Milwaukee Voucher School Closes After DPI Calls for Investigation

After the state Department of Public Instruction called for an investigation of Louis Tucker School, the Milwaukee voucher school's principal announced the school would close its doors on Monday (February 28, 2005), according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

DPI officials asked District Attorney E. Michael McCann to investigate the school amid allegations that school officials may have submitted fraudulent attendance records and progress reports to the state.

The state made one voucher payment of $112,174 but withheld other payments due to concerns that the school had fewer students attending classes than it reported to DPI. By law, schools must return voucher checks — worth approximately $6,000 each — for students who do not attend the school.

"The voucher program is unaccountable to the public, even though it receives $87 million a year in tax dollars," WEAC President Stan Johnson said. "Voucher schools should be held to the same standards as public schools, so every child in Milwaukee has the opportunity to attend a great school."

Milwaukee Public Schools officials will help place Louis Tucker's students in other schools.

DPI also asked for an investigation at another voucher school, Academic Solutions for Learning Center, for similar allegations. That school was dropped from the voucher program last month.

Resource page on private school vouchers

Posted February 25, 2005