How ProPublica Reporters Became Private School Owners in 24 Hours

ProPublica journalists embarked on an experiment to explore the ease of establishing private schools in Arkansas, West Virginia, and North Carolina. The team, consisting of experienced education reporters, aimed to understand the lines drawn by states when determining who can run a school and receive public funding. The group sought to highlight the rapid growth of private schools funded by taxpayer-funded vouchers and other programs, which have reportedly been monitored poorly by states.

To begin the project, ProPublica reporters visited a local flag shop in Little Rock, Arkansas, to fulfill the requirement of displaying a flag and flagpole to open a private school. Brian Chilson/Arkansas Times

The journalists decided to call their schools "Curiosity Academies," reflecting their curiosity as reporters. They filed paperwork for the schools in each state, a process that turned out to be simpler than anticipated. In Arkansas, the team only needed to fill out a form on the secretary of state's website, pay $45, and display a flag to be recognized as a private school business.

The state even provided them with a certificate upon approval. However, they faced challenges when attempting to apply for public funds, as Arkansas requires participating schools to be accredited or working toward accreditation, which often involves creating curriculum and a school handbook – steps they deemed unnecessary for their experiment.