BASIS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can any current basis families share more thoughts on the middle school science curriculum? I have a kiddo for whom advanced science is the main draw.

Our current 5th grader at BASIS (6th grader next year) loves both math and science…and they’ve done so much more science (hands on and theory) than any middle schooler I know of! I tend to find that the kids that don’t like the environment are not as excited by either math or science. This is not an issue for our child who is definitely STEAM focused as they also love reading, music, playing sports, etc. And there have been lots of afterschool options for kids interested in various topics. I definitely think that the environment wouldn’t be good for every kid, but our child has really thrived in it!

Goodness, it's all rainbows and kittens at BASIS not just in 5th grade but all the way up!

From what I've observed as a BASIS parent, if you have the dough to leave or are willing to move to the burbs, you leave at some stage. If you don't have the dough for privates, and aren't willing to relocate to the burbs, you stay and make do (possibly claiming that your entire family loves BASIS, loudly). Not more.

So why is your family still at BASIS?

Can't you guess? We can't afford privates and don't want to move to the burbs. Our eldest has friends at BASIS, didn't crack Walls and was willing to stay for HS. Do we love BASIS? No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My guess is many current BASIS families are less able/less willing to leave BASIS for a different high school in the near future. There’s a combo of circumstances that makes me think this:
(1) families are reluctant to sell their homes with likely very low interest rates to move to the burbs and pay a much higher interest rate based on current rates
(2) families also may be more reluctant to move to the burbs since there seems to be lots of complaining about changes for the worse when it comes to school academic rigor/admissions into magnets (just look at those VA and MD school forums)
(3) students may more easily get shut out of the application high schools in DC (just look at a bunch of the recent discussions on this forum)
(4) private high schools - like the colleges many BASIS families seek for their students to attend after them - are ever more expensive, making that option increasingly cost prohibitive, particularly for families with multiple kids

Or, they are having a good experience, have looked at alternatives, and have decided to stay. We have two there, from 5th grade. One is graduating this year. They work hard and are doing well. Their are occasional complaints about staff, but nothing serious. The building isn't a concern, other than complaints about walking steps all day.

One benefit - while sports teams aren't as good as larger schools, a small student body means that if your kid wants to play varsity sports they have a better shot at making a team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My guess is many current BASIS families are less able/less willing to leave BASIS for a different high school in the near future. There’s a combo of circumstances that makes me think this:
(1) families are reluctant to sell their homes with likely very low interest rates to move to the burbs and pay a much higher interest rate based on current rates
(2) families also may be more reluctant to move to the burbs since there seems to be lots of complaining about changes for the worse when it comes to school academic rigor/admissions into magnets (just look at those VA and MD school forums)
(3) students may more easily get shut out of the application high schools in DC (just look at a bunch of the recent discussions on this forum)
(4) private high schools - like the colleges many BASIS families seek for their students to attend after them - are ever more expensive, making that option increasingly cost prohibitive, particularly for families with multiple kids

Or, they are having a good experience, have looked at alternatives, and have decided to stay. We have two there, from 5th grade. One is graduating this year. They work hard and are doing well. Their are occasional complaints about staff, but nothing serious. The building isn't a concern, other than complaints about walking steps all day.

One benefit - while sports teams aren't as good as larger schools, a small student body means that if your kid wants to play varsity sports they have a better shot at making a team.

*There*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My guess is many current BASIS families are less able/less willing to leave BASIS for a different high school in the near future. There’s a combo of circumstances that makes me think this:
(1) families are reluctant to sell their homes with likely very low interest rates to move to the burbs and pay a much higher interest rate based on current rates
(2) families also may be more reluctant to move to the burbs since there seems to be lots of complaining about changes for the worse when it comes to school academic rigor/admissions into magnets (just look at those VA and MD school forums)
(3) students may more easily get shut out of the application high schools in DC (just look at a bunch of the recent discussions on this forum)
(4) private high schools - like the colleges many BASIS families seek for their students to attend after them - are ever more expensive, making that option increasingly cost prohibitive, particularly for families with multiple kids

#2 is our own family's struggle. The academics are very good at BASIS and we like the rigor. However, the BASIS administration from top to bottom is an absolute nightmare. Our child is a top student and we may not even make it to high school because I can't imagine dealing with these people for that many more years. But we are struggling with leaving the strong academics for what will probably be a lot weaker academics (even though we can afford to move anywhere).

[Anonymous]

Yes, a nightmare, tin ears, bullying, play favorites ridiculously, disorganized, narrow minded, pig headed. Go. BASIS doesn’t have a monopoly on rigor.

[Anonymous]

Um, where else are you going to find the rigor EotP unless you pay through the nose for it? You can't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Um, where else are you going to find the rigor EotP unless you pay through the nose for it? You can't.

I agree that the rigor is there for MS, but it's not a standout at the HS level. The school sells rigor at the HS level but once you take a closer look, it's just not there. Which is both misleading and disappointing. And makes it tough to get your kid to understand how they're being shortchanged so they'll be willing to leave friends behind.

HS in DC is really tough. It's a lot about luck (just like earlier grades) but feels far more consequential since it's kid's last years at home before they launch.

[Anonymous]

How is rigor not there in high school? They mainly take APs or honors classes that prepare them for the APs. The classmates who can’t read at grade level have all been comped out. They still have a longer academic day with an extra class in comparison to other schools.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]How is rigor not there in high school? They mainly take APs or honors classes that prepare them for the APs. The classmates who can’t read at grade level have all been comped out. They still have a longer academic day with an extra class in comparison to other schools.[/quote]

Some examples
- only offer AP physics algebra based
- lose a class senior year to college counseling
- only attend school two trimesters senior year so lose opportunity to take AP classes senior year unless opt into it and I'm not even sure that you could opt in
- spend two years in calculus because math sequence has both AB and BC calc
- AP classes means teaching stops mid-April
- kids at other schools are taking the same number of APs and more and they have more variety.

I think the cohort of students is solid because of the comps requirements but I don't know that means it's particularly strong, I think it's still a mix of skill levels.

They have 7 classes in HS. I don't think that means there's an extra class compared to other schools.

I'm sure this comes off as I'm complaining or denigrating the school. I'm thankful it exists and is an option. I do think that there is a misunderstanding of it at the high school level.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the observations and analysis above. There are more opportunities for advancement at Walls and J-R, particularly via dual enrollment at GW (almost never done from BASIS). BASIS doesn’t offer opportunities for language past AP either and doesn’t produce many AP language 5s. I used to teach at one of the NYC STEM HS magnets, where kids either did BC Calc or AB. That’s still the case in NYC. Teaching both calcs both to the same students is ridiculous. I’ll add that BASIS’ weak facilities and shoestring budget cut seniors off from the sort if STEM research opportunities (team research included) that are common in better funded high-performing high schools. Granted, that’s the story in DC public, period.

[Anonymous]

I’m not sure what you mean by teaching both AB and BC calculus simultaneously.
A quick clarification:
all BASIS students need to take AP Calc AB to graduate, but taking AP Calc BC is not required of all students, both because students might be on the math track to take AP Calc AB in 11th grade and because for those who take AP Calc AB in 10th grade, they can opt to take AP Statistics instead of AP Calc BC in 11th grade.

[Anonymous]

I find the math sequencing bizarre. Why rush middle schoolers through three years of high school math in two years, just to then have high schoolers stretch out one year of college math into two years? I'd think the high school students better prepared than the middle schoolers for that kind of acceleration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can any current basis families share more thoughts on the middle school science curriculum? I have a kiddo for whom advanced science is the main draw.

My kid attended BASIS MS but didn’t stay for HS, and they would do it again in a heart beat. If your kid is lucky, they will get awesome STEM teachers at BASIS and learn tons about the various sciences, how to study, and how to be organized. Kids work through packets, get weekly HW and tests, learn in a very systematic way. At least, that was my kid’s experience. There are few mediocre science teachers at BASIS, but they are still better than the average science teacher out there. BASIS was able to retain some outstanding teachers, and they alone make it worthwhile. The insane focus on APs and meager ECs in HS is another story.

Where did you end up for high school? And if you don't mind sharing, did kid want to stay at BASIS for high school but willing to switch or did kid want to leave or didn't care and was willing to follow parent advice or some other situation?

A follow on question from a NP: were math credits accepted as is? If not, did you have to jump through hoops to get them accepted or did your student have to retake classes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not sure what you mean by teaching both AB and BC calculus simultaneously.
A quick clarification:
all BASIS students need to take AP Calc AB to graduate, but taking AP Calc BC is not required of all students, both because students might be on the math track to take AP Calc AB in 11th grade and because for those who take AP Calc AB in 10th grade, they can opt to take AP Statistics instead of AP Calc BC in 11th grade.

. Simple. BASIS students can’t take BC Calc without having taken AB at BASIS. That sequencing isn’t not remotely normal for the most advanced HS math students in this country.

[Anonymous]

I don't think that really shows "lack of rigor."

For example, J-R is a huge school with lots of AP offerings through senior year; in fact, they offer about 30 AP classes every year including 4 AP physics classes. But that doesn't mean that 1) lots of students are taking all these classes, or even able to get into these classes; or 2) learning a lot from these classes and doing well. That is especially true senior year after kids have been accepted to college; senioritis is real.

True, there are a few J-R students taking lots of AP courses through senior year, supplementing big time, and doing great. However, this is just a handful of students. And that hardly indicates that J-R is a more rigorous school than BASIS DC. It is not. Plenty of students at J-R skate by doing almost nothing.

In fact, almost 40% of J-R students taking at least one AP course graduate every year without even getting a single 3, 4, or 5 on an AP test. In contrast, no one can graduate from BASIS DC without getting a 3 on at least one AP test and plenty of kids at BASIS are getting 3s, 4s, and 5s on AP exams as early as 8th grade. So, that means, that almost 40% of J-R students wouldn't graduate from BASIS DC if they were enrolled.

You can carp about specific aspects of the BASIS curriculum and lack of some offerings. But it is a small school and can't please everyone. And you can't say that it lacks rigor.