ProPublica reporters, in partnership with local journalists in Arkansas, West Virginia, and North Carolina, successfully established private schools to investigate the regulatory landscape of the growing microschool and private school sector. The reporters, who are not educators, found that in all three states, the process of creating a legally recognized private school required minimal bureaucratic effort and no verification of teaching credentials or curriculum plans.
This initiative was part of a broader reporting effort to document how states are using public funds to support private education options with few oversight requirements. In Arkansas, for example, state officials noted that there are no specific rules for opening a private school, only requirements for displaying a flag.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive educators and policy advocates often argue that the proliferation of private schools funded by public dollars, such as vouchers and education savings accounts, undermines the public education system. Critics in this sphere contend that low barriers to entry allow for a lack of accountability regarding educational quality and equity.
While the ProPublica reporters did not enroll students, their experiment highlights concerns voiced by teachers' unions and Democratic legislators who worry that without rigorous oversight, public funds may flow to institutions that do not meet standard educational benchmarks or serve all students equally. The lack of curriculum reviews and background checks raises fears about the quality of education provided by these newly formed entities.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative policymakers and proponents of school choice generally advocate for deregulation and lower barriers to entry for private and microschools. They argue that strict state regulations often stifle innovation and limit parental choice in education. The ease with which the ProPublica team established their schools aligns with the views of Republican-led state legislatures in Arkansas, West Virginia, and North Carolina, which have moved to expand school choice options.
Supporters of these policies maintain that parents are the best judges of what education their children need, and that the state's role should be to facilitate options rather than mandate uniform standards for all private institutions. In Arkansas, officials even suggested ways the new school could accept public money through the state’s voucher-style program.
What the Numbers Show
In Arkansas, the ProPublica-Arkansas Times Curiosity Academy was formed by registering an LLC with the Secretary of State for a $45 fee. The state requires private schools to display an American flag, which the team purchased for $49.45 total with an Arkansas flag. No filing was required with the Department of Education, and no background checks or curriculum reviews were conducted.
In West Virginia, the reporters filed the school's name and location on a piece of notebook paper and exchanged emails with authorities; the state requested proof of a high school diploma but did not ask for teaching qualifications. In North Carolina, the team filed an online notice of intent to open a school at a brewery in Durham.
Across these three states, the reporters were able to legally register schools capable of enrolling students without demonstrating experience in running an educational institution. The process in Arkansas took just a few clicks on a website, while in North Carolina, the application was completed while sitting on bar stools at Ponysaurus Brewing Co.
The Bottom Line
The experiment demonstrates that in several states, the regulatory hurdle to opening a private school is exceptionally low, often comparable to starting a small business. This ease of entry has contributed to a significant increase in the number of private and microschools, many of which are now eligible for public funding through voucher-style programs. Schools have popped up in barns, farms, strip malls, and churches, often with minimal state oversight.
As states continue to expand school choice initiatives, the lack of uniform oversight mechanisms raises questions about how educational quality and student outcomes will be monitored in the coming years. ProPublica has stated that the registered schools will not enroll students, but the findings underscore the minimal administrative requirements for establishing private educational entities in the current policy landscape.