BASIS DCPCSB to open two PK3-5 campuses
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Anonymous
I'm certainly not willing to bet. With thousands of high SES families in the city lacking an acceptable by-right ES, and very few parents WotP opting for charters, I can't see BASIS MS demographics shifting measurably if they add not one but two K-5 schools, as planned. Come on, half of Capitol Hill lacks a K-5 program acceptable to most parents. Plenty of parents in the Tyler, JO Wilson, Payne and Miner Districts, and possibly even Ludlow and Watkins/Cluster, would try to lottery into a BASIS ES, as long as it were in Wards 5 or 6. Heck, such a school would even pick up some Maury and Brent families looking for more challenge, and a path to a strong MS and HS. |
Anonymous
| Right. High SES parents on the Hill (or elsewhere) will give up their neighborhood DCPSs for a school that is either going to have NO outdoor space or playground (promising site #1 per their application) or one in Columbia Heights (promising site #2) also lacking playground but w a DPR park a block or so away. |
Anonymous
Since you seem to have no idea (pun intended) about what IDEA guarantees, here is a summary to help you. 1. Free Appropriate Public Education Under the IDEA, every child with a disability is entitled to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). The IDEA emphasizes special education and related services, which should be designed to meet a child’s “unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living.” Furthermore, courts have held that the IDEA requires schools to prepare Individualized Education Plans, which confer “meaningful educational benefit” to children with disabilities. The “meaningful educational benefit” requirement includes a focus on raised student expectations, appropriate progress, and transition into postsecondary education and independent living. Public schools and local school boards are responsible for ensuring that every child with a disability receives a FAPE. 2. Appropriate Evaluation The IDEA requires that schools conduct “appropriate evaluations”of students who are suspected of having a disability. An appropriate evaluation must be implemented by a team of knowledgeable and trained evaluators, must utilize sound evaluation materials and procedures, and must be administered on a non-discriminatory basis. Children should not be subjected to unnecessary assessments or testing, and evaluations must be geared toward planning for the child’s education and future instruction. Finally, an appropriate evaluation must determine and make recommendations regarding a child’s eligibility for special education services in a timely manner. 3. Individualized Education Plan The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) was established by the IDEA to help ensure every child’s access to a Free Appropriate Public Education. The IEP is a written document, developed by an IEP team, which draws upon existing evaluation information in order to meet a student’s unique educational needs. Under the IDEA, an IEP must include information regarding a student’s present levels of educational performance, annual goals and benchmarking objectives, services and supplementary aids to be received, and a detailed explanation of instances where a student is not participating in the general classroom and why. An IEP is also required to include information regarding consistent reporting on student progress as well as “transition” to adult life. Finally, it is required that an IEP account for the planning concerns of the parents and child, the strengths of a particular child, and the specific “academic, developmental, and functional needs” of the child. 4. Least Restrictive Environment The IDEA places a strong emphasis on placement in a general education setting. Under the IDEA, a student is guaranteed placement in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) possible. Therefore, an IEP team must explore a number of alternatives for enabling a student to participate in the general education classroom. These may include: classroom modifications, supplemental aids and services, alternative instructional methods, etc. If an IEP team determines that a student cannot be satisfactorily educated in a general education setting, then the team must make responsible efforts to determine the LRE for that student outside of the general classroom. 5. Parent Participation The IDEA has a special provision for “parent participation in placement decisions.” Under this provision, state educational agencies and local school boards must ensure that the parents of a child with a disability are members of any group that makes decisions regarding the placement and LRE of that child. Parents have the right to equal participation in this process, and are entitled to notification of a planned evaluation, access to planning and evaluation materials, and involvement in all meetings regarding their child’s placement. Additionally, parents retain the right to refuse further evaluation of their child. Both students and parents must be invited to IEP meetings, and the IDEA explicitly establishes a role for the parent as equal participant and decision maker. 6. Procedural Safeguards Finally, the IDEA establishes procedural safeguards to help parents and students enforce their rights under federal law. The primary purpose of this requirement is twofold: safeguards protect parental access to information pertaining to placement and transition planning; and procedures are put in place to resolve disagreements between parents and schools regarding the placement of a student. Under the IDEA procedural safeguards, parents have a right to review all educational records pertaining to their child, receive notice prior to meetings about their child’s evaluation, placement, or identification, and to obtain an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) for consideration at such meetings. If disagreements arise, parents have the right to request mediation or due process hearings with state-level education agencies, and beyond that may appeal the decision in state or federal court. Matthew Saleh is a Research Fellow at Cornell University’s Employment and Disability Institute and a Research Associate at the Campaign for Educational Equity at Teachers College, Columbia University. He received his J.D. from the Syracuse University College of Law and is currently a doctoral candidate at Columbia University. http://www.smartkidswithld.org/getting-help/know-your-childs-rights/your-childs-rights-6-principles-of-idea/ |
Anonymous
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Right. Thanks - I have a child who has had an IEP for 13 years. Well aware of all that.
But a student who is making progress toward his or her IEP cannot be denied promotion. That's the kicker for BASIS DC and the part they can't figure out how to do within their model. The kids struggle, the parents leave - a form of counseling out. |
Anonymous
| Actually it is the 504 kids that get the real short end of the stick, since they are under general ed, thus not protected by IDEA. My kid has gone through hell. And a teacher just let it slip that they have been instructed NOT to give our child one of their accommodations in a way outlined in their 504, which they have done most likely because it creates a record if they do it the way outlined in the 504. It is a school with great teachers, but creepy upper admin that try to skirt the law at the expense of SPED kids' education and civil rights. |
Anonymous
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BASIS seems to have a single goal - graduate students who are admitted elite four-year college programs.
If your kid isn't the type who's likely to be admitted to a top four-year college, why submit them to the "hell" of the preparation at BASIS? Why tangle repeatedly with inflexible and creepy upper admins? If, all things considered, the child isn't being treated remotely fairly month after month, school year after school year, is there no alternative program for your child anywhere in the Metro area, even if you have to move to find it? Why beat your head against the wall at BASIS? Why put your kid in a situation where you'd probably have to file a case with the DCPS Ombudsman, or sue to compel BASIS to obey the law? I ask this having filed a civil rights related case with the DCPS Ombudsman last year. She promptly took the case (promoting the opposition to back down before OSSE could haul admins into embarrassing meetings). It sounds like a strong suburban MS program, where admins were motivated to meet the needs of 504 and SPED kids would be a much better fit for the lot of you. |
Anonymous
Just because the kid cannot be denied promotion doesn't mean they are on track to have a happy and productive educational experience. The academics and structure at BASIS are not for every kid, period. No charter is given anywhere near the resources to be everything to every DC family. We need strong, large, comprehensive neighborhood middle schools for that, and can't get them outside Deal. |
Anonymous
Agree with your points. As for the suburban MS programs, ones with "admins motivated to meet the needs of 504 and SPED kids" are few and far between. Come visit the SN board sometime. |
Anonymous
Why would you assume that a child with a 504 would not be the kind of kid that would go to a 4 year college? Jeez! BASIS should be held accountable for following the law, my child deserves FaPE as much as any other child. And FYI, My kid does very well at Basis DC, when they receive their accommodations and their accommodations are super easy ones to follow and implement. They adore science and have an affinity for math. The teachers are great, it's the creepy admin that care about the bottom line and not educating kids that need I it nor closing the achievement gap that are the ones putting us through hell. |
Anonymous
if a kid is struggling non stop in a particular school that really emphasizes academics then they probably don't belong there. I don't understand the parents who insist that their high special needs child has a right to BASIS. and as a parent why do you want your kid in a school where they will continually struggle, and be left behind by their peers. This is more about the parents than what is the best fit for the kid. |
Anonymous
if a kid is struggling non stop in a particular school that really emphasizes academics then they probably don't belong there. I don't understand the parents who insist that their high special needs child has a right to BASIS. and as a parent why do you want your kid in a school where they will continually struggle, and be left behind by their peers. This is more about the parents than what is the best fit for the kid. |
Anonymous
Well, we certainly will. Guarantee of BASIS through 8th grade (and HS, if we want it) v. Miner's playground? Easy choice. We'll find aftercare and weekend activities that emphasize outdoor time. Ultimately, we have a backyard, which backs out onto a park... and I can't imagine we'd be happy w/ DD at Miner past PK4 anyway unless things improve rapidly. |
Anonymous
Good luck. I truly hope your child doesn't turn out to have dyslexia or ADHD or anxiety or any other issues that wouldn't be discovered until they are in 2nd or 3rd grade. |
Anonymous
I'm not assuming that. It's just that BASIS isn't just aiming to send its grads to 4-year colleges, they have their sights on MIT, Cal Tech, Ivies, elite liberal arts colleges, military academies, first-tier public universities etc. BASIS should be held accountable for a lot of things, as a franchise and a DC branch. These include purposely rehabbing a building without creating a library, stage, or any outdoor space (even my equally cramped Manhattan school installed a basketball court on the roof), offering what's surely the weakest MS PE program in the DC public system, forcing kids who aren't ready for algebra to take it in 7th grade to avoid being held back a grade, luring parents to enroll with promises of fictional LEAP classes, hiring an college counselor without college advising background etc. Above all, they should be held accountable for actively weeding out half their MS kids without taking responsibility for doing this. Unfortunately, the creepy admins putting you through "hell" are part of the package. Much as I admire you for standing up to them, if you find yourself needing to do this repeatedly, as it sounds, it's probably time to either up your game at OSSE and/or court, move on, or make your peace with the hellishness of it all. Closing the achievement gap? For a handful of low SES superstars identified young enough and given special chances and support, maybe. For most low SES DC kids, however motivated and determined, impossible. |
Anonymous
Well, then we lottery again, but do you have any reason to think that our DD w/ dyslexia or ADHD would be better served by Miner? By the way, I wasn't claiming BASIS would be our first choice. I was just responding to the claim that high SES Capitol Hill parents wouldn't give up their neighborhood DCPSs for BASIS w/ no playground. I think that's really misunderstanding many of the folks zoned for Miner, Payne, Tyler, JO Wilson, etc. Like, yes, I don't think folks will be giving up Brent or Maury and I, personally, wouldn't give up L-T from what I know of it, but that's actually not the bulk of high SES families on the Hill... and as those schools get basically impossible to get into from OOB, I think there will be a big market for a BASIS ES near Ward 6. |