SBI investigating fraud allegations against director of Selma private school
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation started an investigation this week into fraud allegations against the director of Mitchener University Academy in Selma.
Moses Robert Lee Mitchener is alleged to have fraudulently obtained funding for the school in Selma from the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority, according to the SBI. The state’s investigation of Mitchener started on Monday.
Mitchener University Academy was forced to return $37,319 in scholarship money it received for students who hadn’t attended or withdrew from the school, the state education assistance authority said. Also, the school will no longer get $300,000 in payments it was due to receive.
Mitchener University Academy is no longer eligible to receive opportunity scholarships from the state.
Each year, the state distributes millions of dollars in taxpayer money for opportunity scholarships, sometimes called vouchers, which allow kids to attend schools that aren’t their public schools.
In North Carolina’s current legislative session, lawmakers are looking to increase spending on school vouchers by hundreds of millions of dollars in just two years.
Mitchener University Academy is the first school ever asked to return some of its funding. Also, several other schools are no longer eligible for it.
Charlotte public radio station WFAE reported that the state has removed four other North Carolina schools from the program in the last five years, including Oasis Performing Arts School in Charlotte, Assembly of Faith Christian School in Dallas, Academy of Excellence in Statesville and Jefferson Day School in Winston-Salem.
The reasons why vary from failing to submit test schools and tuition schedules to not providing criminal history information for school leaders. The education assistance authority told WFAE that none of those have had to repay any money.
Last school year, 25,651 students across the state received an Opportunity Scholarship. The state disbursed more than $133 million.
Currently, these are need-based scholarships. However, new legislation would make every family in the state eligible for a voucher, regardless of their income. Gov. Roy Cooper has campaigned across the state against the bills.
