Several Sylvan Learning Centers shutting down as Minnesota school year begins

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Several Sylvan Learning centers in Minnesota shut down right before the start of the school year.

What we know:

Paul Ripon purchased nine Sylvan Learning centers last year in cities like Edina, Maple Grove and St. Cloud.

Sylvan Learning is a national company that has specialized in private tutoring in math, reading and college prep for students for more than 40 years.

But in the past year, several Sylvan franchises owned and operated by Ripon have repeatedly canceled tutoring sessions, shut down or been evicted due to non-payment of rent, according to records obtained by FOX 9 Investigators.

Sylvan Learning centers in Maple Grove and Burnsville stopped operating right before the start of the school year after Ripon was evicted for failing to pay tens of thou