BASIS charter expansion is up for public comment

[Anonymous]

https://dcpcsb.org/notice-petition-amend-charter-expansion-basis-dc-pcs

"This expansion is
intended to establish a primary feeder school to allow all DC students access to the
BASIS Charter School Curriculum for the entirety of their K-12 academic experience.
BASIS DC PCS is requesting an ECI of an additional 548 seats at full enrollment,
beginning in SY2025-2026."

It does include a discussion of the "headwinds" identified by the PCSB, which is interesting to read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://dcpcsb.org/notice-petition-amend-charter-expansion-basis-dc-pcs

"This expansion is
intended to establish a primary feeder school to allow all DC students access to the
BASIS Charter School Curriculum for the entirety of their K-12 academic experience.
BASIS DC PCS is requesting an ECI of an additional 548 seats at full enrollment,
beginning in SY2025-2026."

It does include a discussion of the "headwinds" identified by the PCSB, which is interesting to read.

Yea!!!

Finally!

[Anonymous]

Omg this is so long!

[Anonymous]

Two takeaways from a very quick skim through: (1) they would offer Mandarin starting in K, and (2) at capacity, they would plan for 112 4th graders and 135 5th graders (so only about 25 spots for new 5th graders).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two takeaways from a very quick skim through: (1) they would offer Mandarin starting in K, and (2) at capacity, they would plan for 112 4th graders and 135 5th graders (so only about 25 spots for new 5th graders).

Looking at their matrix, seems like they would plan to backfill after experiencing a little attrition, so that cohort sizes stay the same 1st-4th.

Does it say the policy on repeating a grade?

[Anonymous]

It looks like they have two different proposed sites - one in Penn Quarter near the current school, and one near Dupont Circle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It looks like they have two different proposed sites - one in Penn Quarter near the current school, and one near Dupont Circle.

Yet still they're the saviour of low-income kids!

Where the heck near DuPont would it be?

[Anonymous]

You can see the proposed site on page 191 of the Expansion document that is linked above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two takeaways from a very quick skim through: (1) they would offer Mandarin starting in K, and (2) at capacity, they would plan for 112 4th graders and 135 5th graders (so only about 25 spots for new 5th graders).

Mandarin from K? They don't even let middle school kids study Mandarin, not before 8th grade, and then only at the beginning level. That's been their policy since they opened their doors in DC.

Why bother? Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

So does this mean basis wouldn’t be a middle school option anymore for those of us with young kids?

[Anonymous]

Probably. You realize that it may not be an option even without the elementary school? Our 8th grader never got off the BASIS 5th grade WL. Neither did our 6th grader.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can see the proposed site on page 191 of the Expansion document that is linked above.

That's just a mapping exercise, not proposed location.

This stood out to me re the "diversity" of respondants.

"Furthermore, participants engaged in a mapping exercise where they were presented with different neighborhoods in Washington, DC, such as Carver Langston, Randall Highlands, Brookland, and Deanwood...

.... Of those who participated, all were comfortable with commuting to the Brookland neighborhood when asked, yet some were still concerned about traffic congestion and busy streets."

Infer what you will.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can see the proposed site on page 191 of the Expansion document that is linked above.

That's just a mapping exercise, not proposed location.

This stood out to me re the "diversity" of respondants.

"Furthermore, participants engaged in a mapping exercise where they were presented with different neighborhoods in Washington, DC, such as Carver Langston, Randall Highlands, Brookland, and Deanwood...

.... Of those who participated, all were comfortable with commuting to the Brookland neighborhood when asked, yet some were still concerned about traffic congestion and busy streets."

Infer what you will.

Another elementary school in Brookland? Come on. There's like 100 there already.

[Anonymous]

Very interesting. I haven't read it, but would they start with a K class, or will they fill all K-4 to begin with?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can see the proposed site on page 191 of the Expansion document that is linked above.

That's just a mapping exercise, not proposed location.

This stood out to me re the "diversity" of respondants.

"Furthermore, participants engaged in a mapping exercise where they were presented with different neighborhoods in Washington, DC, such as Carver Langston, Randall Highlands, Brookland, and Deanwood...

.... Of those who participated, all were comfortable with commuting to the Brookland neighborhood when asked, yet some were still concerned about traffic congestion and busy streets."

Infer what you will.

Another elementary school in Brookland? Come on. There's like 100 there already.

I take it as a sign they have zero interest in locating in Ward 7 or 8. Another section said "participants had no interest in crossing a bridge to commute to school"