Epic Charter Schools investigative audit makes some lawmakers question voucher push

Could the state’s investigative audit that found questionable handling of taxpayer dollars by Epic Charter Schools’ former for-profit managers have implications on proposed new state-funded voucher accounts?

Some members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives are asking that very question heading into the new legislative session this week.

“What’s going to keep something like this from happening again if we give $6,000 a student for them to go wherever?” asked Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, chairman of the House education subcommittee on appropriations and budget at a Tuesday joint meeting with the House common education committee.

Lawmakers on those committees requested to hear from the State Auditor and Inspector’s Office about how forensic auditors discovered tens of millions of taxpayer dollars unaccounted for from the years Epic Charter Schools was managed by its co-founders’ for-profit private management company, Epic Youth Services.

Read more: https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/education/epic-charter-schools-investigative-audit-makes-some-lawmakers-question-voucher-push/article_2c3ec6b2-853a-11ec-aa4e-6f0fde654629.html