DPI Rejects 21 Voucher School Applications

The Department of Public Instruction has rejected applications from 21 schools that wanted to participate in the Milwaukee private school voucher program in 2004-05, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported Friday (August 134, 2004).

The paper said many of the rejected schools did not submit budgets or attend financial training workshops, two new requirements. None of the 21 schools obtained occupancy permits from the city, which is a requirement that always existed.

As a result of problems with a small number of voucher schools over the last few years, the Legislature last winter approved new requirements for participation in the voucher program.

In July, the DPI expelled two schools from the program. Alex’s Academics of Excellence and the Mandella School of Science and Math were prohibited from participating in the voucher program for failure to comply with financial information requirements. In addition, Mandella owes the state Department of Public Instruction $330,000 because it failed to return voucher overpayments.

Alex's and Mandella have been the subject of numerous news accounts of financial mismanagement and illegal activities.

Last year, Alex's was evicted for failure to pay rent even though it received $2.8 million from the state. The school's chief executive officer, James Mitchell, a convicted rapist, allegedly mismanaged the school's funds and allowed his employees to use drugs on school grounds.

Mandella's founder and principal, David Seppeh, was charged with felony theft last month for cashing more than 200 checks issued by the state for families whose children never enrolled at the school. According to the criminal complaint, Seppeh allegedly used a portion of the money to buy two Mercedes Benz cars.

Milwaukee judge ordered Mandella closed in February after evidence of financial mismanagement surfaced, thanks in part to a series of articles published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Despite the rejection of 21 potential voucher schools, the number of schools participating in the program will increase by 14 to 120 this fall, according to the newspaper. Legislation limits participation in the program to about 15,000 students. Last year, more than 13,000 students were enrolled.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article (external link)
Resource page on private school vouchers

Posted August 13, 2004