Milwaukee voucher school closes

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A Milwaukee voucher school has apparently shut its doors after collecting $200,000 from taxpayers.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported (https://bit.ly/KjTIXP) the closure of LifeSkills Academy, citing a Dec. 17 letter from the state Department of Instruction to the school. In it, DPI indicates school administrator Dominic Robinson notified the agency on Dec. 12 that staff had been told the school would be closing and students enrolled elsewhere. The letter also said the school’s landlord told the agency the school was empty.

The letter asked the school’s leader, Taron Monroe, to confirm the closure. A DPI spokesman didn’t immediately return a message from The Associated Press asking if the agency ever received confirmation. The AP attempted to reach the school Wednesday but a number for it had been disconnected.

DPI records indicate the school enrolled 66 students in September.

Agency officials confirmed to The AP the school had received $202,278 in taxpayer-funded voucher payments so far this year.

The Journal Sentinel reported the school collected more than $633,248 in voucher payments in 2012-13. Since the school joined the voucher program in 2008-09 it has collected more than $2 million in public money.

The most recent state achievement test scores show not a single student was proficient in reading or math in 2012-13.

DPI has ceased sending payments to the school, the newspaper reported.

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Information from: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, https://www.jsonline.com