Subject:

Education Issues

  • Blogs

    May 24, 2012

    Mavericks High Has Lowest FCAT Reading Score in Palm Beach; Tied for Second-Worst in Broward

    Aside from the kids in the Palm Beach County jail, tenth grade students at Mavericks High in Palm Springs fared worse on the FCAT reading test than any of their peers in the county, according to data released last week by the state Department Education. Only 7 percent of the 54 students who took the ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 17, 2012

    You Can Buy "Flunked FCAT?" Shirts Online, and Yes, There Are Punctuation Errors

    There's been a lot of talk this week about Florida students' low scores on the FCAT Writing standardized tests. The grading system was changed to incorporate spelling and punctuation, and 73 percent of Florida fourth-graders failed.While the legislators and education people will be the ones to figur ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 25, 2012

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    April 11, 2012

    Planned Parenthood Opens New Palm Beach County Clinic, Aims to Help Florida Teens Get a Clue

    Time to start dusting off those protest signs -- Planned Parenthood opened new digs in Wellington on Monday, and they want to bring your kids -- gasp! -- sexual education.Palm Beach County will have a total of three Planned Parenthood facilities after one in Lake Worth closes this summer, according ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 23, 2012

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    March 19, 2012

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    March 8, 2012

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    February 22, 2012

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    February 20, 2012

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    January 31, 2012

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    January 30, 2012

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    January 25, 2012

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    January 23, 2012

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    January 19, 2012

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    January 11, 2012

    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 >>

  • News

    December 29, 2011

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

    ​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 >>

  • Blogs

    December 29, 2011

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    December 29, 2011

    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.

  • Blogs

    December 27, 2011

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    December 22, 2011

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    December 21, 2011

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    December 19, 2011

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    December 15, 2011

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    December 13, 2011

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    December 9, 2011

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    December 1, 2011

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    November 22, 2011

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    August 9, 2011

    Nan Rich: Florida Republicans Only Take Federal Funds if it Promotes "Extreme Agenda"

    thoughttheater.comThis nice chastity belt is apparently a better investment than preventing child abuse​Florida's Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich isn't too happy today about the state's Republican leadership rejecting $50 million in federal funds to protect people like at-risk kids and senior ci ... More >>

  • Blogs

    June 16, 2011

    Broward and Palm Beach Schools Identified in Possible FCAT Cheating

    caribeexams.org​Schools in the Broward and Palm Beach school districts have been asked to determine whether cheating occurred on Florida's Comprehensive Assessment Test in their schools, according to the Florida Department of Education.Deborah Higgins, an information specialist for the Florida Dep ... More >>

  • Blogs

    June 6, 2011

    Third-Graders Who Bombed The FCAT Still Going On To Fourth Grade

    hepburnpage.comWelcome to fourth grade!​According to state education rules, around 3,350 third-graders in Broward County and 2,400 in Palm Beach County are supposed to be repeating the grade due to their FCAT reading scores -- which they won't, thanks to a few "loopholes."By state standards, t ... More >>

  • Blogs

    June 6, 2011

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    June 3, 2011

    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 >>

  • Blogs

    May 26, 2011

    FCAT Results: A Bunch of Broward and Palm Beach Third-Graders Still Can't Read

    hepburnpage.comProbably how the kids are reading these days.​Chances are, 17 percent of third-graders in Broward County and 18 percent in Palm Beach County couldn't read that headline, according to the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test results released today.Only around 80 percent of the young ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 24, 2011

    Tax Money Siphoned Off To Religious Schools That Champion Theocracy

    Jesus is big in Florida.​At the moment, the only proper school voucher program in Florida is the McKay Scholarship Program, which caters to special needs kids. (A proposal for a more general voucher program was struck down in the legislature six years ago.) But if you've got a non-special child, n ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 13, 2011

    2,026 Broward Seniors Fail Last Chance At FCAT

    ​I can't find any stats on how many high school seniors attend school in Broward County, but since the school district counts 257,000 students in all thirteen grades, figure it's less than 20,000. With that number of seniors, it might be okay that over 2,000 seniors failed to pass the FCAT -- the ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 8, 2011

    Rick Scott's Education Adviser Caught Up in Cheating Scandal

    ​Despite the rising contempt for Gov. Rick Scott, this one kind of flew under the radar. With the exception of the Florida Center For Investigative Reporting, our local media outlets seem determined not to notice that the credibility of Gov. Scott's education adviser has been grossly undermined by ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 26, 2011

    Hello, SB 736. Goodbye, Teacher Tenure

    Well, I hope Wendy Portillo is pleased with herself.Three years ago, the WPB teacher got on the bad side of one bad mutha named Melissa Barton, when she abused Mrs. Barton's autistic child in the classroom. After a year of paid leave, Portillo compounded the offense by returning to work and allegedl ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 24, 2011

    Humiliated for Bad Grades: Child Abuse?

    Courtesy Fox 13 News​Here's an instructive tale from Tampa, Florida, where a mother has taken an admirable interest in her son's academic performance.Ronda Holder, 33, was recently confronted by the grim possibility that her son, James Mond III, might follow in her footsteps and fail to complete h ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 14, 2010

    School Grading System Ignores one Problem: Florida Is Still Dumber Than South Dakota

    He's smiling because he thinks he's going to learn something.​Good news: According to our new grading system, Florida's public schools are doing better than ever! "D" schools are "B" schools! "C" schools are "A" schools! Florida is an educational dynamo!Bad news: Our high school seniors are totall ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 26, 2010

    South Florida Universities Rank Poorly in U.S. News' Best Colleges 2011

    Flickr: Brady DillsworthMany college students in South Florida aren't nearly this happy.​Welcome to South Florida! You're now living in a state where the babes are beautiful but the students are lost.U.S. News & World Report recently released its Best Colleges 2011 list, which rates the top 75 ... More >>

  • News

    July 22, 2010

    Educating Maria

    On L.A.'s Skid Row, a generational war over how to teach the American children of illegal immigrants

  • Calendar

    October 22, 2009

    Let's Talk About Sex Education

    On L.A.'s Skid Row, a generational war over how to teach the American children of illegal immigrants

  • Calendar

    August 27, 2009

    Let’s Talk About Sex (Education)

    On L.A.'s Skid Row, a generational war over how to teach the American children of illegal immigrants

  • Blogs

    August 19, 2009

    Planned Parenthood Opens Two New Clinics in Broward to Meet Growing Demand

    Photo by Judith Selzer Planned Parenthood CEO Lillian Tamayo makes it official in Pembroke Pines​Douglas Marshall, director of business development for Planned Parenthood of South Florida and the Treasure Coast, has no shortage of distressing accounts of patients he has helped. After the ri ... More >>

  • News

    April 17, 2008

    Hollywood's Got the Bends

    ArtsPark Village puts the city at the mercy of developers

  • Blogs

    May 22, 2007

    DeGroot Answers Critics, Offers Story Idea

    ArtsPark Village puts the city at the mercy of developers

  • News

    December 7, 2006

    Spinning Straw

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

  • Film

    October 13, 2005

    Goy Gevalt

    In Her Shoes is pretty but useless, a Prada with a broken heel

  • News

    February 12, 2004

    Hospital Index

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

  • News

    April 15, 1999

    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.

  • More >>
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