Arkansas Voucher Oversight Under Scrutiny After School Founder’s Sentencing
Records show Arkansas Department of Education suspended and later restored public funds to the institution, while critics highlight the lack of regulatory frameworks for private and microschools.
Tracy Morrison, founder of The Delta Institute for the Developing Brain in Arkansas, has been sentenced to 30 days in jail, 120 days of house arrest, and five years of probation after pleading guilty to 11 felony counts, including permitting child abuse. The sentencing follows an investigation into incidents where Morrison directed students to assault a 13-year-old peer and forced children to scrub floors with rags. The case has intensified scrutiny of Arkansas’s Education Freedom Account (EFA) voucher program, with critics highlighting the state’s lack of regulatory oversight for private and microschools.
State officials suspended and later reinstated funding to the school after Morrison’s arrest. Another Arkansas private school, Homestead Academy, also faced temporary suspension of voucher funding due to safety and academic concerns before being reinstated. The Arkansas Department of Education stated it intervened to ensure student safety and responsible use of taxpayer dollars, though records indicate minimal site visits or quality monitoring for EFA-funded institutions.
Morrison’s sentence included the surrender of her Arkansas occupational therapy license and a prohibition on working with children in any professional capacity during her probation. Despite her incarceration, recordings obtained by ProPublica indicate Morrison continued to manage school finances and administration via phone and video calls. The school has been renamed North Star Academy, with Morrison’s former employee Kathrine Lipscomb now serving as director of education.
Two other employees charged in connection with the abuse incident received pre-trial diversion or had charges dismissed; Lipscomb received six months of probation and 40 hours of community service. Morrison is serving house arrest on her boyfriend’s ranch in Missouri. A civil lawsuit filed by the mother of the assaulted boy is ongoing, with Morrison’s attorney stating the video evidence "speaks for itself."
Arkansas law requires private schools to have an American flag, conduct fire drills, and keep immunisation records, but does not mandate curriculum reviews or background checks for operators with no criminal history. The state’s Education Freedom Account program, which costs approximately $310 million annually, has seen a surge in new private schools and microschools opening without meaningful oversight. Critics argue the current framework allows for "subprime private schools" to operate with little accountability, despite promises of safety and transparency from state officials.
