BASIS DCPCSB to open two PK3-5 campuses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

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.

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.

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.

Except they think they're going to land in Mt Pleasant - the current DCI location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

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.

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.

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.

Except they think they're going to land in Mt Pleasant - the current DCI location.

If they end up there, it will be less attractive, admittedly; though, obviously, many Hill folks trek to far-off charters every day. That said, that location may be more attractive to similar folks in Columbia Heights/Mt Pleasant/Shaw/Dupont Circle etc who face similar issues as Hill residents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

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.

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.

Our kid wants to go to MIT or Cal Tech, and gets at least distinguished honors every term,and has disabilities-most bright kids at geeky tech schools do--they deserve a great education, and don't deserved to be bullied into less of one by anyone. And we have upped our game, thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

That's where the manipulation is.
BASIS has a small percentage of outstanding students who would do very well in any school -- in fact in bigger schools, they will be exposed to so much more, even in the sciences.
For the rest, BASIS decides which students/families are welcome to stay and which students need to leave -- thus the pre-comps/comps and the finals -- 2 exams which count for almost 2/3 of the whole year.
They want your family? the comps/final grades will be quite high.
A former BASIS parent once told me that seen printed certificates for the 90's club -- almost 3 weeks before the end of the quarter year and a week before the comps had even started.
The school doesn't want your student? The grades can be pretty good (all A's and B's throughout the year and nothing to worry about) but then the final report card comes and the overall grade is downgraded by 30-40%. It happened to my very hard working kid who was doing well at BASIS, or so we thought, until we were slapped by the F's...

So the policy is that with an "F" in the finals, the A's received throughout the year will become C's and the B's will be D's. All kinds of strange reasons will be given which are all based on opinion and cannot be measured. It would not make much difference in middle school but to obliterate a young person's high school GPA simply just because they can is outrageous. By the same token, there are students considered "brilliant" at BASIS, who would be considered average elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

What an eye opener. Sick, sad and wrong at public expense. I'm very sorry that this is happened to your scholar and wish them all the best wherever they land.

When does the twisted vetting kick in? 7th grade? 8th grade? Earlier? Later?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What an eye opener. Sick, sad and wrong at public expense. I'm very sorry that this is happened to your scholar and wish them all the best wherever they land.

When does the twisted vetting kick in? 7th grade? 8th grade? Earlier? Later?

BASIS parent. I've never seen any evidence of vetting - twisted or otherwise. Most of the attrition happens at 8th grade and is expected as that is when students have lots of options in DC. Most leaving BASIS then go to application schools, Wilson (especially those who were IB but didn't want Hardy for MS) and private schools.

[Anonymous]

That's where the manipulation is.
BASIS has a small percentage of outstanding students who would do very well in any school -- in fact in bigger schools, they will be exposed to so much more, even in the sciences.
For the rest, BASIS decides which students/families are welcome to stay and which students need to leave -- thus the pre-comps/comps and the finals -- 2 exams which count for almost 2/3 of the whole year.
They want your family? the comps/final grades will be quite high.
A former BASIS parent once told me that seen printed certificates for the 90's club -- almost 3 weeks before the end of the quarter year and a week before the comps had even started.
The school doesn't want your student? The grades can be pretty good (all A's and B's throughout the year and nothing to worry about) but then the final report card comes and the overall grade is downgraded by 30-40%. It happened to my very hard working kid who was doing well at BASIS, or so we thought, until we were slapped by the F's...

So the policy is that with an "F" in the finals, the A's received throughout the year will become C's and the B's will be D's. All kinds of strange reasons will be given which are all based on opinion and cannot be measured. It would not make much difference in middle school but to obliterate a young person's high school GPA simply just because they can is outrageous. By the same token, there are students considered "brilliant" at BASIS, who would be considered average elsewhere.

This is paranoid thinking. My 7th grader is an absolutely average kid, who struggles sometimes with her schoolwork, and is never in the 90s club. Grades are a reflection of classwork, and help is available if you ask for it. I refuse to buy this idea of a conspiracy where grades are manipulated. I've seen no evidence for it.

[Anonymous]

the statement about 90's club is so true and so false. 90's club in the final term is based on work that term, and NOT comps etc. the week before comps, teachers are not allowed to assign work for credit, so essentially, you could have everyone's grades well before comps. TBT, however, I have had my kid go to speak to the academic progress director as she was printing out the 90's club certificates the morning of awards ceremonies more than once, so I doubt that part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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,

I think BASIS is pretty creepy, but in this case you need to put the blame where it's due, which is at the foot of the DC Council which continues to flout the law. The per pupil allotment at charters is about half that of DCPS, to the tune of a few thousand dollars per students.

IF the Council truly cared about providing more excellent educations for DC schoolchildren, it would close Coolidge at the end of this year, and allow several charters to have access. We don't need another $150 million dollar facility for 300 students, half of whom won't graduate anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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,

I think BASIS is pretty creepy, but in this case you need to put the blame where it's due, which is at the foot of the DC Council which continues to flout the law. The per pupil allotment at charters is about half that of DCPS, to the tune of a few thousand dollars per students.

IF the Council truly cared about providing more excellent educations for DC schoolchildren, it would close Coolidge at the end of this year, and allow several charters to have access. We don't need another $150 million dollar facility for 300 students, half of whom won't graduate anyway.

Wrong! The per pupil allotment is the same amount for DCPS students as DCPCS ones. Teachers in DCPCS, however, are definitely paid less than DCPS ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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,

I think BASIS is pretty creepy, but in this case you need to put the blame where it's due, which is at the foot of the DC Council which continues to flout the law. The per pupil allotment at charters is about half that of DCPS, to the tune of a few thousand dollars per students.

IF the Council truly cared about providing more excellent educations for DC schoolchildren, it would close Coolidge at the end of this year, and allow several charters to have access. We don't need another $150 million dollar facility for 300 students, half of whom won't graduate anyway.

Wrong! The per pupil allotment is the same amount for DCPS students as DCPCS ones. Teachers in DCPCS, however, are definitely paid less than DCPS ones.

Per pupil allocatio is supposedly, but there are many things that DCPS pays for out of separate accounts that charters don't have - most notably facilities and maintenance costs for those facilities. Charters get just ~$3K per student per year to pay rent, construction loans, janitorial staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

That's where the manipulation is.
BASIS has a small percentage of outstanding students who would do very well in any school -- in fact in bigger schools, they will be exposed to so much more, even in the sciences.
For the rest, BASIS decides which students/families are welcome to stay and which students need to leave -- thus the pre-comps/comps and the finals -- 2 exams which count for almost 2/3 of the whole year.
They want your family? the comps/final grades will be quite high.
A former BASIS parent once told me that seen printed certificates for the 90's club -- almost 3 weeks before the end of the quarter year and a week before the comps had even started.
The school doesn't want your student? The grades can be pretty good (all A's and B's throughout the year and nothing to worry about) but then the final report card comes and the overall grade is downgraded by 30-40%. It happened to my very hard working kid who was doing well at BASIS, or so we thought, until we were slapped by the F's...

So the policy is that with an "F" in the finals, the A's received throughout the year will become C's and the B's will be D's. All kinds of strange reasons will be given which are all based on opinion and cannot be measured. It would not make much difference in middle school but to obliterate a young person's high school GPA simply just because they can is outrageous. By the same token, there are students considered "brilliant" at BASIS, who would be considered average elsewhere.

What do you allege that the school's motive is? Like, if you're kid was getting As and Bs all year and actually did well on the comps, why on earth would they want to get rid of them if all they care about is high achievement? This story makes literally no sense.

[Anonymous]

Different poster than the one telling the story. BASIS makes no secret about weeding more than half of the middle schoolers out, including very hard workers performing at or above grade level, which IMHO is cruel and unnecessary. They enroll more than 100 5th graders with the goal of retaining two or three dozen fairly docile elite-college bound 12th graders - that's their model. They've been doing this in Arizona for 25 years. To thrive at BASIS, a kid needs to have a great memory (the focus is on learning facts, not reflection) and strong work ethic. But the sad truth is that a student can get by without strong analytical skills, writing skills or indeed a strong love of learning. It's a narrow education with a lot of shady salesmanship in the mix, but some families really like it and many parents stay in the city for it.

You can suck it up at Hardy or Hobson and hire your tutors, pray for lottery luck at Latin, embrace language instruction and tablet high jinks at DCI, move to the burbs, fork out for privates, or take the plunge at BASIS hoping your kids has the stamina, thick skin and memory to cope. We pick our poison in this city outside the Deal District.

[Anonymous]

So if I understand correctly, elite colleges do not want or appreciate students with good analytical or writing skills and they prefer that the students do not love learning?

And my DC would be better off at the largest comprehensive school on the city, hands down?

The bitterness and weirdness towards BASIS is limitless!

[Anonymous]

It isn't bitterness. Just facts. My 6th grader started with 175 kids, by 8th grade there were 90 students left.