Why It Matters
Across the country, public money is flooding into private schools at a record pace, yet most states have virtually no mechanism to track how those funds are spent or who is running the institutions. West Virginia exemplifies the gap: while the state has gained approximately 40 new private schools in recent years, regulators operate under a rulebook so thin it fits on an index card—a stark contrast to the 1,300-page public education code.
What Happened
A multi-state analysis reveals a pattern of rapid private school expansion with minimal regulatory oversight. In at least 13 states examined, more than 1,500 additional private schools have opened in the past five years, bringing the total to over 9,600 schools. Florida leads the surge, averaging 100 new private schools per year over the last five school years. Arkansas added approximately 120 new private schools in just three years after authorizing $7,000 annual tuition subsidies.
The absence of oversight has created openings for individuals with troubling histories to operate publicly funded institutions. In Florida, a teacher stripped of his license for sexual abuse of a minor opened a private school one year later. A woman fired from a Cincinnati charter school on felony charges related to misuse of public funds subsequently started a private school in Florida that collects public money. An Arkansas school owner convicted of felony child abuse remains eligible for state funding after a temporary suspension.
State regulatory structures vary widely. Arizona’s education department is barred by state law from overseeing private schools, and the state cannot account for the number or locations of private institutions despite spending hundreds of millions on voucher programs. In 2024, Arizona’s top education official publicly praised celebrity involvement in launching a private school bearing his name—without apparent vetting requirements.
West Virginia Board of Education President Paul Hardesty highlighted the disparity in regulatory burden: “I’ve got the West Virginia codebook, which governs public education, which is over 1,300 pages long,” implying that private school rules occupy far less space and scrutiny.
By the Numbers
1,500+ — additional private schools opened across 13 analyzed states in five years
9,600+ — total private schools in analyzed states
100 — new private schools per year in Florida (last five school years)
40 — new private schools gained by West Virginia
120 — new private schools in Arkansas over three years
1.5 million+ — students using private school funding programs nationwide
30 — states with public-money private school programs
99% — percentage of Iowa private school students funded by public money in the past school year
$7,000 — annual per-student tuition subsidy in Arkansas
Zoom Out
The expansion of private school funding reflects a national shift toward school choice policies, accelerated by the Trump administration’s support for education alternatives. President Trump signed a federal tax-credit program providing the first federal K-12 private school funding. EdChoice estimates more than 1.5 million students nationwide now use private school funding programs, with about 30 states authorizing such initiatives.
However, the rapid growth has outpaced the development of accountability mechanisms. Most states lack standardized licensing requirements, financial audits, or background checks equivalent to those applied to public schools. The disparity between states with robust public school oversight and minimal private school regulation creates a two-tiered system where public funds follow students into institutions with markedly different transparency requirements.
What’s Next
As more states expand school choice programs, pressure may mount for uniform accountability standards. Some state legislatures are beginning to examine whether current private school oversight keeps pace with public funding flows. The pattern of individuals with documented misconduct histories operating publicly funded schools has prompted parents and watchdog groups to demand stronger vetting and transparency requirements—though regulatory changes remain politically contentious in states that view private school expansion as a core education policy objective.