Jeff Greene: mean.

​If you remember billionaire Jeff Greene, it's probably from the ridiculous stories of drug-fueled excess on his party boat -- a first-person account from one of his former stewardesses includes the phrases "Red Bull," "Mike Tyson" and "oral sex" in the same sentence -- but he's back in the spotlight, this time not as a candidate for public office but as a not-so-great owner of a formerly superhyped resort.

To see photos from aboard the Greene's yacht, click here. Note: They're not safe for work.
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Mavericks High in Homestead.

​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 Florida is a West Palm Beach-based, for-profit charter school chain that promises to help at-risk kids graduate. But in reality, most Mavericks schools graduate less than 15 percent of eligible students. They score "incomplete" on state report cards, because so few students are taking the FCAT. Plus, two whistleblower lawsuits filed in Miami allege Mavericks inflates attendance numbers and inaccurately reports grades. (Read the New Times feature story on Mavericks here.)
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Mavericks High in Palm Springs.

​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 have a teaching certificate or list any teaching experience on his LinkedIn online résumé. Prior to joining Mavericks last year, he was an account executive for home health-care and pharmaceutical companies. More >>

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Mavericks 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 former Gov. Jeb Bush to thank for that.

Now, the governor of Louisiana wants to pass a law modeled after Florida's "charter school-in-the- workplace" initiative, in which private businesses can start schools to serve the children of their employees. In South Florida,More >>

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​Merick Lewin, the Republican state House candidate from Davie whose family runs the 1-800-411-PAIN Referral Service, has raised $96,000 for his campaign-- far outpacing all of his competitors in District 97.

Unsurprisingly,roughly 30 percent of Lewin's donations come from healthcare professionals and attorneys. 411-PAIN is a Broward-based company that refers car accident victims to chiropractors and lawyers. Harley Lewin, Merick's uncle, is co-owner of the company.Two years ago, Merick served as a state lobbyist for a 411-PAIN clinic.

Despite these ties to the company, Lewin has said he does not want to be judged by his "familial relationships" and will not vote on legislation that would "give a direct financial incentive" to his family's business.

But he'll have to walk through Tallahassee with his hands over his ears to avoid talk about Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance. All drivers in Florida are required to carry at least $10,000 worth of PIP, which helps pay theirMore >>

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Biden says the schools hope to "get better."

​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 brain can figure that out," he says. "We remain sustainable as a result of our accurate and predictable location and our buildings."

Mavericks opens schools in poor neighborhoods, where property values are cheap. Then it charges the schools rent of $350,000 per year for five years, regardless of the price of the building. (Read more about the real estate deals here). But don't call it profiting!

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Federal funding will expand charters in poor neighborhoods.

​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, even if they encounter academic and financial problems.More >>

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Mavericks is just one example of the booming charter school business.

​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 Republican Party, is now a registered lobbyist and attorney for Charter Schools USA, a for-profit company based in Fort Lauderdale.

2. Jonathan Hage, president and CEO of Charter Schools USA, served on Gov. Rick Scott's education transition team when the governor was elected last fall.

3. Frank Attkisson is a former state representative who once ran a state commission
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Bullard 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 yesterday in Tallahassee.

Senate Bill 1338 would require all charter schools to create a website that states: 1) Whether they are run by a for-profit or nonprofit company, 2) The names of all the "governing officers and administrative personnel" of the management company, and 3) Any fees the school pays to the company.

That means Mavericks in Education Florida LLC, the for-profit charter chain headquartered in West Palm Beach, would have to list Frank Biden as president on its site, along with restaurant developer Mark Rodberg and real estate broker Lauren
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Biden 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 agreements appear to be one source of cash.

Remember, Mavericks is a for-profit company, but each of its eight schools in Florida is run by a separate nonprofit. Mavericks charges the nonprofits an annual management fee for overseeing operations at the schools, and it also charges them rent.

Mavericks president Frank Biden says the company turns a profit because of its savvy real estate choices. "It's all about the buildings we buy," he says."Certainly the operation of the schools isn't profitable."

But most of the time, Mavericks isn't buying buildings --at least, not directly. It's striking More >>