failing attempt at dynamic programming

def dpAdvisorHelper(subjects, maxWork, i, bestSubset, bestSubsetValue,
                            subset, subsetValue, subsetWork, m):
    # Hit the end of the list.
    #print "program is called with:",i, subset, subsetValue, subsetWork
    print i,subsetValue,subsetWork
    if (i,subsetValue,subsetWork) in m:
        print "Found",i,subsetValue,subsetWork,"in m."
        return m[(i,subsetValue,subsetWork)]
    else:
        print "m not found."
        if i >= len(subjects):
            if bestSubset == None or subsetValue > bestSubsetValue:
                # Found a new best.
                m[(i,subsetValue,subsetWork)] = subset[:], subsetValue
                return subset[:], subsetValue
            else:
                # Keep the current best.
                m[(i,subsetValue,subsetWork)] = bestSubset, bestSubsetValue
                return bestSubset, bestSubsetValue
        else:
            s = subjects[i]
            # Try including subjects[i] in the current working subset.
            if subsetWork + s[WORK] <= maxWork:
                subset.append(i)
                bestSubset, bestSubsetValue = bruteForceAdvisorHelper(subjects,
                        maxWork, i+1, bestSubset, bestSubsetValue, subset,
                        subsetValue + s[VALUE], subsetWork + s[WORK])
                m[(i,subsetValue,subsetWork)] = bestSubset, bestSubsetValue
                subset.pop()
            bestSubset, bestSubsetValue = bruteForceAdvisorHelper(subjects,
                    maxWork, i+1, bestSubset, bestSubsetValue, subset,
                    subsetValue, subsetWork)
            m[(i,subsetValue,subsetWork)] = bestSubset, bestSubsetValue
        return bestSubset, bestSubsetValue