how does BASIS work?

[Anonymous]

Reading the other BASIS thread, I think I'm confused.

Unlike Walls and other application schools, admissions is based only on outcomes to the 5th grade lottery, right?

I always assumed the rigor was just a reputational thing and most kids wouldn't apply if the idea of 90min-3hrs of homework was totally unappealing.

But, do they actually weed out in ways beyond pressuring kids by making them feel unsupported? (Someone mentioned comps?) I have a pretty academically average -- and sometimes not very focused -- but very stem interested 4th grader in another charter school who wanted to consider the school but now am wondering if we skip it altogether?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reading the other BASIS thread, I think I'm confused.

Unlike Walls and other application schools, admissions is based only on outcomes to the 5th grade lottery, right?

I always assumed the rigor was just a reputational thing and most kids wouldn't apply if the idea of 90min-3hrs of homework was totally unappealing.

But, do they actually weed out in ways beyond pressuring kids by making them feel unsupported? (Someone mentioned comps?) I have a pretty academically average -- and sometimes not very focused -- but very stem interested 4th grader in another charter school who wanted to consider the school but now am wondering if we skip it altogether?

Beginning in 6th grade, children need to pass a test in every class. If they do not pass, they will not advance to the next grade.

[Anonymous]

So, do some kids stay and repeat a grade? It seems slightly shocking a public charter could say they have to leave, especially if not given an explicit waiver for running more of an admissions based school.

[Anonymous]

As I understand it, beginning in 6th grade, all the academic subjects have a final comprehensive exam (comp) that is worth 60% of a student's year end grade. This final exam covers the entire year, so they will have to study all their notes from the beginning of the year forward. If a student fails this exam, they will have to take a summer make-up class and retake the exam before moving on to the next grade.

At the same time, BASIS does provide a lot of review/reading week/Saturday school to prepare for this exam. They also give a mid-term (pre-comp) that is like a practice for the final comp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, do some kids stay and repeat a grade? It seems slightly shocking a public charter could say they have to leave, especially if not given an explicit waiver for running more of an admissions based school.

I think most people leave not because they fail, but because they don't like the school and it's approach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, do some kids stay and repeat a grade? It seems slightly shocking a public charter could say they have to leave, especially if not given an explicit waiver for running more of an admissions based school.

I have heard that some kids do repeat. Some re-take and pass on the second try over the summer. Many leave.

[Anonymous]

I think it's just about understanding what type of child you have, and then looking to find the best fit for your child if you are looking at charters. My DD can concentrate for a very long time, so BASIS is actually easy for her, and she's earned straight A's for years. It isn't all that "rigorous." It's just a lot of continuous work. But because this comes easy to her, she really likes BASIS.

[Anonymous]

Go to the open houses, tours, and shadow days and you’ll get a feel for how all of it works. Talk to parents of current or even former students. Take anything read on here with a grain of salt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's just about understanding what type of child you have, and then looking to find the best fit for your child if you are looking at charters. My DD can concentrate for a very long time, so BASIS is actually easy for her, and she's earned straight A's for years. It isn't all that "rigorous." It's just a lot of continuous work. But because this comes easy to her, she really likes BASIS.

Agree with this take. An average student who's willing to put in the study time can hold their own at BASIS. It's not a GT program emphasizing creativity, critical thinking skills, advanced writing skills, sophisticated presentations, group work and so on. Really helps if the kid's quick with quantitative work, or the math homework can take too long for the kid to enjoy life. We don't really like BASIS for reasons that have nothing to do with the curriculum. There are too many young teachers who can't control their classes. Good teachers tend to leave and the churn is a drag, along with the bad building.

[Anonymous]

As a teacher it would have to be really really awful at a school for me to quit before the end of the school year (barring a personal or family emergency). So if this has been a problem at this school as others have posted then there is something bigger going on with leadership or administration.

[Anonymous]

PP and sorry posted in the wrong thread!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's just about understanding what type of child you have, and then looking to find the best fit for your child if you are looking at charters. My DD can concentrate for a very long time, so BASIS is actually easy for her, and she's earned straight A's for years. It isn't all that "rigorous." It's just a lot of continuous work. But because this comes easy to her, she really likes BASIS.

Agree with this take. An average student who's willing to put in the study time can hold their own at BASIS. It's not a GT program emphasizing creativity, critical thinking skills, advanced writing skills, sophisticated presentations, group work and so on. Really helps if the kid's quick with quantitative work, or the math homework can take too long for the kid to enjoy life. We don't really like BASIS for reasons that have nothing to do with the curriculum. There are too many young teachers who can't control their classes. Good teachers tend to leave and the churn is a drag, along with the bad building.

I echo these takes on BASIS. Full disclosure, we pulled our child from BASIS a few years ago because we wanted a different type of school experience for them. They commented early on at the new school how the learning was very different. New school demands a lot of applied knowledge. BASIS demands a lot of memorization and bubble sheets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, do some kids stay and repeat a grade? It seems slightly shocking a public charter could say they have to leave, especially if not given an explicit waiver for running more of an admissions based school.

Yes, some students stay and repeat a grade if they do not pass a class. There are several every year who do this. To advance to the next grade, students must pass EVERY class, both the class itself and the comprehensive exams that take place at the end of the year in 6th/7th/8th. If students don't pass a class, they have the summer to make it up if they wish, and then (I believe) take the exam again at the end of the summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's just about understanding what type of child you have, and then looking to find the best fit for your child if you are looking at charters. My DD can concentrate for a very long time, so BASIS is actually easy for her, and she's earned straight A's for years. It isn't all that "rigorous." It's just a lot of continuous work. But because this comes easy to her, she really likes BASIS.

Agree with this take. An average student who's willing to put in the study time can hold their own at BASIS. It's not a GT program emphasizing creativity, critical thinking skills, advanced writing skills, sophisticated presentations, group work and so on. Really helps if the kid's quick with quantitative work, or the math homework can take too long for the kid to enjoy life. We don't really like BASIS for reasons that have nothing to do with the curriculum. There are too many young teachers who can't control their classes. Good teachers tend to leave and the churn is a drag, along with the bad building.

I echo these takes on BASIS. Full disclosure, we pulled our child from BASIS a few years ago because we wanted a different type of school experience for them. They commented early on at the new school how the learning was very different. New school demands a lot of applied knowledge. BASIS demands a lot of memorization and bubble sheets.

Exactly. Loads of memorization and bubble sheets, no language until 8th grade and then just at the beginning level, weak facilities and electives and patchy teaching. If you have a better option, which few families EotP do, you take it.

[Anonymous]

IME, most of the time when kids don't pass a class, the class is math, physics, or chemistry. If your kid is intellectually above average in STEM subjects, and if your kid is reasonably motivated, he'll be fine at Basis.

Also, by the time the kids get to the upper school, there is a lot more applied knowledge and a lot less memorization.