Mavericks High in Homestead Graduated 18 Students in Two Years

By Lisa Rab Wed., Dec. 14 2011 at 11:54 AM

maverickshigh.com

Mavericks High in Homestead graduated a tiny percentage of students.

A Homestead charter school run by a for-profit company that promises to help at-risk kids graduate issued standard diplomas to only 18 students in the past two years, according to the Miami-Dade school district.

Mavericks High of South Miami-Dade had 52 seniors enrolled during the 2009-2010 school year. Only two of them -- or 3.8 percent of the class -- graduated with a standard diploma.

The next year, district records show 16 Mavericks students received standard diplomas and six earned certificates of completion, meaning they had finished their coursework but

didn't pass the FCAT, or didn't have a high enough grade point average to earn a diploma. That year, 176 seniors were enrolled at the school, putting the graduation rate at 9 percent.

However, Florida Department of Education records paint a bleaker picture, showing just eight Mavericks High of South Miami-Dade students graduated last year, or 4.5 percent of the senior class. It's unclear why the district records and state records don't match.

Earlier this year, two former employees of Mavericks High in Homestead filed whistleblower lawsuits alleging, among other complaints, that the school doesn't offer a "Florida High School Diploma," alters attendance records to receive more money from the school district, and "regularly fails to accurately post grades and report student enrollment" in the district's computer system, in violation of state law.

Lauren Hollander, manager of Mavericks in Education Florida, the company that runs the Homestead school, denied the allegations when questioned by the Miami Herald. Hollander has not responded to questions she asked New Times to email her two weeks ago.

Mavericks officials say their charter schools are specifically designed to help kids who would otherwise drop out stay in school, graduate, and move on to college and career paths.

Other Mavericks schools have higher graduation rates, according to state records -- although none manage to give diplomas to even half their students. Mavericks High in North Miami Beach had a 12.7 percent graduation rate last year. In Fort Lauderdale the rate was 13.1 percent, in Largo it was 7.2 percent. The Mavericks High in Kissimmee had the highest rate, at 43.3 percent.

Tags:

charter schools, Homestead, Mavericks in Education Florida, Miami-Dade School district

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Gefilte_Fish

We all know this is a scam. The landlords and others of these taxpayer giveaways are recieving about 50% of the state allocated money for students. There is little oversight, weak laws if any exist and the inability of the school district to intervene unless there is financial duress or gross abuse of students.

These scam artist have taken a page out of the garbage colleges and vocational schools textbook. These schools mostly served underprivileged kids whom recieve pell grants from the Federal Government. Please do not ask me how in the world they recieve accredidation for pell grants. But its a scam. These kids and their families do not realized that the diplomas and degrees at these institutions are worth just as much as toilet paper in the business world. But these underprivileged families are just happy to get a piece of paper. The first one in there generation to complete anything related to a formal education. Just pure ignorance on the populace part and its being exploited by leeches and parasite and hucksters for riches.

The hucksters will keep massive histeria and panic of our School system to continue enriching themself and lure angry and concern parents to their charter schools. Still not data on charter schools test scores. They will promote one or two great charter schools (1%)out 1000 for marketing purposes. It is a business folks. Nothing more. Republicans whores at our legislature supporting their pimps.

Drew4U

Haven't you heard?? It's called "free enterprise"!

NewTimesIsBackpageDotCom

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How much profit does Village Voice have to justify such a heinous business decision?

How much does Lisa Rab have to get paid to justify working for such a business?

Gefilte_Fish

Very irrevelant to the topic being discuss. But hey just shoot the messenger right?