BASIS: PCSB staff recommends conditional continuance due to SWD

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I, for one, would be perfectly happy if they lost their charter and converted to private. Two students there and it would be a stretch, but worth it to keep the school going.

And it would be such a relief to not have to read these crabs-in-a-barrel comments from anti-charter people who want everything to be the SAME, even if the "SAME" is pretty horrible.

For the record, DCPS does a pretty horrible job with SPED - yes they have programming but the students don't learn much once you get past elementary school.

It's not that people want it to be the same. People want BASIS to follow the law. Is that so awful?

They ARE following the law.

Read the report before you comment further. You are just embarrassing yourself.

Then why are there so many violations listed in the report?

Have you read any of the the reports on other DCPS and DCPSC? They ALL have violations of many types.

It specifically says in the report that BASIS is worse than most.

See Appendix A, page 31 "Of the eight areas
OSSE monitors, BASIS DC PCS was required to take corrective action in four areas during
the review period. DC PCSB compared this performance to other charter LEAs in DC and,
based on this comparison, determined the school had among the highest instances of
identified noncompliance in one area: Child Find Monitoring."

Page 33: "For comparison, across the last five years, BASIS DC PCS performed better than 17.8% of
charter LEAs, receiving a finding in four reporting periods out of the 13 applicable
reporting periods.60 OSSE confirms that the school has addressed findings in SY 2018 –
19 through SY 2020 – 21."

Page 33-34: "A reevaluation is used to determine whether a student with an identified disability still
has a disability. Schools must conduct a reevaluation for each student with a disability
once every three years. OSSE identified BASIS DC PCS for noncompliance for not
adhering to the required timeline for reevaluation during the following school years:
§ SY 2016 – 17 May 2017 (October 1, 2016 – March 31, 2017)
§ SY 2017 – 18 May 2018 (October 1, 2017 – March 31, 2018)
§ SY 2018 – 19 August 2018 (April 1, 2018 – June 30, 2018)
§ SY 2018 – 19 May 2019 (October 1, 2018 – March 31, 2019)
§ SY 2019 – 20 Q4 (SY 2018; April 1, 2019 – June 30, 2019)
§ SY 2019 – 20 Q3 (January 1, 2020 – March 31, 2020)
§ SY 2020 – 21 Q2 – Q3 (SY 2020; October 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021)

For comparison, across the last five years, BASIS DC PCS performed better than 32.8% of
charter LEAs, receiving a finding in seven reporting periods out of the 15 applicable
reporting periods.62 OSSE confirms that the school has addressed SY 2016 – 17 through
SY 2019 – 20 findings. SY 2020 – 21 findings are not yet due for correction."


Come on, BASIS boosters. This is embarrassing. Better than 32.8% of charters? Hardly any kids with special needs should make it easier to get it right for the few they do have. But nope. Still having violations every year. They seem to have taken corrective action steps to get it together for their review, but really, this is not good. Crap services, people leave, ta-da it's a well-performing school! Yay BASIS!

They voilated the timelines for reevalutaion. That's why we should shut them down? You have NO idea if the services are crap or not.

Honey get a grip. Nobody's talking about shutting them down. It's why they should get a conditional continuance and have to do annual reporting. And they shouldn't get to open any more schools until they correctly operate the school they do have.

Yes, that is what is being said in this thread. But, yes, you are right. That's what was said at the hearing and what will happen, which is all good. Meanwhile, I don't think opening a new school is on their agenda anytime soon.

It says right in the report that they were talking with the PCSB as recently as summer 2021 about opening an elementary school .

Missed that. But anyhow, that's fine. The things they have been asked to do are basically marketing and a plan to manage more kids. This isn't very hard to achieve.

The point I guess I am trying to make is that the complaints were not about the actual SN services, but only about attracting more SN kids. That's a VERY different issue than how they are actually managing the supports.

Huh? This isn't a marketing issue. Basis is well known for being a bad place for most kids with SN - that is its reputation, not marketing. That's why they don't lottery for Basis, and probably also why many leave. I'm sure that there are some kids with IEPs doing well at Basis (because all kids are different, so for some, the supports and setting may be working.) But yeah, this goes much deeper than "marketing." I have had many service providers say "Not Basis!!" when discussing MS options. That's really not ok.

That's not what the report found or asks of the school though. The caveat to the approval is that the school must 1) publicize its program to the community as inclusive for all
learners, and 2) target recruitment efforts for families of SWD.

Why do you think families of kids with SN don't lottery in? It's not because we don't know about Basis because they haven't marketd to us. It's because we know about Basis's repuation for providing bad supports.

and of course you're leaving out the BIG fault Basis has to remedy, which is poor services: "b. Submit for DC PCSB’s review a draft special education plan in support of an increased volume of students with disabilities in the school that describes the academic programming, strategies, and personnel required to ensure the school's capacity to offer special education services across all settings and needs."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I, for one, would be perfectly happy if they lost their charter and converted to private. Two students there and it would be a stretch, but worth it to keep the school going.

And it would be such a relief to not have to read these crabs-in-a-barrel comments from anti-charter people who want everything to be the SAME, even if the "SAME" is pretty horrible.

For the record, DCPS does a pretty horrible job with SPED - yes they have programming but the students don't learn much once you get past elementary school.

It's not that people want it to be the same. People want BASIS to follow the law. Is that so awful?

They ARE following the law.

Read the report before you comment further. You are just embarrassing yourself.

Then why are there so many violations listed in the report?

Have you read any of the the reports on other DCPS and DCPSC? They ALL have violations of many types.

It specifically says in the report that BASIS is worse than most.

See Appendix A, page 31 "Of the eight areas
OSSE monitors, BASIS DC PCS was required to take corrective action in four areas during
the review period. DC PCSB compared this performance to other charter LEAs in DC and,
based on this comparison, determined the school had among the highest instances of
identified noncompliance in one area: Child Find Monitoring."

Page 33: "For comparison, across the last five years, BASIS DC PCS performed better than 17.8% of
charter LEAs, receiving a finding in four reporting periods out of the 13 applicable
reporting periods.60 OSSE confirms that the school has addressed findings in SY 2018 –
19 through SY 2020 – 21."

Page 33-34: "A reevaluation is used to determine whether a student with an identified disability still
has a disability. Schools must conduct a reevaluation for each student with a disability
once every three years. OSSE identified BASIS DC PCS for noncompliance for not
adhering to the required timeline for reevaluation during the following school years:
§ SY 2016 – 17 May 2017 (October 1, 2016 – March 31, 2017)
§ SY 2017 – 18 May 2018 (October 1, 2017 – March 31, 2018)
§ SY 2018 – 19 August 2018 (April 1, 2018 – June 30, 2018)
§ SY 2018 – 19 May 2019 (October 1, 2018 – March 31, 2019)
§ SY 2019 – 20 Q4 (SY 2018; April 1, 2019 – June 30, 2019)
§ SY 2019 – 20 Q3 (January 1, 2020 – March 31, 2020)
§ SY 2020 – 21 Q2 – Q3 (SY 2020; October 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021)

For comparison, across the last five years, BASIS DC PCS performed better than 32.8% of
charter LEAs, receiving a finding in seven reporting periods out of the 15 applicable
reporting periods.62 OSSE confirms that the school has addressed SY 2016 – 17 through
SY 2019 – 20 findings. SY 2020 – 21 findings are not yet due for correction."


Come on, BASIS boosters. This is embarrassing. Better than 32.8% of charters? Hardly any kids with special needs should make it easier to get it right for the few they do have. But nope. Still having violations every year. They seem to have taken corrective action steps to get it together for their review, but really, this is not good. Crap services, people leave, ta-da it's a well-performing school! Yay BASIS!

Let’s take your biggest violation by Basis: “Child Find.”

“Child Find is a set of policies, procedures, and public awareness activities designed to locate, identify, and evaluate students who may require special education and related services.” (p. 35)

As the report notes, Basis (like many other DC charters, some of which are failing) was flagged for this violation before and took corrective action including requiring staff participating in a webinar. The violation was deemed corrected.

Great, so Basis needs to require its already overworked teachers to take another webinar on SPED students. I am sure that they will do that, and everyone will move on, just like they did before. Yay, PP!

DC schools are among the worst in the country, rivaling Mississippi and Alabama. Yet you are hung up on SPED webinars.

You're missing the whole part about Basis not enrolling enough SN students; as well as their well-established reputation for not supporting kids with IEPs.

And you are missing the part that Basis is 100% lottery, is the best charter academically in the city for both SPED and non-SPED, and DC schools are among the worst in the country.

Your attitude is one reason people take their tax dollars and move to Maryland and Virginia, leaving DC schools with even less money and worse off.

So basically you think Basis should get to exclude kids with SN. Ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Okay, but being in the lowest performing tier of charters for years and years is the big picture here. Fail, correct, fail, correct, fail, correct-- eventually it's time to stop failing so much, no?

Trimming this thread.

But now you are goal-post moving here. This is a review for charter approval--that's the topic at hand and they have achieved success with a caveat about marketing. You may decide that their performance in SN doesn't meet your standards, but it meets the charter board's standards.

stop lying. it's not "a caveat about marketing." and the charter board's action (conditional approvale) shows serious concern that Basis is NOT meeting standards.

If lying is repeating what's in the report, then my apologies.

Look, YOU may think its about all sorts of things, but the report concludes that the issues are about attracting and enrolling more SN kids.

In fact, it states "The school’s effectiveness in educating students with disabilities provides a compelling case for increasing special education enrollment rates at BASIS DC PCS."

Right, see, that's nice-talk for "Get your numbers up or you'll be sorry."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Why do you think families of kids with SN don't lottery in? It's not because we don't know about Basis because they haven't marketd to us. It's because we know about Basis's repuation for providing bad supports.

and of course you're leaving out the BIG fault Basis has to remedy, which is poor services: "b. Submit for DC PCSB’s review a draft special education plan in support of an increased volume of students with disabilities in the school that describes the academic programming, strategies, and personnel required to ensure the school's capacity to offer special education services across all settings and needs."

Again, "The school’s effectiveness in educating students with disabilities provides a compelling case for increasing special education enrollment rates at BASIS DC PCS."

So, maybe you are mistaken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why do you think families of kids with SN don't lottery in? It's not because we don't know about Basis because they haven't marketd to us. It's because we know about Basis's repuation for providing bad supports.

and of course you're leaving out the BIG fault Basis has to remedy, which is poor services: "b. Submit for DC PCSB’s review a draft special education plan in support of an increased volume of students with disabilities in the school that describes the academic programming, strategies, and personnel required to ensure the school's capacity to offer special education services across all settings and needs."

Again, "The school’s effectiveness in educating students with disabilities provides a compelling case for increasing special education enrollment rates at BASIS DC PCS."

So, maybe you are mistaken.

Read between the lines. That isn't true, and both the PCSB and BASIS know it. They're saying it to cut off the old "We just can't meet their needs" argument that is so often made to justify exclusion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why do you think families of kids with SN don't lottery in? It's not because we don't know about Basis because they haven't marketd to us. It's because we know about Basis's repuation for providing bad supports.

and of course you're leaving out the BIG fault Basis has to remedy, which is poor services: "b. Submit for DC PCSB’s review a draft special education plan in support of an increased volume of students with disabilities in the school that describes the academic programming, strategies, and personnel required to ensure the school's capacity to offer special education services across all settings and needs."

Again, "The school’s effectiveness in educating students with disabilities provides a compelling case for increasing special education enrollment rates at BASIS DC PCS."

So, maybe you are mistaken.

Oh you're right, Basis just FORGOT to send me a flyer. My bad!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why do you think families of kids with SN don't lottery in? It's not because we don't know about Basis because they haven't marketd to us. It's because we know about Basis's repuation for providing bad supports.

and of course you're leaving out the BIG fault Basis has to remedy, which is poor services: "b. Submit for DC PCSB’s review a draft special education plan in support of an increased volume of students with disabilities in the school that describes the academic programming, strategies, and personnel required to ensure the school's capacity to offer special education services across all settings and needs."

Again, "The school’s effectiveness in educating students with disabilities provides a compelling case for increasing special education enrollment rates at BASIS DC PCS."

So, maybe you are mistaken.

Read between the lines. That isn't true, and both the PCSB and BASIS know it. They're saying it to cut off the old "We just can't meet their needs" argument that is so often made to justify exclusion.

Yeah I think that is a line intended to speak to Basis central management and attempt to inspire them to at least consider SN kids as part of their mission. It's REALLY twisting the facts to claim it means "Basis does a great job with SN kids, just needs to get more of them!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why do you think families of kids with SN don't lottery in? It's not because we don't know about Basis because they haven't marketd to us. It's because we know about Basis's repuation for providing bad supports.

and of course you're leaving out the BIG fault Basis has to remedy, which is poor services: "b. Submit for DC PCSB’s review a draft special education plan in support of an increased volume of students with disabilities in the school that describes the academic programming, strategies, and personnel required to ensure the school's capacity to offer special education services across all settings and needs."

Again, "The school’s effectiveness in educating students with disabilities provides a compelling case for increasing special education enrollment rates at BASIS DC PCS."

So, maybe you are mistaken.

I think both statements can be true. BASIS can be doing ok with the students it has, but needs to a) attract more and b) show how they are going to serve them.

I am not a BASIS parent, but a big fan and I think this is great news. BASIS is super successful on so many metrics, so now it's time to get off the stick and show they can also be successful with larger numbers of SN kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why do you think families of kids with SN don't lottery in? It's not because we don't know about Basis because they haven't marketd to us. It's because we know about Basis's repuation for providing bad supports.

and of course you're leaving out the BIG fault Basis has to remedy, which is poor services: "b. Submit for DC PCSB’s review a draft special education plan in support of an increased volume of students with disabilities in the school that describes the academic programming, strategies, and personnel required to ensure the school's capacity to offer special education services across all settings and needs."

Again, "The school’s effectiveness in educating students with disabilities provides a compelling case for increasing special education enrollment rates at BASIS DC PCS."

So, maybe you are mistaken.

I think both statements can be true. BASIS can be doing ok with the students it has, but needs to a) attract more and b) show how they are going to serve them.

I am not a BASIS parent, but a big fan and I think this is great news. BASIS is super successful on so many metrics, so now it's time to get off the stick and show they can also be successful with larger numbers of SN kids.

As the mom of a kid with HFA who has a lot of buddies with HFA and talks to a lot of providers in DC, I can tell you that the fact that Basis does will with some kids with autism/adhd does not mean that they don't fail other kids. And that's because all of our kids are different and have different types of needs. Some will flourish with the structure of Basis with just a little support. Others will need more EF support to get the homework done. They can probably all benefit from social skills support. Some may need additional time on tests; others (like my kid) may actually focused best during timed tests. The kids enrolled successful in Basis now just likely fit into the structure as is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why do you think families of kids with SN don't lottery in? It's not because we don't know about Basis because they haven't marketd to us. It's because we know about Basis's repuation for providing bad supports.

and of course you're leaving out the BIG fault Basis has to remedy, which is poor services: "b. Submit for DC PCSB’s review a draft special education plan in support of an increased volume of students with disabilities in the school that describes the academic programming, strategies, and personnel required to ensure the school's capacity to offer special education services across all settings and needs."

Again, "The school’s effectiveness in educating students with disabilities provides a compelling case for increasing special education enrollment rates at BASIS DC PCS."

So, maybe you are mistaken.

Read between the lines. That isn't true, and both the PCSB and BASIS know it. They're saying it to cut off the old "We just can't meet their needs" argument that is so often made to justify exclusion.

Yeah I think that is a line intended to speak to Basis central management and attempt to inspire them to at least consider SN kids as part of their mission. It's REALLY twisting the facts to claim it means "Basis does a great job with SN kids, just needs to get more of them!"

This is your opinion. But that's actually what the report says in very clear language.

If you are looking for this report to back up your assumption that SPED is terrible at Basis, it's not working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why do you think families of kids with SN don't lottery in? It's not because we don't know about Basis because they haven't marketd to us. It's because we know about Basis's repuation for providing bad supports.

and of course you're leaving out the BIG fault Basis has to remedy, which is poor services: "b. Submit for DC PCSB’s review a draft special education plan in support of an increased volume of students with disabilities in the school that describes the academic programming, strategies, and personnel required to ensure the school's capacity to offer special education services across all settings and needs."

Again, "The school’s effectiveness in educating students with disabilities provides a compelling case for increasing special education enrollment rates at BASIS DC PCS."

So, maybe you are mistaken.

Read between the lines. That isn't true, and both the PCSB and BASIS know it. They're saying it to cut off the old "We just can't meet their needs" argument that is so often made to justify exclusion.

Yeah I think that is a line intended to speak to Basis central management and attempt to inspire them to at least consider SN kids as part of their mission. It's REALLY twisting the facts to claim it means "Basis does a great job with SN kids, just needs to get more of them!"

This is your opinion. But that's actually what the report says in very clear language.

If you are looking for this report to back up your assumption that SPED is terrible at Basis, it's not working.

oh right it’s working so well that their charter is at risk over it.

you’re absurd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why do you think families of kids with SN don't lottery in? It's not because we don't know about Basis because they haven't marketd to us. It's because we know about Basis's repuation for providing bad supports.

and of course you're leaving out the BIG fault Basis has to remedy, which is poor services: "b. Submit for DC PCSB’s review a draft special education plan in support of an increased volume of students with disabilities in the school that describes the academic programming, strategies, and personnel required to ensure the school's capacity to offer special education services across all settings and needs."

Again, "The school’s effectiveness in educating students with disabilities provides a compelling case for increasing special education enrollment rates at BASIS DC PCS."

So, maybe you are mistaken.

I think both statements can be true. BASIS can be doing ok with the students it has, but needs to a) attract more and b) show how they are going to serve them.

I am not a BASIS parent, but a big fan and I think this is great news. BASIS is super successful on so many metrics, so now it's time to get off the stick and show they can also be successful with larger numbers of SN kids.

As the mom of a kid with HFA who has a lot of buddies with HFA and talks to a lot of providers in DC, I can tell you that the fact that Basis does will with some kids with autism/adhd does not mean that they don't fail other kids. And that's because all of our kids are different and have different types of needs. Some will flourish with the structure of Basis with just a little support. Others will need more EF support to get the homework done. They can probably all benefit from social skills support. Some may need additional time on tests; others (like my kid) may actually focused best during timed tests. The kids enrolled successful in Basis now just likely fit into the structure as is.

Tangent, but I would think Basis' curriculm might actually be a good fit for some HFA kids who benefit from concrete, non-experiental learning and very clear expectations. I'm not an expert in HFA at all, but from what I understand from friends, that kind of learning might work well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why do you think families of kids with SN don't lottery in? It's not because we don't know about Basis because they haven't marketd to us. It's because we know about Basis's repuation for providing bad supports.

and of course you're leaving out the BIG fault Basis has to remedy, which is poor services: "b. Submit for DC PCSB’s review a draft special education plan in support of an increased volume of students with disabilities in the school that describes the academic programming, strategies, and personnel required to ensure the school's capacity to offer special education services across all settings and needs."

Again, "The school’s effectiveness in educating students with disabilities provides a compelling case for increasing special education enrollment rates at BASIS DC PCS."

So, maybe you are mistaken.

Read between the lines. That isn't true, and both the PCSB and BASIS know it. They're saying it to cut off the old "We just can't meet their needs" argument that is so often made to justify exclusion.

Yeah I think that is a line intended to speak to Basis central management and attempt to inspire them to at least consider SN kids as part of their mission. It's REALLY twisting the facts to claim it means "Basis does a great job with SN kids, just needs to get more of them!"

This is your opinion. But that's actually what the report says in very clear language.

If you are looking for this report to back up your assumption that SPED is terrible at Basis, it's not working.

oh right it’s working so well that their charter is at risk over it.

you’re absurd.

The risk is because of enrollment. That's all. Clear as day. If they get their enrollment up and it turns out their program doesn't scale, we can come back and disucss another time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why do you think families of kids with SN don't lottery in? It's not because we don't know about Basis because they haven't marketd to us. It's because we know about Basis's repuation for providing bad supports.

and of course you're leaving out the BIG fault Basis has to remedy, which is poor services: "b. Submit for DC PCSB’s review a draft special education plan in support of an increased volume of students with disabilities in the school that describes the academic programming, strategies, and personnel required to ensure the school's capacity to offer special education services across all settings and needs."

Again, "The school’s effectiveness in educating students with disabilities provides a compelling case for increasing special education enrollment rates at BASIS DC PCS."

So, maybe you are mistaken.

I think both statements can be true. BASIS can be doing ok with the students it has, but needs to a) attract more and b) show how they are going to serve them.

I am not a BASIS parent, but a big fan and I think this is great news. BASIS is super successful on so many metrics, so now it's time to get off the stick and show they can also be successful with larger numbers of SN kids.

As the mom of a kid with HFA who has a lot of buddies with HFA and talks to a lot of providers in DC, I can tell you that the fact that Basis does will with some kids with autism/adhd does not mean that they don't fail other kids. And that's because all of our kids are different and have different types of needs. Some will flourish with the structure of Basis with just a little support. Others will need more EF support to get the homework done. They can probably all benefit from social skills support. Some may need additional time on tests; others (like my kid) may actually focused best during timed tests. The kids enrolled successful in Basis now just likely fit into the structure as is.

Tangent, but I would think Basis' curriculm might actually be a good fit for some HFA kids who benefit from concrete, non-experiental learning and very clear expectations. I'm not an expert in HFA at all, but from what I understand from friends, that kind of learning might work well.

absolutely, and not a tangent at all! the model could be great for a lot of HFA kids; many will need additional supports to make it work.

[Anonymous]

I'm a BASIS parent of a kid with HFA.

Indeed, my child with HFA does well at BASIS in part because of its highly structured nature. There's also an emphasis on individual learning, as opposed to the endless group work my HFA often had to endure in elementary school. The math/science also happens to be a particular strength for my child. Finally, while I have no clue how many kids with HFA attend BASIS, there are plenty of nerdy kids, so my HFA child's "quirkiness" is likely accepted by many peers.