Last year, the state's Department of Health and Family Services revoked the licenses of six of the 1,263 child-care centers in the 15-county southern region of Wisconsin that includes Dane County.

The figure includes the two licenses for the Small Wonders preschools that are still on appeal. In the other four cases, the centers closed. The revocations were due to falsifying records, allowing a convicted criminal on the premises and, in two cases, child abuse and neglect allegations.

Adrian Farrow, owner of the Small Wonders preschools, said he feels state inspectors are trying to find reasons to close his center.

"If I'm really such a bad guy, why have they let me remain open all this time (during the appeals process)?" he asks.

The state revoked his licenses last November. An appeals hearing concluded Thursday, with a ruling expected in a month or so.

David Schwarz, administrator of the state Division of Hearings and Appeals, which is hearing the appeal, declined to comment on whether the nine-month delay in holding a hearing was unusual. The delay was caused by multiple factors, including an unsuccessful attempt at a negotiated settlement in which Farrow would have sold the centers, Schwarz said.

"If there had been an allegation that the children were in any danger, that would have been a red flag to proceed in much more haste," Schwarz said.