. 18-31-1 et seq. (2021); that West Virginia’s charter-school framework operates under W. Va. Code Sec. 18-5G-1 et seq. with authorization by the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board; that the Higher Education Policy Commission and the Council for Community and Technical College Education operate performance-based policies under W. Va. Code Ch. 18B; that WVWF administers training accounts under W. Va. Code Ch. 21A; and that West Virginia publishes A-F-style accountability reports under the WV Board of Education’s Balanced Scorecard framework. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH WEST VIRGINIA LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “West Virginia outcome-based school” means a provisional school authorized under Title II by the West Virginia Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“WV-OBSA”).
  2. (b) “Hope Scholarship” means the Program under W. Va. Code Sec. 18-31-1 et seq.
  3. (c) “WVWF ITA” means a training account issued under W. Va. Code Ch. 21A.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing West Virginia Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • W. Va. Code Sec. 18-31-1 et seq. (Hope Scholarship).
  • W. Va. Code Sec. 18-5G-1 et seq. (charter schools; Professional Charter School Board).
  • W. Va. Code Ch. 18B (HEPC; CTCE).
  • W. Va. Code Ch. 21A (WVWF).

TITLE II — WV OUTCOME-BASED SCHOOL AUTHORIZER

Sec. 201. Establishment of WV-OBSA

  1. (a) The West Virginia Board of Education shall designate, within existing charter-authorizer infrastructure under W. Va. Code Sec. 18-5G, a WV Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“WV-OBSA”) operating alongside the Professional Charter School Board.
  2. (b) WV-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 W. Va. Code Sec. 18-5G.
  3. (c) Four-year term, renewable on thresholds.

TITLE III — EDUCATION-FUND PORTABILITY

Sec. 301. Hope Scholarship Extension

  1. (a) A Title II-authorized school is eligible as a Hope Scholarship education-service provider under W. Va. Code Sec. 18-31-1 et seq.
  2. (b) The Hope Scholarship Board shall treat Title II-authorized schools equivalently.

Sec. 302. WVWF Training Accounts

  1. (a) WVWF shall ensure that within 24 months, at least 50 percent of training-account disbursements flow to providers publishing outcome data in the WV-OBSA Registry or Federal NLMF.
  2. (b) Through the WV ETPL under 29 U.S.C. Sec. 3152 and Ch. 21A.

TITLE IV — PUBLISHED OUTCOME METRICS

Sec. 401. West Virginia Outcome-Metrics Registry

  1. (a) WV-OBSA shall publish completion rate; one- and three-year post-completion earnings medians; post-completion licensure, WVRMC, or Federal FRAC attainment.
  2. (b) Data sources: the WV Statewide Longitudinal Data System and WVWF 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 W. Va. Code Ch. 29B (FOIA) and 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g (FERPA).

TITLE V — ENFORCEMENT & REMEDIES

Sec. 501. Non-Compliant Provider Remedies

  1. (a) Suspension of Hope Scholarship eligibility; WV-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 West Virginia bills: WV-ACSA, WV-GT&P, WV-AI-Workforce.