Charter Schools

Mavericks High School Pocketed $160,000 in Extra State Funding, Audits Say

On paper Mavericks High School has all the makings a good charter school. Catchy name? Check. Celebrity endorsements? Hell yes. Political pull? Right into the White House. So what exactly is the problem? Well, there's the whole issue of proper usage of government funding, but does that really matter ... More >>

Three Broward County Charter Schools Close Their Doors

According to the Broward School District, three charter schools will be permanently closing, leaving a whole lot of kids in the lurch. Eagle Charter Academy and SMART Charter School in Lauderdale Lakes say that their governing boards had voted to voluntarily terminate charter contracts with the Sch ... More >>

Mavericks Charter School Holds Job Fair, Insists Diplomas Are Legit

If you've always wanted to work for a company with a shady academic track record and legal headaches, here's your chance. Mavericks High in Palm Springs, the newest in a chain of for-profit charter schools headed by Vice President Joe Biden's brother, is holding a job fair next Monday. Accordin ... More >>

Frank Biden Waiting for Ducks to "Quack" on Costa Rica Development

Frank Biden, Ocean Ridge resident and younger brother of Joe Biden, has been talking for years about developing a country club in northwestern Costa Rica. On Friday, the Tico Times published an article saying backers of the $106 million Guanacaste Country Club "hope to begin construction in the next ... More >>

Vote for Teacher of the Year, Get Free Pollo Tropical

Pollo Tropical is making it easy to do something to reward Broward and Palm Beach's best teachers -- and you get something in return.Pollo Tropical's Teacher of the Year campaign will choose an educator from 15 counties in Florida and Georgia -- including one each from Broward and Palm Beach.  ... More >>

Fort Lauderdale Mavericks High Fight Posted on YouTube (Video)

Two young women throw punches and tear at each others' hair while a crowd of onlookers shouts around them. Teenagers hold cell phones to record the fight as the women tumble to the ground. In the center of the video frame is a man wearing a T-shirt bearing the logo of Mavericks High -- the South Flo ... More >>

North Miami Beach Residents Fed Up With Crime Around Mavericks High

​Last month, we brought you news of violence involving Mavericks High charter school students in Homestead. One 17-year-old was arrested for bringing a gun to school, and a 16-year-old student was shot and killed by a police officer. Now the Mavericks High in North Miami Beach is making headlines ... More >>

Unexpected Losers of 2012 Legislative Session: Bankers and Charter Schools

​Once in a blue moon, even the most cynical among us find cause to celebrate. This year's legislative session in Tallahassee provided some unexpected victories for the little guys and defeats for the corporate interests that normally enjoy free rein in Florida. Two of the most shocking losers of 2 ... More >>

Parents Hate "Parent Empowerment" School Bill, So Why Does It Exist?

​A bizarre showdown is unfolding in Tallahassee this week. Advocates for parents -- including the Florida PTA and Parents Across America --  are lobbying vehemently against a bill that's supposed to "empower them."The proposed legislation would let parents vote to turn a failing public school ... More >>

Palm Beach School Officials Recommend Denying Three New Mavericks Schools (Updated)

UPDATE: Read about the School Board's vote after the jump.A New Times story prompted officials to ask questions.​Mavericks in Education Florida should not be allowed to open three more charter high schools in Palm Beach County, school district officials say, because the for-profit company's claims ... More >>

Tell Mavericks High What You Think: Public Meeting Tomorrow

Facebook.comFrank Biden is president of Mavericks in Education Florida.​For three months, we've been telling you about Mavericks in Education Florida, a local charter school chain headed by the vice president's brother, Frank Biden. Tomorrow evening is your chance to see a Mavericks campus for you ... More >>

Mavericks Assistant Principal Was Accused, and Cleared, of Kissing Former Student at Denny's

​On April 23, 2011, months before she was hired as assistant principal at the Mavericks High charter school in Palm Springs, Tisa Brandon was videotaped hanging out with teenagers at Denny's in the wee hours of a Saturday morning. At the time, Brandon was dean of Liberty High School in Kissimmee. ... More >>

Broward County Has Three of Florida's Eight Lowest-Scoring Middle Schools

​The Sun Sentinel had a cheerful story today about the state's new education rankings -- "Broward Schools land at top of state rankings," read the online headline of the story, which notes that the county has three high schools in the top 20.But what that story omits is that the county is also hom ... More >>

Mavericks High Assistant Principal Was Investigated for Misconduct in Kissimmee

​Here's the leadership team at Mavericks High School in Palm Springs: Principal Thomas Lockett is not certified to teach in Florida and has a background in pharmaceutical sales. Assistant Principal Tisa Brandon came to Palm Springs from the Osceola County School District, where she was investigate ... More >>

Leon County School Board Approves New Mavericks High School

​Perhaps the people in Tallahassee don't read much on the interwebs. Or maybe they don't mind entrusting their kids' education to a team of real estate developers. Whatever the reason, the Leon County School Board has decided to approve a new Mavericks High charter school.Mavericks in Education Fl ... More >>

Principal at Mavericks High in Palm Springs Not Certified to Teach in Florida

​The principal of the Mavericks High charter school in Palm Springs is not certified to teach in Florida, according to the State Department of Education.Thomas Lockett runs a school that serves roughly 500 at-risk students and promises to help them earn enough credits to graduate. Yet he does not ... More >>

Mavericks High Charter Schools Make News in New Orleans

maverickshigh.comMavericks makes news in the Big Easy.​Florida has a habit of exporting its public policies to other states, where they spread like cold sores on a drunken Himmarshee night. Grading schools and teachers based on test scores, expanding vouchers and charters schools -- the nation has ... More >>

The Charter Schools Agenda in Tallahassee

​Last year, the extensive ties between charter school advocates and Florida state politicians proved fruitful. New laws expanded "high-performing" charter schools and created virtual charter schools. Gov. Rick Scott named charter advocates to his education transition team and gave speeches at vari ... More >>

Frank Biden: "We're Not Profiting From Our Schools"

​Responding to this week's cover story about the charter school chain he runs, Frank Biden continues to insist Mavericks in Education Florida is not profiting from its schools. He says it's just the school buildings that bring in the dough."We're not profiting from our schools. Anybody with half a ... More >>

Mavericks High Schools Hope to Profit From Education – But at What Cost?

Federal "Race to the Top" Funds Used to Build More Florida Charter Schools in Poor Areas

​This week's cover story about Mavericks in Education Florida explores the pitfalls of a for-profit charter school company that promises to help at-risk kids. Florida has been especially friendly to charter schools, allowing private companies to continue opening them using taxpayer dollars, e ... More >>

New Times Behind the Scenes: How We Made This Week's Cover

This week's cover story dove into the pitfalls of Mavericks High Schools -- a for-profit charter school company that hands out promises of aiding at-risk kids. Check out our behind-the-scenes look at how illustrator extraordinaire Peter Ryan made this week's cover.

SoFla Charter School Connections to Tallahassee

​The booming business of charter schools in South Florida is no accident. Local charter-school operators such as Mavericks in Education Florida and Charter Schools USA have ties to powerful politicians in South Florida and Tallahassee. For instance: 1. Ed Pozzuoli, former chairman of the Broward R ... More >>

Miami Sen. Bullard Proposes Bill to Make Charter Schools More Transparent

flsenate.govBullard wants charter schools to divulge fees.​If you can't stop the for-profit charter school bonanza in Florida, at least let the public see how much dough private education companies are making. That's the basic message behind the bill Miami state Sen. Larcenia Bullard filed yesterd ... More >>

Mavericks Charges Charter Schools $350K in Rent, Plus Fees

Facebook.comBiden at a recent Mavericks graduation in Fort Lauderdale.​When a private company aims to profit from a taxpayer-funded public school, the extra dough must come from somewhere. For Mavericks in Education Florida, the charter school chain headquartered in West Palm Beach, leasing agreem ... More >>

A Mavericks High Success Story

maverickshigh.comSomething is different in Kissimmee.​For weeks, the Pulp has brought you news of the academic struggles at Mavericks in Education Florida, a local for-profit charter school chain headed by Frank Biden. But among the eight Mavericks high schools in the state, one stands out in star ... More >>

Palm Beach School Officials "Concerned" About Mavericks Charter Schools Track Record

maverickshigh.comMavericks in Homestead graduated very few seniors.​Palm Beach County school officials are taking a closer look at the academic track record of Mavericks in Education Florida, the local for-profit charter school chain headed by Frank Biden. They have not been thrilled with their fi ... More >>

Frank Biden Now Listed on State Docs as Charter School President

pr.comBiden is president of the for-profit company.​It's official. Frank Biden, brother of the man second in line for the White House, is listed on state documents as president of the for-profit Mavericks in Education Florida charter school chain based in Fort Lauderdale.Last month, when New Times ... More >>

Mavericks Schools Founded by Former Head of Controversial Ohio Charter Schools

maverickshigh.comMavericks High in Homestead​Mavericks in Education Florida, the Fort Lauderdale-based charter school chain promoted by Frank Biden, has ties to another for-profit charter school company that has been highly controversial in Ohio.Mark Thimmig, the founding CEO of Mavericks, is the ... More >>

Records Show Miami Mavericks High Teachers Paid Peanuts, Less Than $5K a Year

​State records show that teachers at two Mavericks High public charter schools in Miami-Dade County earned less than $5,000 a year in 2010 and that many did not receive benefits.According to records submitted to the Florida Department of Education, 14 teachers at the Homestead campus of Mavericks ... More >>

Mavericks High Charter Schools Not Accredited

​Records show that the Mavericks in Education Florida charter schools, which have a high-profile lobbyist and cheerleader in Frank Biden, are not accredited high schools. This means their graduates may have trouble playing college sports or receiving federally funded grants or scholarships to coll ... More >>

UPDATED: Joe Biden's Brother Is President and "P.T. Barnum" for SoFla Charter School Chain

UPDATE: The Palm Beach County School Board's vote on three new Mavericks schools has been postponed. Read more after the jump.When owners of a for-profit charter school chain go before the Palm Beach County School Board tomorrow night seeking approval for three new high schools, they'll have a celeb ... More >>

Pembroke Pines Graduates are First to Spend Entire Lives in Charter Schools

Florida Trend Pembroke Pines Charter High School​Here in the land of educational neglect, of failing test scores and pet projects, where school districts sell advertising and diploma mills cheat the cheaters, there's a wind of change a-comin'. It's the unmistakable force of privatization.Lobbying ... More >>

Hallandale Neighbors in a Schvitz About Proposed New Charter School

Deutsch​Around 100 Hallandale Beach residents who live near the Hallandale Jewish Center have signed a petition opposing the opening of a new K-8 charter school on the site. The school would be run by the Ben Gamla Charter School, which already has locations in Hollywood and Sunrise.Broward Bulldo ... More >>

Plans for Land Near Hollywood's Young Circle Now in Disarray; Maybe That's a Good Thing?

Flickr: apricocoYoung Circle in Hollywood; the WSG project was to wrap around the Home tower, the tallest building on the right.​It appears that nobody in Hollywood government has a clear idea of where the city stands in its efforts to improve a big piece of property at the heart of downtown.At th ... More >>

LOLZ! ROFL! ACLU! Lawsuit Defends Student's Bitchy Facebook Page

Hey kids, good news! If you want to create a Facebook page that declares some teacher "the worst teacher in, like, the world," and then you are suspended for that, the Florida chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida will sue the damn school to protect your First Amendment rights, as ... More >>

Hollywood's Got the Bends

ArtsPark Village puts the city at the mercy of developers

Spinning Straw

Not much happening at Hollywood's HART -- except non-bill-paying developers continue to get city bucks

Hospital Index

Want to play free golf and stay at the finest hotels in the country?

Culture Wars

Follow this leader and your kids will obey their masters and join lockstep with God. Or else.

The Culture War Continues

A controversial character-training program was pulled from a state bill, yes. But now Broward County has to deal with it.

Letters