Barns, Go-Karts and Strip Malls: The Wild West of Private Schools That Collect Taxpayer Dollars

Across the United States, private schools receiving public funds are expanding rapidly, often with minimal oversight regarding who operates them, what curriculum they follow, or how they ensure student safety. This trend has been particularly pronounced in states such as Florida, Arizona, and Arkansas, where legislation has facilitated the flow of taxpayer money to private institutions. These schools range from traditional academies to unconventional setups, some even located in strip malls, barns, or go-kart tracks, raising questions about accountability and educational quality. Florida, for instance, allowed a former public school teacher, who was stripped of her license and faced criminal charges for sexually abusing a minor, to open a private school with relative ease. Her history was publicly accessible through online searches, yet the state took no action to prevent her from accepting public funds. Similarly, a woman previously banned from teaching in Ohio due to felony charges involving misappropriation of public funds was able to start a private school in Florida, again without impediment. These cases highlight a broader pattern: states are largely uninterested in vetting the backgrounds of individuals running these schools, nor are they ensuring that students are safe or learning effectively. Arizona exemplifies this lack of regulation. State law explicitly prevents the Department of Education from overseeing private schools, leaving a vacuum in terms of accountability. In 2024, Arizona's top education official praised Mike Tyson, a former heavyweight boxing champion with a criminal record for rape, for his involvement in launching a private school bearing his name. Tyson was described as "a champion of education," despite his legal history. This endorsement underscores the minimal scrutiny applied to figures associated with these institutions. The scale of the expansion is staggering. According to a ProPublica analysis of data from 13 states that maintain private school directories and offer public funding, the number of private schools receiving public money has grown significantly. At least 1,500 additional schools have appeared in these listings compared to five years ago, bringing the total to over 9,600. Some states, including Arizona, cannot even quantify the exact number of private schools operating within their borders, despite funneling hundreds of millions of dollars into voucher-style programs. In several states, the majority of students attending private schools rely entirely on public funds. In Iowa, for example, public money subsidized 99% of all private school students during the most recent academic year. This level of subsidization reflects a shift in policy that prioritizes parental choice over systemic oversight. In Florida alone, an average of 100 new private schools have opened each year for the past five school years. Even smaller states like West Virginia, which has fewer school-age children than are enrolled in Chicago Public Schools, have seen about 40 new private schools emerge. Arkansas provides another telling example. Since the state began offering annual subsidies of approximately $7,000 per student for private schooling, around 120 new private schools have opened. However, the rapid growth has not come without controversy. A previous ProPublica investigation revealed a school in Arkansas where students were subjected to forced labor and physical abuse. The owner was later convicted of allowing child abuse, a felony. Despite this, the school continues to qualify for state funding, illustrating the gap between policy intentions and real-world outcomes. The implications of this unchecked growth are profound. As public school districts lose students and close facilities, the burden on remaining schools increases. Meanwhile, the lack of regulation raises concerns about the quality of education being delivered and the safety of students. While states claim student well-being as a priority, the reality suggests otherwise. With no centralized tracking system at the federal level and inconsistent reporting across states, the true scope of this phenomenon remains difficult to assess. The situation continues to evolve, with more private schools opening and existing ones expanding their reach. As long as legislative support persists and regulatory frameworks remain weak, the landscape of private education funded by public money will likely continue to grow, raising ongoing questions about accountability and the future of public education.