BASIS charter expansion is up for public comment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the reason BASIS parents get so defensive when posters present data showing that BASIS isn’t “advanced” when compared to other schools, e.g. Walls and MD and VA suburban schools, is that BASIS’s reputation for being oh-so-advanced is literally the only thing it has going for it. The building sucks, the extracurricular are a joke and the administration is awful. People put up with all of that because they think their kid is getting an amazingly advanced education.

Are you getting a better education than say, Elliot Hine? Of course you are. But don’t try to pretend that BASIS DC is better than Walls or top suburban high schools. It’s clearly and measurably not.

If my kid goes to BASIS for middle school and then Walls for HS, that will be fantastic! I find the comparisons to "top suburban high schools" weird and irrelevant, same as the comparisons to Sidwell, not because I don't think those schools have clear advantages but because they're obviously not on the table for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not buying that the BASIS population looks a lot different than that of selective schools and upscale suburban districts, or that tests are needed to select academically advanced students for certain classes. BASIS attracts mostly UMC families, primarily from Ward 6. The crux of the problem is that both DCPS and DCPC reject academic tracking across the board in core middle school subjects.

You sound like one of those Trump supporters who, when faced with facts, reverts to "I'm not buying it." BASIS is an open lottery. Selective schools are test-in. There is no point in trying to have a reasonable conversation with someone who refuses to acknowledge basic grounding facts. You may go.

I’m not sure why it’s an issue that parents with choices choose BASIS. Or that those whose kids are academically performing do so. This makes BASiS look more like a selective school than many other random lottery schools. Reputation (and programming) matter. Kudos to BASIS for offering an option that kids in other jurisdictions have to apply or test into.

That's one way of looking at it. Another way is shame on DCPS for denying the option that our near neighbors in VA offer: a full menu of honors classes pitched above grade level for 7th and 8th graders. For that matter, shame on DC voters for not electing pols willing to go to bat for the option. DC voters didn't react when the Council of DC Committee on Education was folded into the Committee of the Whole several years ago, making any sort of meaningful ed reform that much less likely.

Nobody has to apply or test into honors classes in Arlington or Loudoun. But if you can't handle the work, the curriculum doesn't get dumbed down for you, just like it doesn't at BASIS.

I thought that is what happens at Deal?

What? Absolutely not. Deal only tracks for math and foreign language (in a very limited/minor way).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the reason BASIS parents get so defensive when posters present data showing that BASIS isn’t “advanced” when compared to other schools, e.g. Walls and MD and VA suburban schools, is that BASIS’s reputation for being oh-so-advanced is literally the only thing it has going for it. The building sucks, the extracurricular are a joke and the administration is awful. People put up with all of that because they think their kid is getting an amazingly advanced education.

Are you getting a better education than say, Elliot Hine? Of course you are. But don’t try to pretend that BASIS DC is better than Walls or top suburban high schools. It’s clearly and measurably not.

+100. This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised by the number of people who sent their kid to BASIS and seemingly had no idea what their kid was in for. The building is a prison with no fields. The crazy curriculum is openly shared. The lack of gym, etc., is obvious. Why would you have lotteried there in the first place? Were you dumb? Did you really not have a Plan B if you couldn't get into Latin? What kind of idiots are you people?

They're not effective teachers and can't produce a happy well-balanced successful kid to save their lives, but as a for-profit they know how to market to rubes—and taxpayer pick up the bill!

Found the WTA rep. Maybe move to North Korea--you would be happier there.

USNW&R ranks 11 BASIS schools in the top 100 in the United States out of nearly 25,000 schools, and a BASIS school is ranked #1 in the whole country (with TJ in Fairfax ranked #14). So, yeah, I think that the people running BASIS know a lot more than you than running a school network. But you certainly know how to run your mouth off.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/national-rankings

DP. Couple things about BASIS in the rankings. All other BASIS schools are test-in, so that already makes their situation much different than all other schools except other test ins. But more importantly, BASIS structures their policies to affect their ranking. For example, US News gives a lot of weight to how many seniors have taken and passed at least one AP. BASIS does not allow their students to advance to senior year if they have not met this metric, so they always have 100/100, because they don’t allow kids to get to senior year if they don’t meet this.


Also, from my perspective, the people running *BASIS DC* are the problem. BASIS DC has actually dropped in the rankings year over year. They plummeted another 200 down this year and their PARCC scores have gotten worse. BASIS’s reaction to this was to cancel all electives for two weeks so they could do extensive test prep. This is the kind of thing that people are talking about when they say BASIS cares more about BASIS looking good than they do about student happiness/mental health/well-being.

The bolded is incorrect. All of the other Basis schools are open lotteries, just like Basis DC. The only difference is that the other Basis schools can administer a placement test when they are backfilling for grades 6+. The placement test is not rigorous. The kid only has to take the comprehensive exam for the previous grade for both math and English and earn a 60% on each exam. If the kid fails, they will still be offered a placement in the previous grade.

I agree with some PPs that at the high school level, the Basis offerings are similar to any other reasonably affluent school that offers a lot of AP classes. The main difference is that kids at Basis can start taking them earlier and can take more of them. Some classes might be limited because there aren't enough students to support the class or they can't find a teacher. Most Basis schools offer all of AP Physics 1, 2, and both C exams, but they need enough interested students.

Sorry, but this statement isn't factually correct. I worked at BASIS DC briefly and also taught in a MoCo HS test-in magnet program with a county-wide draw. Fact is, in this century, teenagers can take any AP exams they want any spring they want, including homeschooled students, through self-prep. Same with Cambridge exams, given in May and Nov. In MoCo, there are kids who take AP language and art exams in 8th and 9th graders and score 5s. That's clearly not happening at BASIS. I taught many MoCo students who took 8, 10 even 12 AP exams, scoring all 4s and 5s. Why anybody would do that wasn't clear to me, but they did, aiming high in college admissions from around 7th grade. In MoCo, you don't need enough interested students to take any of the four AP physics classes. They're taught at the magnets and bigger neighborhood high schools, like Bethesda Chevy-Chase, every year.

It depends on the school system. In non-TJ FCPS high schools, AP classes are gatekept pretty strongly. 9th graders are quite restricted on which APs they're allowed to take.

Aside from that, I generally agreed that Basis does not have better offerings than any other school with a lot of AP courses. It's one of the reasons attrition is so high after 8th grade. There's no need to remain at Basis for advanced coursework.

News flash: If you live in DC, you can’t send your kid to school in MD or VA.

Not sure why MD and VA posters have hijacked this thread.

You must be new here. This is what happens to EVERY BASIS thread. The posts and posters include:
1. People who sent their kids to BASIS, hated it, and spend inordinate amounts of time denigrating it and anyone who is happy there because if they aren't happy they feel strongly no one else should be.
2. People who never sent a kid to BASIS but don't let that get in the way of articulating strong opinions because they know a guy whose kid attended and/or they are "education experts" and so obviously they know more about the BASIS experience than people who attend.
3. People who want you to know that BASIS isn't as good as [insert name of VA/MD/NY school] and/or [insert nae of private school].
4. People (who will reply to this post) who reply to any post that defends BASIS with accusations of being "boosters" (weird one I never understood) or defensive or delusional or having "drunk the Kool-Aid". You have to respect the rhetorical genius of a position that says, "I get to sh*t all over you and the things you like, and any attempt to defend those things and offer counterpoints shall be summarily dismissed because you "drunk the Kool-Aid."

The posters also include people like you, who reflectively dismiss the posts of critics as spiteful BS, no matter how valid their experiences at BASIS may have been. Not sure what that makes you, maybe a booster, apologist for admins or just an ostrich, head buried in the sand. I used to think of observers who predicted that the BASIS high school experience wasn't going to improve as naysayers. But the upper school isn't improving as festering management/leadership issues are compacted. This thread makes the case pretty well. Some of us who've been rooting for BASIS for a long time are now seeking greener pastures. Sorry, but calling us names won't keep us around, or improve matters.

What's the conclusion you are trying to reach? That no one should attend BASIS?

No, that's not it. But I'd really like to see BASIS parents organize to challenge the bad admins and a bunch of hone-headed policies already mentioned on this thread, including the leveraging political support. The school is clearly losing ground on various levels. Just a year ago, we thought we'd stay for high school. Our current thinking is absolutely not, although our teen does fine academically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the reason BASIS parents get so defensive when posters present data showing that BASIS isn’t “advanced” when compared to other schools, e.g. Walls and MD and VA suburban schools, is that BASIS’s reputation for being oh-so-advanced is literally the only thing it has going for it. The building sucks, the extracurricular are a joke and the administration is awful. People put up with all of that because they think their kid is getting an amazingly advanced education.

Are you getting a better education than say, Elliot Hine? Of course you are. But don’t try to pretend that BASIS DC is better than Walls or top suburban high schools. It’s clearly and measurably not.

No, that isn't it for me. i don't care that much about how advanced it is. I'm actually happy that my child is in a lower math. What I love is the tight community. The cohort is amazing. Such a happy group of supportive kids. I know some parents do really care about college choices, but personally I don't. My family is all in education at various levels, and the only concern I have about college choice is that my child chooses a place that will make them happy and eager to learn. Basis does that now. I want the right pick, not the "best" pick. I do have almost the opposite feeling about grad schools; it really does matter which you choose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the reason BASIS parents get so defensive when posters present data showing that BASIS isn’t “advanced” when compared to other schools, e.g. Walls and MD and VA suburban schools, is that BASIS’s reputation for being oh-so-advanced is literally the only thing it has going for it. The building sucks, the extracurricular are a joke and the administration is awful. People put up with all of that because they think their kid is getting an amazingly advanced education.

Are you getting a better education than say, Elliot Hine? Of course you are. But don’t try to pretend that BASIS DC is better than Walls or top suburban high schools. It’s clearly and measurably not.

No one is pretending that the high school is better than Walls or a suburban (?) high school. But the middle school is such an excellent option for those who aren't zoned for Deal and Hardy. And the high school is a very very decent backup to Walls.

[Anonymous]

If I could ban people from coming to this particular forum to tell everyone to move to MD or VA or go private, I would. This forum is called "DC Public and Public Charter Schools."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I could ban people from coming to this particular forum to tell everyone to move to MD or VA or go private, I would. This forum is called "DC Public and Public Charter Schools."

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the reason BASIS parents get so defensive when posters present data showing that BASIS isn’t “advanced” when compared to other schools, e.g. Walls and MD and VA suburban schools, is that BASIS’s reputation for being oh-so-advanced is literally the only thing it has going for it. The building sucks, the extracurricular are a joke and the administration is awful. People put up with all of that because they think their kid is getting an amazingly advanced education.

Are you getting a better education than say, Elliot Hine? Of course you are. But don’t try to pretend that BASIS DC is better than Walls or top suburban high schools. It’s clearly and measurably not.

+100. This.

People “put up” with it because they perceive that it’s better than the IB option. So when you say, “is it better than EH? Of course it is,” you are literally asking and answering the crucial question these families are asking themselves.

Anyway, I don’t know why you all even bother with the “top” suburban schools. You really should be sending your kids to Sidwell. Or Andover. Or Exeter. Or Eton. Don’t you care about your kids?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I could ban people from coming to this particular forum to tell everyone to move to MD or VA or go private, I would. This forum is called "DC Public and Public Charter Schools."

Why? I appreciate comments comparing same and differences.

The people saying this was faced with the decision to go to or continue in DC schools and chose not to. Fair enough.

It’s not good to be in your bubble of low standards of DC schools and not see other perspectives.

I say this as a parent with a kid in DC schools.

Now if people who never live in the city and don’t know about DC schools or have to make these decisions, well that’s different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the reason BASIS parents get so defensive when posters present data showing that BASIS isn’t “advanced” when compared to other schools, e.g. Walls and MD and VA suburban schools, is that BASIS’s reputation for being oh-so-advanced is literally the only thing it has going for it. The building sucks, the extracurricular are a joke and the administration is awful. People put up with all of that because they think their kid is getting an amazingly advanced education.

Are you getting a better education than say, Elliot Hine? Of course you are. But don’t try to pretend that BASIS DC is better than Walls or top suburban high schools. It’s clearly and measurably not.

No, that isn't it for me. i don't care that much about how advanced it is. I'm actually happy that my child is in a lower math. What I love is the tight community. The cohort is amazing. Such a happy group of supportive kids. I know some parents do really care about college choices, but personally I don't. My family is all in education at various levels, and the only concern I have about college choice is that my child chooses a place that will make them happy and eager to learn. Basis does that now. I want the right pick, not the "best" pick. I do have almost the opposite feeling about grad schools; it really does matter which you choose.

Can you say more about this? My impression of BASIS has been that the kids are not particularly happy and the environment is much more competitive than supportive. Would love to be wrong.

[Anonymous]

My 9th grader got into Basis for 5th grade. We ultimately decided that it wasn't a good fit for DC who seemed to prefer the humanities at the time.

That said, its a great school for the right kid and graduating students seems to be well prepared for college. If I'd known my kid would have MIT as one of her dream schools only a few years later, we may have reconsidered at the time.

There are entitled and hateful parents with an axe to grind for nearly every celebrated DCPS/DCPCS on DCUM. We just have to do a better job of allowing them to argue amongst themselves. I have wasted energy defending Banneker and Walls because of my personal ties to both schools and I've stopped bothering. I've read encouraging insights from parents of Elliot-Hine students which have been overshadowed by the same crowd.

I'm personally committed to DC public schools and have been overall very happy thus far. I'm also encouraged to see that additional schools are moving the needle (BASIS, DCI, McKinley Tech, the addition of Macarthur).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the reason BASIS parents get so defensive when posters present data showing that BASIS isn’t “advanced” when compared to other schools, e.g. Walls and MD and VA suburban schools, is that BASIS’s reputation for being oh-so-advanced is literally the only thing it has going for it. The building sucks, the extracurricular are a joke and the administration is awful. People put up with all of that because they think their kid is getting an amazingly advanced education.

Are you getting a better education than say, Elliot Hine? Of course you are. But don’t try to pretend that BASIS DC is better than Walls or top suburban high schools. It’s clearly and measurably not.

No, that isn't it for me. i don't care that much about how advanced it is. I'm actually happy that my child is in a lower math. What I love is the tight community. The cohort is amazing. Such a happy group of supportive kids. I know some parents do really care about college choices, but personally I don't. My family is all in education at various levels, and the only concern I have about college choice is that my child chooses a place that will make them happy and eager to learn. Basis does that now. I want the right pick, not the "best" pick. I do have almost the opposite feeling about grad schools; it really does matter which you choose.

Can you say more about this? My impression of BASIS has been that the kids are not particularly happy and the environment is much more competitive than supportive. Would love to be wrong.

I will note something -- we just enrolled and have since met, in person, with many current families. I've also spent time at the school. Imagine my surprise when I saw, IRL, happy students who were laughing and smiling, in all grade levels.

It's probably a horrible fit for some kids, but the kids who like it, like it.

This forum is not representative of reality. It's representative of people on the margins of satisfaction, or on the outside.
This

[Anonymous]

Also, the shadow day is key. Kids will have a reaction to the day and that information is worth much more than anything you can read here. My kids loved it, learned things, and said the students seemed happy. He is loves being challenged and taking tests. For the right kind of kid, this school is a fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the reason BASIS parents get so defensive when posters present data showing that BASIS isn’t “advanced” when compared to other schools, e.g. Walls and MD and VA suburban schools, is that BASIS’s reputation for being oh-so-advanced is literally the only thing it has going for it. The building sucks, the extracurricular are a joke and the administration is awful. People put up with all of that because they think their kid is getting an amazingly advanced education.

Are you getting a better education than say, Elliot Hine? Of course you are. But don’t try to pretend that BASIS DC is better than Walls or top suburban high schools. It’s clearly and measurably not.

Basis parent who's never tried to pretend that. But we don't live in (and don't want to move to) the suburbs, and we didn't want the uncertainty and stress and time suck of applying to application high schools. We also don't need our kids to go the "best" HS, or "best" college, for that matter. If you're at a reasonably decent school, the education depends primarily on the student, not the specific school.