I'm pretty sure I won't send my child to Basis, BUT....

[Anonymous]

kids moving around schools id different from attrition.

Attrition is when kids are dropping out because they don't make the grade and everyone is watching, wondering who will be next and you start with a class of 30 that dwindles down to 11 by graduation.

Not exactly a recipe for happy high school days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The one thing I get out of all these threads is that we need a Magnet Science MS in DC.

ditto, except we can't have a magnet middle school because traditional public schools are OUT and charters are IN. Just ask Kaya

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Jeez, this is the 4th Basis thread to spring up in 2 weeks. Another runs more than 30 pages. The same arguments and observations are being recycled ad nauseum. The jury is still out on so much. It's the demographics of the Arizona Basis suburbs that rattle me -those suburbs look like the Deal district. I don't doubt that the down to earth parents attending these meetings and their progeny will be up to the challenge, it's the ones who aren't turning up that I'm concerned about, the ones with kids scoring below basic.

My question for the PP who started this thread is, what are your MS alternatives? If it's Stuart Hobson or Hardy, Basis. If it's Deal or Latin, maybe not.

They need these threads because someone in their organization is slowly realizing that DC is not Tucson and they are going to need to think in new ways to reach their promises. Not to say they can't make it work in DC, but there is some sort of critical struggle between the boosters who want to recreate Tucson here (while misunderstanding that we are not Tucson in DC) and those who want to serve the population we have without suggesting that the population of students we have are not capable of achieving due to their challenges.

Frankly, it is a painful discussion if you care about kids.

This + 1,000!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:kids moving around schools id different from attrition.

Attrition is when kids are dropping out because they don't make the grade and everyone is watching, wondering who will be next and you start with a class of 30 that dwindles down to 11 by graduation.

Not exactly a recipe for happy high school days.

some may drop out because they don't gel with the program, not strictly academics...In many schools, too, kids who leave are replaced, it seems Basis isn't planning on that being an option past 9th grade...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The one thing I get out of all these threads is that we need a Magnet Science MS in DC.

yep!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The one thing I get out of all these threads is that we need a Magnet Science MS in DC.

yep!

Yes, absolutely yes!

BTW, I am very pro-charter, and I am glad Basis has come to DC. That said, I strongly believe they must create a model that accommodates everyone. Everyone. Unlike a DCPS magnet, they are not allowed to be selective, and it distorts the system to everyones ultimate detriment if they try to be so.

[Anonymous]

What's the big hangup on Basis having to be the school that accomodates everyone? DCPS obviously does not accomodate the needs of all those students that are fleeing DCPS (which is why the charters are so popular), and many of the other charters likewise set forth an expectation, like bilingualism, et cetera. The precedent for NOT accomodating every student's needs was set long long ago. Yes, they can't turn students away, but not being a good fit will be always a question with ANY school in the district. The argument is thus a bit of a red herring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: DCPS obviously does not accomodate the needs of all those students that are fleeing DCPS (which is why the charters are so popular), and many of the other charters likewise set forth an expectation, like bilingualism, et cetera. The precedent for NOT accomodating every student's needs was set long long ago.

Yes. I don't understand this either. Clearly there are a lot of kids who are bored with their classes, who are eager for more. Their needs aren't being met, right? So now maybe they can be. They certainly need to take all comers, and accommodate IEPs though.

- mom whose kids are way too young for Basis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's the big hangup on Basis having to be the school that accomodates everyone? DCPS obviously does not accomodate the needs of all those students that are fleeing DCPS (which is why the charters are so popular), and many of the other charters likewise set forth an expectation, like bilingualism, et cetera. The precedent for NOT accomodating every student's needs was set long long ago. Yes, they can't turn students away, but not being a good fit will be always a question with ANY school in the district. The argument is thus a bit of a red herring.

And what's the big hangup about every DC charter having to be a school that accomodates everyone? I'm not a Chinese speaker, but turned down Yu Ying after a dear Chinese-American college friend mentioned that he wasn't interested in the school because he'd figured out it turns down at least 3x the number of Chinese speakers it takes, and, thus, only has half a dozen bilingual students. An expectation of bilingualism for say, half the kids in an immersion school isn't discrimmination it's straight up common sense, a sound way to help a school achieve its goals. Of course you a big group of kids to model the language and culture for the rest for such a school to become highly succesful. And of course Basis needs a vetting mechanism to ensure that its getting almost all kids with the academic ability and drive to get through 8 AP classes or more. You can't accomodate more than a tiny fraction of students when "8 AP classes+" is your ultimate goal. If you don't set that goal, try to accomodate all the kids, and if you do, don't insult our intelligence and waste or tax dollars by pretending that you can meet it, taking years to prove that you can't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's the big hangup on Basis having to be the school that accomodates everyone? DCPS obviously does not accomodate the needs of all those students that are fleeing DCPS (which is why the charters are so popular), and many of the other charters likewise set forth an expectation, like bilingualism, et cetera. The precedent for NOT accomodating every student's needs was set long long ago. Yes, they can't turn students away, but not being a good fit will be always a question with ANY school in the district. The argument is thus a bit of a red herring.

And what's the big hangup about every DC charter having to be a school that accomodates everyone? I'm not a Chinese speaker, but turned down Yu Ying after a dear Chinese-American college friend mentioned that he wasn't interested in the school because he'd figured out it turns down at least 3x the number of Chinese speakers it takes, and, thus, only has half a dozen bilingual students. An expectation of bilingualism for say, half the kids in an immersion school isn't discrimmination it's straight up common sense, a sound way to help a school achieve its goals. Of course you a big group of kids to model the language and culture for the rest for such a school to become highly succesful. And of course Basis needs a vetting mechanism to ensure that its getting almost all kids with the academic ability and drive to get through 8 AP classes or more. You can't accomodate more than a tiny fraction of students when "8 AP classes+" is your ultimate goal. If you don't set that goal, try to accomodate all the kids, and if you do, don't insult our intelligence and waste or tax dollars by pretending that you can meet it, taking years to prove that you can't.

How is that so many people who presume to be so well-informed have no idea how charter law works?

There is NO preference for language ability, there is NO preference for academic ability. By law, charters cannot give preference to anyone other than founders or siblings.

[Anonymous]

How is that so many people who presume to be so well-informed have no idea how charter law works?

There is NO preference for language ability, there is NO preference for academic ability. By law, charters cannot give preference to anyone other than founders or siblings.

Dear sanctimonious cretan. We've read the law, know exaclty how it works, know that the charter board debates these issues all the time, and think the current arrangement is sheer, unmitigated idiocy that the thoughtful taxpayer and voter can and should challenge. No preference for language ability is only the most obtuse aspect - we're Chinese speakers who left YY in 2010 because we were sick of the commute while our kid was the only bilingual kid in his entire grade. There is NO logic in DC embracing policy that helps it remain one of the several lowest-performing school districts in our great nation, including charter schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is that so many people who presume to be so well-informed have no idea how charter law works?

There is NO preference for language ability, there is NO preference for academic ability. By law, charters cannot give preference to anyone other than founders or siblings.

Dear sanctimonious cretan. We've read the law, know exaclty how it works, know that the charter board debates these issues all the time, and think the current arrangement is sheer, unmitigated idiocy that the thoughtful taxpayer and voter can and should challenge. No preference for language ability is only the most obtuse aspect - we're Chinese speakers who left YY in 2010 because we were sick of the commute while our kid was the only bilingual kid in his entire grade. There is NO logic in DC embracing policy that helps it remain one of the several lowest-performing school districts in our great nation, including charter schools.

It's not the policy that keeps DC schools low performing; it's some kids who are already way behind before they start school and who don't have parents who can get or keep them up to speed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is that so many people who presume to be so well-informed have no idea how charter law works?

There is NO preference for language ability, there is NO preference for academic ability. By law, charters cannot give preference to anyone other than founders or siblings.

Dear sanctimonious cretan. We've read the law, know exaclty how it works, know that the charter board debates these issues all the time, and think the current arrangement is sheer, unmitigated idiocy that the thoughtful taxpayer and voter can and should challenge. No preference for language ability is only the most obtuse aspect - we're Chinese speakers who left YY in 2010 because we were sick of the commute while our kid was the only bilingual kid in his entire grade. There is NO logic in DC embracing policy that helps it remain one of the several lowest-performing school districts in our great nation, including charter schools.

It's not the policy that keeps DC schools low performing; it's some kids who are already way behind before they start school and who don't have parents who can get or keep them up to speed.

And the mass of parents who insist that no kid can be educated better than these students who are being handicapped by their parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is that so many people who presume to be so well-informed have no idea how charter law works?

There is NO preference for language ability, there is NO preference for academic ability. By law, charters cannot give preference to anyone other than founders or siblings.

Dear sanctimonious cretan. We've read the law, know exaclty how it works, know that the charter board debates these issues all the time, and think the current arrangement is sheer, unmitigated idiocy that the thoughtful taxpayer and voter can and should challenge. No preference for language ability is only the most obtuse aspect - we're Chinese speakers who left YY in 2010 because we were sick of the commute while our kid was the only bilingual kid in his entire grade. There is NO logic in DC embracing policy that helps it remain one of the several lowest-performing school districts in our great nation, including charter schools.

I'm hesitant to mention this to someone as broadly-informed on policy as you obviously are, but suggesting the law to be "sheer, unmitigated idiocy" probably isn't going to effect the sort of change you desire. Believe it or not, (shocking, yes!) your emotion does not convey the sort of thoughtful, educated position that would be more persuasive. So, loathe as I am to interpret such a politically astute individual as yourself, may I suggest a more nuanced approach to the law itself (perhaps even its proponents)?

Yours in diplomacy,

Anon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is that so many people who presume to be so well-informed have no idea how charter law works?

There is NO preference for language ability, there is NO preference for academic ability. By law, charters cannot give preference to anyone other than founders or siblings.

Dear sanctimonious cretan. We've read the law, know exaclty how it works, know that the charter board debates these issues all the time, and think the current arrangement is sheer, unmitigated idiocy that the thoughtful taxpayer and voter can and should challenge. No preference for language ability is only the most obtuse aspect - we're Chinese speakers who left YY in 2010 because we were sick of the commute while our kid was the only bilingual kid in his entire grade. There is NO logic in DC embracing policy that helps it remain one of the several lowest-performing school districts in our great nation, including charter schools.

It's not the policy that keeps DC schools low performing; it's some kids who are already way behind before they start school and who don't have parents who can get or keep them up to speed.

And the mass of parents who insist that no kid can be educated better than these students who are being handicapped by their parents.

And the administrators who is insist that teachers can singlehandedly bring any kid up to grade level with great teaching alone.

And the city leaders and school reform funders who back them in this disastrous effort.