Merit Institute Merit

The Wyoming Merit-Based Education & Workforce Reform Act (WY-MEWRA)

Wyoming state companion to MEWRA. Builds on the Steamboat Legacy ESA (Wyoming Education Savings Account; Wyo. Stat. Ann. Sec. 21-9-301 et seq.), Wyoming charter framework (Wyo. Stat. Ann. Title 21 Ch. 3), and Wyoming Community College outcome mechanisms.

THE WYOMING MERIT-BASED EDUCATION & WORKFORCE REFORM ACT (WY-MEWRA)

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

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

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that Wyoming enacted the Steamboat Legacy Education Savings Account Program under HB 166 (2024), codified at Wyo. Stat. Ann. Sec. 21-9-301 et seq., providing an ESA for eligible students; that Wyoming’s charter-school framework operates under Wyo. Stat. Ann. Title 21 Ch. 3 Art. 3; that the Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board operates under Wyo. Stat. Ann. Sec. 21-3-314; that the Wyoming Community College Commission operates under Wyo. Stat. Ann. Title 21 Ch. 18; that the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services administers the Workforce Development Training Fund; and that the Wyoming Department of Education publishes school- and district-performance data. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH WYOMING LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Wyoming outcome-based school” means a provisional school authorized under Title II by the Wyoming Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“WY-OBSA”).
  2. (b) “WY-ESA” means the Steamboat Legacy Education Savings Account Program under Wyo. Stat. Ann. Sec. 21-9-301 et seq.
  3. (c) “DWS ITA” means a Department of Workforce Services training account.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Wyoming Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Wyo. Stat. Ann. Sec. 21-9-301 et seq. (Steamboat Legacy ESA).
  • Wyo. Stat. Ann. Title 21 Ch. 3 Art. 3 (charter schools).
  • Wyo. Stat. Ann. Sec. 21-3-314 (Charter School Authorizing Board).
  • Wyo. Stat. Ann. Title 9 Ch. 2 Art. 20 (Department of Workforce Services).

TITLE II — WYOMING OUTCOME-BASED SCHOOL AUTHORIZER

Sec. 201. Establishment of WY-OBSA

  1. (a) The Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board, in coordination with the State Board of Education, shall designate a Wyoming Outcome-Based School Authorizer (“WY-OBSA”).
  2. (b) WY-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 Wyo. Stat. Ann. Title 21.
  3. (c) Four-year term, renewable on thresholds.

TITLE III — EDUCATION-FUND PORTABILITY

Sec. 301. WY-ESA Extension

  1. (a) A Title II-authorized school is eligible as a participating provider under Wyo. Stat. Ann. Sec. 21-9-301 et seq.
  2. (b) The Wyoming Department of Education shall treat Title II-authorized schools equivalently.

Sec. 302. DWS Training Accounts

  1. (a) The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services shall ensure that within 24 months, at least 50 percent of Workforce Development Training Fund disbursements flow to providers publishing outcome data in the WY-OBSA Registry or Federal NLMF.

TITLE IV — PUBLISHED OUTCOME METRICS

Sec. 401. Wyoming Outcome-Metrics Registry

  1. (a) WY-OBSA shall publish completion rate; one- and three-year earnings medians; licensure/WYRMC/FRAC attainment.
  2. (b) Data sources: the Wyoming Longitudinal Data System and DWS 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 Wyo. Stat. Ann. Sec. 16-4-201 et seq. (Public Records) and 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g (FERPA).

TITLE V — ENFORCEMENT & REMEDIES

Sec. 501. Non-Compliant Provider Remedies

  1. (a) Suspension of WY-ESA participating status; WY-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 Wyoming bills: WY-ACSA, WY-GT&P, WY-AI-Workforce.