ProPublica Reporters Became Private School Owners in 24 Hours

ProPublica reporters tested how easily private schools can be opened in Arkansas, West Virginia, and North Carolina. In Arkansas, they formed a school with a $45 form and an American flag; in West Virginia, a handwritten application on notebook paper sufficed. Both states approved microschools without background checks or curriculum review. North Carolina required school-specific inspections, so they stopped. The experiment shows how little oversight some states provide for schools that can receive public funds.