Last night my kid said "I really like Basis - I'm glad I go to school there"!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Come on, who....hates BASIS? Who has the energy? What some parents dislike is that BASIS doubles as Ward 6's MS for UMC families.

I'm still not buying that an AP prep academy is a great fit for any student. Even students who can ace algebra in 5th or 6th grade would benefit from a well-rounded education and good facilities. BASIS DC is no better than OK.

Clearly, you do. You show up on every single BASIS thread, complain about the facilities, and then tell parents that they're wrong about their own children's success or happiness at the school. That sounds like pretty obsessive hatred. You tried BASIS and it didn't work for your kid. Move on with your life.

I’m not the poster you have in mind. I’m a journalist with kids in DCPS who writes about education.

[Anonymous]

No other DC public school is the subject of self-serving BS threads like this one. My take on the logic OP is following is “Thanks the Lord the kid is going along with this. We love our row house life. So far so good, no need to hire a realtor in VA. DCUM, please validate my decision to stay in the District.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Come on, who....hates BASIS? Who has the energy? What some parents dislike is that BASIS doubles as Ward 6's MS for UMC families.

I'm still not buying that an AP prep academy is a great fit for any student. Even students who can ace algebra in 5th or 6th grade would benefit from a well-rounded education and good facilities. BASIS DC is no better than OK.

Clearly, you do. You show up on every single BASIS thread, complain about the facilities, and then tell parents that they're wrong about their own children's success or happiness at the school. That sounds like pretty obsessive hatred. You tried BASIS and it didn't work for your kid. Move on with your life.

. Most obsessive PP of all. You know, you can just ignore posts you don’t agree with. BASIS will soldier on if you do.

[Anonymous]

If your kid isn’t at BASIS DC, why do you spend your time here tearing the school down? Revenge? Envy?

Some parent posts here that their kid is happy at BASIS but you feel compelled to brag that your kid is at some private or suburban school and is “much happier.” Why do you think anyone here cares? You sound like Penelope on Saturday Night Live.

Just move on. Get therapy—you need it.

No one thinks that BASIS is perfect. However, objectively, it is a good option for smart, hard-working kids in DC, where few such options exist:

• USN&W ranks it the #1 middle school in DC

• USN&W ranks it the #3 high school in DC (behind SWW and Banneker but its “college readiness” ranking is above both those schools). BASIS DC and SWW have the highest average SAT score in DC. I expect that BASIS will pull ahead of both in the next few years, especially with SWW recently watering down its admissions standards.

• If you look at ALL public schools in the DMV, USN&W ranks BASIS DC #14 (with TJ as #1)

• If you look at ALL schools nationally, USN&W ranks 8 schools in the BASIS network in the top 55 high schools nationally. All the BASIS schools have the same curriculum.

• College admissions are good. The senior class at BASIS DC is only around 55 but has already had many kids get into great schools EA/ED including Yale, Harvard, Brown, and Barnard/Columbia.

Does that mean that BASIS DC is “better” than, say, Wilson? No, some kids excel at Wilson and get a great education there. If a parent states that their kid is happy at Wilson, why would anyone bash the school and say that their kid is happier at BASIS or some other school? That is just dumb. Maybe BASIS is a good fit for your kid, maybe Wilson is, or maybe some other school.

Just do your research and make your decision. Ignore the trolls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BASIS is one of those schools where the right fit is critical. One kid's joyless, rigid grind may be another kid's much needed structure. My 8th grader with ADHD and anxiety is thriving at BASIS, because she can't handle very open ended, vague projects or assignments and instead needs very concrete assignments and clear expectations.

It seems like the people who hate BASIS either were upset that it ended up being a poor fit for their child, or they're defensive that due to BASIS' reputation, people will assume that their child couldn't hack the academics. BASIS boosters seem afraid that due to the vitriol, people will try to shut down a school that's a good fit for their kids.

I'm not a Basis basher, but I am curious about what kinds of accommodations your child is receiving that have helped her to succeed. Our child with similar issues has had a disastrous year at Basis.

[Anonymous]

Go away troll. Seek therapy ASAP.

A college roommate sends her kids to BASIS Scottsdale, which has a fine orchestral music program. Her teens play string instruments in a well-regarded orchestra there. The building is large, with a nice library, computer labs and gym. The spacious grounds include soccer fields. I’m told each of her children started at BASIS in 7th or 8th grade (normal at BASIS AZ branches). FYI, the DC program isn’t the jewel in the BASIS crown.

[Anonymous]

I have a totally different experience. We left GDS for BASIS McLean and kids love the curriculum and school. Kids made lots of friends and can truly be themselves without being bullied or left out. They are proud and happy to be with other hard working students and love doing homework each night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a totally different experience. We left GDS for BASIS McLean and kids love the curriculum and school. Kids made lots of friends and can truly be themselves without being bullied or left out. They are proud and happy to be with other hard working students and love doing homework each night.

This is the public school forum. You should post this on the private school forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No other DC public school is the subject of self-serving BS threads like this one. My take on the logic OP is following is “Thanks the Lord the kid is going along with this. We love our row house life. So far so good, no need to hire a realtor in VA. DCUM, please validate my decision to stay in the District.”

This is the best post in this thread and the most accurate to a tee!!

Short, concise, and sums it up to a tee. The end,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a totally different experience. We left GDS for BASIS McLean and kids love the curriculum and school. Kids made lots of friends and can truly be themselves without being bullied or left out. They are proud and happy to be with other hard working students and love doing homework each night.

You just revived a 2 year old thread with a comment about a totally different school. Bright one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kid isn’t at BASIS DC, why do you spend your time here tearing the school down? Revenge? Envy?

Some parent posts here that their kid is happy at BASIS but you feel compelled to brag that your kid is at some private or suburban school and is “much happier.” Why do you think anyone here cares? You sound like Penelope on Saturday Night Live.

Just move on. Get therapy—you need it.

No one thinks that BASIS is perfect. However, objectively, it is a good option for smart, hard-working kids in DC, where few such options exist:

• USN&W ranks it the #1 middle school in DC

• USN&W ranks it the #3 high school in DC (behind SWW and Banneker but its “college readiness” ranking is above both those schools). BASIS DC and SWW have the highest average SAT score in DC. I expect that BASIS will pull ahead of both in the next few years, especially with SWW recently watering down its admissions standards.

• If you look at ALL public schools in the DMV, USN&W ranks BASIS DC #14 (with TJ as #1)

• If you look at ALL schools nationally, USN&W ranks 8 schools in the BASIS network in the top 55 high schools nationally. All the BASIS schools have the same curriculum.

• College admissions are good. The senior class at BASIS DC is only around 55 but has already had many kids get into great schools EA/ED including Yale, Harvard, Brown, and Barnard/Columbia.

Does that mean that BASIS DC is “better” than, say, Wilson? No, some kids excel at Wilson and get a great education there. If a parent states that their kid is happy at Wilson, why would anyone bash the school and say that their kid is happier at BASIS or some other school? That is just dumb. Maybe BASIS is a good fit for your kid, maybe Wilson is, or maybe some other school.

Just do your research and make your decision. Ignore the trolls.

Love this.

[Anonymous]

Funniest thing about a revived thread: we're still having the same conversation about BASIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a totally different experience. We left GDS for BASIS McLean and kids love the curriculum and school. Kids made lots of friends and can truly be themselves without being bullied or left out. They are proud and happy to be with other hard working students and love doing homework each night.

Bumps a years' old thread to boost the wrong school!

Looking desperate isn't a good look.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kid isn’t at BASIS DC, why do you spend your time here tearing the school down? Revenge? Envy?

Some parent posts here that their kid is happy at BASIS but you feel compelled to brag that your kid is at some private or suburban school and is “much happier.” Why do you think anyone here cares? You sound like Penelope on Saturday Night Live.

Just move on. Get therapy—you need it.

No one thinks that BASIS is perfect. However, objectively, it is a good option for smart, hard-working kids in DC, where few such options exist:

• USN&W ranks it the #1 middle school in DC

• USN&W ranks it the #3 high school in DC (behind SWW and Banneker but its “college readiness” ranking is above both those schools). BASIS DC and SWW have the highest average SAT score in DC. I expect that BASIS will pull ahead of both in the next few years, especially with SWW recently watering down its admissions standards.

• If you look at ALL public schools in the DMV, USN&W ranks BASIS DC #14 (with TJ as #1)

• If you look at ALL schools nationally, USN&W ranks 8 schools in the BASIS network in the top 55 high schools nationally. All the BASIS schools have the same curriculum.

• College admissions are good. The senior class at BASIS DC is only around 55 but has already had many kids get into great schools EA/ED including Yale, Harvard, Brown, and Barnard/Columbia.

Does that mean that BASIS DC is “better” than, say, Wilson? No, some kids excel at Wilson and get a great education there. If a parent states that their kid is happy at Wilson, why would anyone bash the school and say that their kid is happier at BASIS or some other school? That is just dumb. Maybe BASIS is a good fit for your kid, maybe Wilson is, or maybe some other school.

Just do your research and make your decision. Ignore the trolls.

The “rankings” (and nationally, BASIS DC is actually not that high - it’s #400 with Walls at #68 and Banneker at #96) are pretty much all BASIS has going for it. The teachers are inexperienced and turnover is high. The building is awful. Sports are very thin.

[Anonymous]

+1. BASIS rankings guy, please sing a new tune. The 2025 senior class at BASIS is down to 49. This means that just over a third of the original 5th graders are still there.