USN&WR high school ranking are out!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow—won’t be long before BASIS DC, a 100% lottery school, ranks above Walls, which only takes straight A students.

That is totally misleading. Yes, basis accepts by lottery -- in 5th grade. It then forces out kids who aren't successful and refuses to accept any new students for 9th grade.

Oh stop. There's lots of schools in DC that have similar policies. BASIS is not unique.

Really? Name one.

Every bilingual school in the city?

What on earth are you talking about. That's definitely not true. Name even one school that does that, with cites. LAMB and YY stop accepting kids at a certain grade but they don't require anyone to repeat grades.

No one ever raised the issue of repeating grades, except for you.

You said "similar policies", and incentivizing kids to leave with developmentally inappropriate retention policies is key to how BASIS operates.

It seems very DC that people hate BASIS, one of the best schools in the city, but they have no problem with the dozens and dozens of steaming piles of shit that pass for public schools in this city.

No, it's because BASIS boosters are narcissistic and annoying, and they're constantly claiming that BASIS is the best when really it's a selective school pretending not to be selective, so the comparison isn't meaningful.

Seems like an abuse of the word selective. Were you required to submit test scores or grades or a writing sample or literally anything at all when you applied to BASIS? No, you were not.

You can say there's self selection going on, but that happens across the city. Hard to go to any public school WOTP without being able to afford a $2 million house.

Why don't you explain to us what's required to be promoted from 6th grade to 7th grade at BASIS. That's where it is selective.

Why don't you explain to us why there's a wealth test that parents must pass before they can send their kids to Janney and Deal and JK? That's where it is selective.

You first

I'd rather have a school have high academic standards, and stick to those standards, than have a school that discriminates against children whose parents don't happen to be rich.

Which school would that be? If it's not BASIS, then why does BASIS have a lower economically disadvantaged percentage than JR and Deal?

Remind me which neighborhoods you're required to live in before your kid can attend BASIS.

It's not a requirement of JR or Deal either. There are non-residential ways to get in, such as through feeder schools.

It's not a requirement if you went to Janney! Which school, BASIS or JR, takes kids who live in Congress Heights?

A rising 9th grader, enrolling as a new student? Neither.

Disingenuous much? If you're going into fifth grade and you have the right lottery number, BASIS doesnt care where you live or how poor you are. That's a different universe from how WOTP schools operate.

Right, they only care if you're below grade level and will push you out. Unlike Ward 3 schools, who will continue to serve the child in an age-appropriate setting.

Is reading Animal Farm in 12th grade age appropriate?

I think everyone with half a brain understands that going to BASIS is perhaps a bit like going to MIT. It's not going to be fun, and you're going to miss out on a lot of normal kid stuff, but on the other hand, you'll get a terrific education.

Is being 17 in the 6th grade age appropriate? Because that's what BASIS is offering to some students. And that's why people leave.

lol.

Uh, no, that doesn’t happen.

So now Basis is engaged in social promotion?

The only reason Basis doesn’t have 17 year olds in 6th grade is that when Basis fails to educate its own students, it then sends them away for some other school to deal with. Standing on its own, the Basis model calls for 17 year olds in 6th grade.

Ok, so you're admitting that you were lying. Got it.

I’m a DP. And the PP didn’t say Basis has 17 year olds in 6th grade. The PP said that being 17 in 6th grade is “what Basis is offering to some students.” And that’s true. Basis has no plan to actually teach struggling students. The Basis model is, struggling students shall repeat 6th grade until they are so old that DC won’t pay for them to attend any more. Of course no parent would actually put a child through that, and what happens in reality is that the children leave for other schools. Which is to say that the Basis model is parasitic upon the very same schools that its boosters deride.

What on earth is this. Here are a few ways BASIS helps struggling students:

Every teacher has office hours once a week after school and kids can come and get one:one help. I know many kids who did this and raised Cs to As.

Georgetown students are there after school and provide free tutoring.

It is an advanced curriculum that is probably not appropriate for many students, so they leave. But it's absolutely not true that BASIS doesn't try to help struggling students who want to try.


(I realize that any positive fact revealed about BASIS is seen as "boosterism." So I'm going to stick with correcting incorrect facts.)

"So they leave", as if the threat of retention has nothing to do with it.

BASIS curates its 7th-12th grades using testing. That's the bottom line here. It's selective.

You want us to be mad because BASIS doesn't do social promotion? It's literally impossible to flunk at my neighborhood high school.

NP. No PP is not mad but when you do comparisons, it is a “selective” school in this sense because it seeds out these kids.

Bottom line, don’t boost the school, admit it is selective, and stop saying it’s so great compared to other schools that are not selective.

It is not rocket science but point above has to be made every time .

You have a curious fixation about this. I don't think anyone else cares whether it could be considered selective.

BASIS boosters care about it. They don't want to acknowledge it because then they'd have to admit that BASIS isn't actually as high performing as they'd like people to believe.

I dont think BASIS parents feel they have anything to prove. Look at which colleges their kids go to. It's only the BASIS haters like you who care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there's lots of WOTP mommies on this thread who are unhappy to learn that the best high schools in the city are not...west of the park.

Yeah this has devolved basically into a thread of people unhappy their kid didn't get into Walls and that Black kids may be getting an ok education without their saviorism.

My kids are too young for walls but I’m so sad that the rigor has gone down. I know many kids at walls (terrific kids btw) who confirm that the school has changed a lot. I also know a lot of kids whose strategy is great grades at a poor performing middle school. No interest in sending my top performing kid into a school where their colleagues aren’t performing at grade level. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there's lots of WOTP mommies on this thread who are unhappy to learn that the best high schools in the city are not...west of the park.

Yeah this has devolved basically into a thread of people unhappy their kid didn't get into Walls and that Black kids may be getting an ok education without their saviorism.

My kids are too young for walls but I’m so sad that the rigor has gone down. I know many kids at walls (terrific kids btw) who confirm that the school has changed a lot. I also know a lot of kids whose strategy is great grades at a poor performing middle school. No interest in sending my top performing kid into a school where their colleagues aren’t performing at grade level. Sorry.

I have a middle schooler and I've seen this, too (we did not go this route and chose hard school for our kids).

But the lack of entrance exam and focus on only A students has created perverse incentives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there's lots of WOTP mommies on this thread who are unhappy to learn that the best high schools in the city are not...west of the park.

Yeah this has devolved basically into a thread of people unhappy their kid didn't get into Walls and that Black kids may be getting an ok education without their saviorism.

My kids are too young for walls but I’m so sad that the rigor has gone down. I know many kids at walls (terrific kids btw) who confirm that the school has changed a lot. I also know a lot of kids whose strategy is great grades at a poor performing middle school. No interest in sending my top performing kid into a school where their colleagues aren’t performing at grade level. Sorry.

HS is four years and most of these complaints about it going downhill predate COVID. How long are these kids at Walls?

And sorry every complaint about lower performing middle school admission is basically I'm mad Black kids and white families that stay in local DCPS are allowed to get in when I wanted to game the system with my privilege.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there's lots of WOTP mommies on this thread who are unhappy to learn that the best high schools in the city are not...west of the park.

Yeah this has devolved basically into a thread of people unhappy their kid didn't get into Walls and that Black kids may be getting an ok education without their saviorism.

My kids are too young for walls but I’m so sad that the rigor has gone down. I know many kids at walls (terrific kids btw) who confirm that the school has changed a lot. I also know a lot of kids whose strategy is great grades at a poor performing middle school. No interest in sending my top performing kid into a school where their colleagues aren’t performing at grade level. Sorry.

I have a middle schooler and I've seen this, too (we did not go this route and chose hard school for our kids).

But the lack of entrance exam and focus on only A students has created perverse incentives.

This is exactly correct. I understand why someone with a poor performing high school would do anything to get their kiddo into an application high school. That said I don’t think they’re setting their kid up for success to do the bare minimum at a poor performing middle school. Scary CAPE scores should tell you something!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow—won’t be long before BASIS DC, a 100% lottery school, ranks above Walls, which only takes straight A students.

That is totally misleading. Yes, basis accepts by lottery -- in 5th grade. It then forces out kids who aren't successful and refuses to accept any new students for 9th grade.

Oh stop. There's lots of schools in DC that have similar policies. BASIS is not unique.

Really? Name one.

Every bilingual school in the city?

What on earth are you talking about. That's definitely not true. Name even one school that does that, with cites. LAMB and YY stop accepting kids at a certain grade but they don't require anyone to repeat grades.

No one ever raised the issue of repeating grades, except for you.

You said "similar policies", and incentivizing kids to leave with developmentally inappropriate retention policies is key to how BASIS operates.

It seems very DC that people hate BASIS, one of the best schools in the city, but they have no problem with the dozens and dozens of steaming piles of shit that pass for public schools in this city.

No, it's because BASIS boosters are narcissistic and annoying, and they're constantly claiming that BASIS is the best when really it's a selective school pretending not to be selective, so the comparison isn't meaningful.

Seems like an abuse of the word selective. Were you required to submit test scores or grades or a writing sample or literally anything at all when you applied to BASIS? No, you were not.

You can say there's self selection going on, but that happens across the city. Hard to go to any public school WOTP without being able to afford a $2 million house.

Why don't you explain to us what's required to be promoted from 6th grade to 7th grade at BASIS. That's where it is selective.

Why don't you explain to us why there's a wealth test that parents must pass before they can send their kids to Janney and Deal and JK? That's where it is selective.

You first

I'd rather have a school have high academic standards, and stick to those standards, than have a school that discriminates against children whose parents don't happen to be rich.

Which school would that be? If it's not BASIS, then why does BASIS have a lower economically disadvantaged percentage than JR and Deal?

Remind me which neighborhoods you're required to live in before your kid can attend BASIS.

It's not a requirement of JR or Deal either. There are non-residential ways to get in, such as through feeder schools.

It's not a requirement if you went to Janney! Which school, BASIS or JR, takes kids who live in Congress Heights?

A rising 9th grader, enrolling as a new student? Neither.

Disingenuous much? If you're going into fifth grade and you have the right lottery number, BASIS doesnt care where you live or how poor you are. That's a different universe from how WOTP schools operate.

Right, they only care if you're below grade level and will push you out. Unlike Ward 3 schools, who will continue to serve the child in an age-appropriate setting.

Is reading Animal Farm in 12th grade age appropriate?

I think everyone with half a brain understands that going to BASIS is perhaps a bit like going to MIT. It's not going to be fun, and you're going to miss out on a lot of normal kid stuff, but on the other hand, you'll get a terrific education.

MIT can be fun. Some of their frat parties can be nuts and attract kids from neighboring schools. They also offer every NCAA sport and win D3 championships in a number of sports.

I don’t think there is a US college you can compare to BASIS because no US college believe an absence of sports, clubs and all kinds of other non-academic activities makes for a great college experience.

It is crazy that people keep saying that BASIS doesn't have sports or clubs. My child is having a hard time trying to fit in all of their varsity sports (3) and leadership positions in the common app. They aren't including anything that is lower than Vice President, and still there are too many to fit. The number of extracurriculars that the students have done is incredible. Also, you all know that there are lots of extracurriculars in the city that are not tied to a school directly, right? Maybe your kids don't know how to tap into those resources, but the BASIS kids sure do. Do you know anything at all about senior project? Also hilarious saying that they don't have fun. Anyone who says that clearly doesn't have a senior.

Yes, it is selective. After 6th grade, you must be on grade level to continue. Basis has two years to get you to grade level, but if you start behind, it is hard work. I know several kids who didn't make it the first time, but put in the work and stayed on track for the rest of school. I also know a kid who wasn't an academic fit, but the kid really wanted to stay and the school worked with him extraordinarily closely (several hours a day with private instruction during covid, I know for a fact) to keep him from falling behind. It isn't a school for everyone. If it sounds like it would be hell for your child, it probably isnt a good fit. It was for mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow—won’t be long before BASIS DC, a 100% lottery school, ranks above Walls, which only takes straight A students.

That is totally misleading. Yes, basis accepts by lottery -- in 5th grade. It then forces out kids who aren't successful and refuses to accept any new students for 9th grade.

Oh stop. There's lots of schools in DC that have similar policies. BASIS is not unique.

Really? Name one.

Every bilingual school in the city?

What on earth are you talking about. That's definitely not true. Name even one school that does that, with cites. LAMB and YY stop accepting kids at a certain grade but they don't require anyone to repeat grades.

No one ever raised the issue of repeating grades, except for you.

You said "similar policies", and incentivizing kids to leave with developmentally inappropriate retention policies is key to how BASIS operates.

It seems very DC that people hate BASIS, one of the best schools in the city, but they have no problem with the dozens and dozens of steaming piles of shit that pass for public schools in this city.

No, it's because BASIS boosters are narcissistic and annoying, and they're constantly claiming that BASIS is the best when really it's a selective school pretending not to be selective, so the comparison isn't meaningful.

Seems like an abuse of the word selective. Were you required to submit test scores or grades or a writing sample or literally anything at all when you applied to BASIS? No, you were not.

You can say there's self selection going on, but that happens across the city. Hard to go to any public school WOTP without being able to afford a $2 million house.

Why don't you explain to us what's required to be promoted from 6th grade to 7th grade at BASIS. That's where it is selective.

Why don't you explain to us why there's a wealth test that parents must pass before they can send their kids to Janney and Deal and JK? That's where it is selective.

You first

I'd rather have a school have high academic standards, and stick to those standards, than have a school that discriminates against children whose parents don't happen to be rich.

Which school would that be? If it's not BASIS, then why does BASIS have a lower economically disadvantaged percentage than JR and Deal?

Remind me which neighborhoods you're required to live in before your kid can attend BASIS.

It's not a requirement of JR or Deal either. There are non-residential ways to get in, such as through feeder schools.

It's not a requirement if you went to Janney! Which school, BASIS or JR, takes kids who live in Congress Heights?

A rising 9th grader, enrolling as a new student? Neither.

Disingenuous much? If you're going into fifth grade and you have the right lottery number, BASIS doesnt care where you live or how poor you are. That's a different universe from how WOTP schools operate.

Right, they only care if you're below grade level and will push you out. Unlike Ward 3 schools, who will continue to serve the child in an age-appropriate setting.

Is reading Animal Farm in 12th grade age appropriate?

I think everyone with half a brain understands that going to BASIS is perhaps a bit like going to MIT. It's not going to be fun, and you're going to miss out on a lot of normal kid stuff, but on the other hand, you'll get a terrific education.

MIT can be fun. Some of their frat parties can be nuts and attract kids from neighboring schools. They also offer every NCAA sport and win D3 championships in a number of sports.

I don’t think there is a US college you can compare to BASIS because no US college believe an absence of sports, clubs and all kinds of other non-academic activities makes for a great college experience.

It is crazy that people keep saying that BASIS doesn't have sports or clubs. My child is having a hard time trying to fit in all of their varsity sports (3) and leadership positions in the common app. They aren't including anything that is lower than Vice President, and still there are too many to fit. The number of extracurriculars that the students have done is incredible. Also, you all know that there are lots of extracurriculars in the city that are not tied to a school directly, right? Maybe your kids don't know how to tap into those resources, but the BASIS kids sure do. Do you know anything at all about senior project? Also hilarious saying that they don't have fun. Anyone who says that clearly doesn't have a senior.

Yes, it is selective. After 6th grade, you must be on grade level to continue. Basis has two years to get you to grade level, but if you start behind, it is hard work. I know several kids who didn't make it the first time, but put in the work and stayed on track for the rest of school. I also know a kid who wasn't an academic fit, but the kid really wanted to stay and the school worked with him extraordinarily closely (several hours a day with private instruction during covid, I know for a fact) to keep him from falling behind. It isn't a school for everyone. If it sounds like it would be hell for your child, it probably isnt a good fit. It was for mine.

Thank you for acknowledging that it is selective. I don't know why that's so hard for so many people. I guess because it makes their "success" less compelling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow—won’t be long before BASIS DC, a 100% lottery school, ranks above Walls, which only takes straight A students.

Sure made a lot of 5th grade offers this year....

Can anyone fill me in on why BASIS makes so many more 5th grade lottery offers than Latin does? Thanks.

Because most parents don't want to send their kids to a pressure cooker school with no library or gym?

Library dude is back! I missed this crackpot. Welcome back my friend.

I'm not library dude. And don't care about BASIS. But my kid's favorite place to hang in his high school is the library, so I'm glad he has one. Which is why I mentioned it.

Mine too! They often go to MLK for lunchtime or other free periods. I know because I get notifications frequently that my child has reserved a teen room. It is a really tremendous library. Anyone who hasn't been there since the renovation should absolutely check it out!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow—won’t be long before BASIS DC, a 100% lottery school, ranks above Walls, which only takes straight A students.

That is totally misleading. Yes, basis accepts by lottery -- in 5th grade. It then forces out kids who aren't successful and refuses to accept any new students for 9th grade.

Oh stop. There's lots of schools in DC that have similar policies. BASIS is not unique.

Really? Name one.

Every bilingual school in the city?

What on earth are you talking about. That's definitely not true. Name even one school that does that, with cites. LAMB and YY stop accepting kids at a certain grade but they don't require anyone to repeat grades.

No one ever raised the issue of repeating grades, except for you.

You said "similar policies", and incentivizing kids to leave with developmentally inappropriate retention policies is key to how BASIS operates.

It seems very DC that people hate BASIS, one of the best schools in the city, but they have no problem with the dozens and dozens of steaming piles of shit that pass for public schools in this city.

No, it's because BASIS boosters are narcissistic and annoying, and they're constantly claiming that BASIS is the best when really it's a selective school pretending not to be selective, so the comparison isn't meaningful.

Seems like an abuse of the word selective. Were you required to submit test scores or grades or a writing sample or literally anything at all when you applied to BASIS? No, you were not.

You can say there's self selection going on, but that happens across the city. Hard to go to any public school WOTP without being able to afford a $2 million house.

Why don't you explain to us what's required to be promoted from 6th grade to 7th grade at BASIS. That's where it is selective.

Why don't you explain to us why there's a wealth test that parents must pass before they can send their kids to Janney and Deal and JK? That's where it is selective.

You first

I'd rather have a school have high academic standards, and stick to those standards, than have a school that discriminates against children whose parents don't happen to be rich.

Which school would that be? If it's not BASIS, then why does BASIS have a lower economically disadvantaged percentage than JR and Deal?

Remind me which neighborhoods you're required to live in before your kid can attend BASIS.

It's not a requirement of JR or Deal either. There are non-residential ways to get in, such as through feeder schools.

It's not a requirement if you went to Janney! Which school, BASIS or JR, takes kids who live in Congress Heights?

A rising 9th grader, enrolling as a new student? Neither.

Disingenuous much? If you're going into fifth grade and you have the right lottery number, BASIS doesnt care where you live or how poor you are. That's a different universe from how WOTP schools operate.

Right, they only care if you're below grade level and will push you out. Unlike Ward 3 schools, who will continue to serve the child in an age-appropriate setting.

Is reading Animal Farm in 12th grade age appropriate?

I think everyone with half a brain understands that going to BASIS is perhaps a bit like going to MIT. It's not going to be fun, and you're going to miss out on a lot of normal kid stuff, but on the other hand, you'll get a terrific education.

MIT can be fun. Some of their frat parties can be nuts and attract kids from neighboring schools. They also offer every NCAA sport and win D3 championships in a number of sports.

I don’t think there is a US college you can compare to BASIS because no US college believe an absence of sports, clubs and all kinds of other non-academic activities makes for a great college experience.

It is crazy that people keep saying that BASIS doesn't have sports or clubs. My child is having a hard time trying to fit in all of their varsity sports (3) and leadership positions in the common app. They aren't including anything that is lower than Vice President, and still there are too many to fit. The number of extracurriculars that the students have done is incredible. Also, you all know that there are lots of extracurriculars in the city that are not tied to a school directly, right? Maybe your kids don't know how to tap into those resources, but the BASIS kids sure do. Do you know anything at all about senior project? Also hilarious saying that they don't have fun. Anyone who says that clearly doesn't have a senior.

Yes, it is selective. After 6th grade, you must be on grade level to continue. Basis has two years to get you to grade level, but if you start behind, it is hard work. I know several kids who didn't make it the first time, but put in the work and stayed on track for the rest of school. I also know a kid who wasn't an academic fit, but the kid really wanted to stay and the school worked with him extraordinarily closely (several hours a day with private instruction during covid, I know for a fact) to keep him from falling behind. It isn't a school for everyone. If it sounds like it would be hell for your child, it probably isnt a good fit. It was for mine.

Thank you for acknowledging that it is selective. I don't know why that's so hard for so many people. I guess because it makes their "success" less compelling.

I think the issue is that no one cares except for you. It also seems shitty that you put "success" in quotes. The students at BASIS are children. When they get into fantastic colleges, which they tend to do, it's because they worked their asses off. Nobody is giving them anything, and there's no need to put an asterisk next to their accomplishments. Try to learn to be less petty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow—won’t be long before BASIS DC, a 100% lottery school, ranks above Walls, which only takes straight A students.

That is totally misleading. Yes, basis accepts by lottery -- in 5th grade. It then forces out kids who aren't successful and refuses to accept any new students for 9th grade.

Oh stop. There's lots of schools in DC that have similar policies. BASIS is not unique.

Really? Name one.

Every bilingual school in the city?

What on earth are you talking about. That's definitely not true. Name even one school that does that, with cites. LAMB and YY stop accepting kids at a certain grade but they don't require anyone to repeat grades.

No one ever raised the issue of repeating grades, except for you.

You said "similar policies", and incentivizing kids to leave with developmentally inappropriate retention policies is key to how BASIS operates.

It seems very DC that people hate BASIS, one of the best schools in the city, but they have no problem with the dozens and dozens of steaming piles of shit that pass for public schools in this city.

No, it's because BASIS boosters are narcissistic and annoying, and they're constantly claiming that BASIS is the best when really it's a selective school pretending not to be selective, so the comparison isn't meaningful.

Seems like an abuse of the word selective. Were you required to submit test scores or grades or a writing sample or literally anything at all when you applied to BASIS? No, you were not.

You can say there's self selection going on, but that happens across the city. Hard to go to any public school WOTP without being able to afford a $2 million house.

Why don't you explain to us what's required to be promoted from 6th grade to 7th grade at BASIS. That's where it is selective.

Why don't you explain to us why there's a wealth test that parents must pass before they can send their kids to Janney and Deal and JK? That's where it is selective.

You first

I'd rather have a school have high academic standards, and stick to those standards, than have a school that discriminates against children whose parents don't happen to be rich.

Which school would that be? If it's not BASIS, then why does BASIS have a lower economically disadvantaged percentage than JR and Deal?

Remind me which neighborhoods you're required to live in before your kid can attend BASIS.

It's not a requirement of JR or Deal either. There are non-residential ways to get in, such as through feeder schools.

It's not a requirement if you went to Janney! Which school, BASIS or JR, takes kids who live in Congress Heights?

A rising 9th grader, enrolling as a new student? Neither.

Disingenuous much? If you're going into fifth grade and you have the right lottery number, BASIS doesnt care where you live or how poor you are. That's a different universe from how WOTP schools operate.

Right, they only care if you're below grade level and will push you out. Unlike Ward 3 schools, who will continue to serve the child in an age-appropriate setting.

Is reading Animal Farm in 12th grade age appropriate?

I think everyone with half a brain understands that going to BASIS is perhaps a bit like going to MIT. It's not going to be fun, and you're going to miss out on a lot of normal kid stuff, but on the other hand, you'll get a terrific education.

MIT can be fun. Some of their frat parties can be nuts and attract kids from neighboring schools. They also offer every NCAA sport and win D3 championships in a number of sports.

I don’t think there is a US college you can compare to BASIS because no US college believe an absence of sports, clubs and all kinds of other non-academic activities makes for a great college experience.

It is crazy that people keep saying that BASIS doesn't have sports or clubs. My child is having a hard time trying to fit in all of their varsity sports (3) and leadership positions in the common app. They aren't including anything that is lower than Vice President, and still there are too many to fit. The number of extracurriculars that the students have done is incredible. Also, you all know that there are lots of extracurriculars in the city that are not tied to a school directly, right? Maybe your kids don't know how to tap into those resources, but the BASIS kids sure do. Do you know anything at all about senior project? Also hilarious saying that they don't have fun. Anyone who says that clearly doesn't have a senior.

Yes, it is selective. After 6th grade, you must be on grade level to continue. Basis has two years to get you to grade level, but if you start behind, it is hard work. I know several kids who didn't make it the first time, but put in the work and stayed on track for the rest of school. I also know a kid who wasn't an academic fit, but the kid really wanted to stay and the school worked with him extraordinarily closely (several hours a day with private instruction during covid, I know for a fact) to keep him from falling behind. It isn't a school for everyone. If it sounds like it would be hell for your child, it probably isnt a good fit. It was for mine.

Thank you for acknowledging that it is selective. I don't know why that's so hard for so many people. I guess because it makes their "success" less compelling.

I think the issue is that no one cares except for you. It also seems shitty that you put "success" in quotes. The students at BASIS are children. When they get into fantastic colleges, which they tend to do, it's because they worked their asses off. Nobody is giving them anything, and there's no need to put an asterisk next to their accomplishments. Try to learn to be less petty.

What's petty is the BASIS boosters who try to artificially pump up their school's reputation by insisting it isn't selective when actually it is.

[Anonymous]

Nobody is denying that it is selective. Everyone has the opportunity (if you get the lottery) to get in. But you must put in the work to stay. If you don't, it doesn't work. If it isn't an academic fit, it might not be a good choice for you. I have never heard anyone say that it is for everyone or that it isn't selective in high school. It must be. That is the only way that the kids can keep plugging through at the same speed and level. But I think it is hard to say that diplomatically because I believe - and I assume that most at basis believe - that tons of super smart kids who will do well in life wouldn't like basis. Best to actually pay attention to your kid and what they want. Don't send your child to a bad fit school if you can help it.

Also, racially, Basis is extremely diverse. I might be wrong, but I was under the impression that it is the most racially diverse school in the city.

But none of these schools are apples to apples. Walls and Banneker are both selective. We are all just doing our best to find the best fit for our kids knowing that all the potential options here have some difficulties. Why demonize any of them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nobody is denying that it is selective. Everyone has the opportunity (if you get the lottery) to get in. But you must put in the work to stay. If you don't, it doesn't work. If it isn't an academic fit, it might not be a good choice for you. I have never heard anyone say that it is for everyone or that it isn't selective in high school. It must be. That is the only way that the kids can keep plugging through at the same speed and level. But I think it is hard to say that diplomatically because I believe - and I assume that most at basis believe - that tons of super smart kids who will do well in life wouldn't like basis. Best to actually pay attention to your kid and what they want. Don't send your child to a bad fit school if you can help it.

Also, racially, Basis is extremely diverse. I might be wrong, but I was under the impression that it is the most racially diverse school in the city.

But none of these schools are apples to apples. Walls and Banneker are both selective. We are all just doing our best to find the best fit for our kids knowing that all the potential options here have some difficulties. Why demonize any of them?

Very racially diverse, but not class diverse -- very low percentage of at-risk students.



19% Black/African-American
7% Asian
10% Hispanic / Latino
<1% Native American / Alaska Native
<1% Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander
49% White non-Hispanic
15% Multiracial

[Anonymous]

That is what I thought. It would be very difficult to do well there if you were at risk. And honestly still difficult if yours family really relied on you with responsibilities, like watching siblings or cooking dinner, on a regular basis. They go through heavy work times and lighter work times, and it would be very hard to fit in a ton of other obligations during the heavier times, especially because most of the kids do a lot of extracurriculars and the culture is to show up and work hard regardless. I can't possibly imagine how difficult that would be with housing insecurity. We do realize that our children are incredibly privileged to have the time to be a full part of the community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nobody is denying that it is selective. Everyone has the opportunity (if you get the lottery) to get in. But you must put in the work to stay. If you don't, it doesn't work. If it isn't an academic fit, it might not be a good choice for you. I have never heard anyone say that it is for everyone or that it isn't selective in high school. It must be. That is the only way that the kids can keep plugging through at the same speed and level. But I think it is hard to say that diplomatically because I believe - and I assume that most at basis believe - that tons of super smart kids who will do well in life wouldn't like basis. Best to actually pay attention to your kid and what they want. Don't send your child to a bad fit school if you can help it.

Also, racially, Basis is extremely diverse. I might be wrong, but I was under the impression that it is the most racially diverse school in the city.

But none of these schools are apples to apples. Walls and Banneker are both selective. We are all just doing our best to find the best fit for our kids knowing that all the potential options here have some difficulties. Why demonize any of them?

It is indeed not the most racially diverse school in the district. Certainly not the least, but definitely not the most.

[Anonymous]

Well, I thought it might be true, so I went to last year's numbers and it is.

Basis has the smallest percentage of black schools among high schools at 17.4%!

This includes middle school students as well, so the number may well be lower if we could isolate high school students, but alas, the chart doesn't list that statistic.

Another superlative to add to the list.

The next smallest is School Without Walls at 22.7%.

Numbers are here if you want to check them.

https://osse.dc.gov/page/2024-25-school-year-enrollment-audit-report-and-data