Does anyone know the status of the Proposed BASIS Expansion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reality is that you can do all the research there is to do on BASIS without knowing how your kid(s) will react to their middle school experience there, or the prospect of staying for HS. You also can’t plan for who will be in charge at BASIS year to year, since the leadership can change. When my eldest realized that none of her close friends would be returning for 9th grade, she staunchly refused to stay, despite her high GPA and strong STEM interests. Apparently, her friend group was what had made BASIS bearable for her. As for what makes applying to private high schools challenging w/out support from BASIS, talk to parents whose middle schools actively market their 8th graders to high schools. I would include the best DCPS middle schools in this category of school.

This friend factor is impossible for parents to factor in when it comes to the HS decision and I think it comes as a surprise to many parents.

[Anonymous]

Since basis grades harder than DCPS and other charter middles and there's no exam anymore to get into Walls, it seems risky to assume that a kid can go from basis to walls or another high school that looks at gpa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disagree that many more CH parents will head to JA, EH and SH if most BASIS spits are pinned down by K-4 families. More like more will move or go private. BASIS has been the Hill’s most popular MS for more than a decade now for a reason.

Unlikely. Lots of parents on the Hill can't afford to move or go private. They will send their kids to Hill MS or other charters.

Depends on the school. Most IB Brent families can afford private ($$ real estate, little low cost housing) plus a sizable chunk of L-T, Maury & Watkins IB families. Obviously not all families will go private for a variety of reasons with financials as a heavy component, but I do think if BASIS middle school spots dry up, at least a third of families that would have gone there will move or go private instead.

You sent a kid to Brent? We sent several, over a decade. Most Brent families can't afford privates easily. I'm guessing that at least three quarters of my children's 4th grade cohorts at Brent stayed in public schools (but not necessarily DC public schools).

The vast majority of Brent parents own their homes. Virtually any of those families can afford privates if they want to. They may have other priorities and if their kid gets into BASIS, they're all set. But if BASIS seats dry up? They can afford to move or go private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since basis grades harder than DCPS and other charter middles and there's no exam anymore to get into Walls, it seems risky to assume that a kid can go from basis to walls or another high school that looks at gpa.

+1 one off day in 7th grade can blow your GPA and you can say goodbye to applying to Walls. I’m not sure about the other public application schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since basis grades harder than DCPS and other charter middles and there's no exam anymore to get into Walls, it seems risky to assume that a kid can go from basis to walls or another high school that looks at gpa.

+1 one off day in 7th grade can blow your GPA and you can say goodbye to applying to Walls. I’m not sure about the other public application schools.

Demographic reasons mean that the number of students applying to high school will only increase until about five years from now. Each year is a new situation. But also, new high school seats are opening, so, again, it's hard to know what the future will look like for students now in upper elementary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reality is that you can do all the research there is to do on BASIS without knowing how your kid(s) will react to their middle school experience there, or the prospect of staying for HS. You also can’t plan for who will be in charge at BASIS year to year, since the leadership can change. When my eldest realized that none of her close friends would be returning for 9th grade, she staunchly refused to stay, despite her high GPA and strong STEM interests. Apparently, her friend group was what had made BASIS bearable for her. As for what makes applying to private high schools challenging w/out support from BASIS, talk to parents whose middle schools actively market their 8th graders to high schools. I would include the best DCPS middle schools in this category of school.

The schools that do this have no high school of their own, which is why they market their kids to other high schools. It makes no sense to compare BASIS to those schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The reality is that you can do all the research there is to do on BASIS without knowing how your kid(s) will react to their middle school experience there, or the prospect of staying for HS. You also can’t plan for who will be in charge at BASIS year to year, since the leadership can change. When my eldest realized that none of her close friends would be returning for 9th grade, she staunchly refused to stay, despite her high GPA and strong STEM interests. Apparently, her friend group was what had made BASIS bearable for her. As for what makes applying to private high schools challenging w/out support from BASIS, talk to parents whose middle schools actively market their 8th graders to high schools. I would include the best DCPS middle schools in this category of school.

This friend factor is impossible for parents to factor in when it comes to the HS decision and I think it comes as a surprise to many parents.

Really? Most of the people I know who applied for the 5th grade lottery did it because they knew their kid's friends were also applying, and didn't want a situation where their kid was left behind. We know this rodeo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disagree that many more CH parents will head to JA, EH and SH if most BASIS spits are pinned down by K-4 families. More like more will move or go private. BASIS has been the Hill’s most popular MS for more than a decade now for a reason.

Unlikely. Lots of parents on the Hill can't afford to move or go private. They will send their kids to Hill MS or other charters.

Depends on the school. Most IB Brent families can afford private ($$ real estate, little low cost housing) plus a sizable chunk of L-T, Maury & Watkins IB families. Obviously not all families will go private for a variety of reasons with financials as a heavy component, but I do think if BASIS middle school spots dry up, at least a third of families that would have gone there will move or go private instead.

You sent a kid to Brent? We sent several, over a decade. Most Brent families can't afford privates easily. I'm guessing that at least three quarters of my children's 4th grade cohorts at Brent stayed in public schools (but not necessarily DC public schools).

The vast majority of Brent parents own their homes. Virtually any of those families can afford privates if they want to. They may have other priorities and if their kid gets into BASIS, they're all set. But if BASIS seats dry up? They can afford to move or go private.

What does this mean? They've all paid off their mortgages?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The reality is that you can do all the research there is to do on BASIS without knowing how your kid(s) will react to their middle school experience there, or the prospect of staying for HS. You also can’t plan for who will be in charge at BASIS year to year, since the leadership can change. When my eldest realized that none of her close friends would be returning for 9th grade, she staunchly refused to stay, despite her high GPA and strong STEM interests. Apparently, her friend group was what had made BASIS bearable for her. As for what makes applying to private high schools challenging w/out support from BASIS, talk to parents whose middle schools actively market their 8th graders to high schools. I would include the best DCPS middle schools in this category of school.

The schools that do this have no high school of their own, which is why they market their kids to other high schools. It makes no sense to compare BASIS to those schools.

Not the full picture. BASIS likes to shed middle schoolers who aren't a good fit for their high school program, along with those with contrarian parents (even if the kids are top students). If they want to get rid of your family, you'll get your transcripts and recommendations for private school applications promptly. Things work out if you ensure that they do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The reality is that you can do all the research there is to do on BASIS without knowing how your kid(s) will react to their middle school experience there, or the prospect of staying for HS. You also can’t plan for who will be in charge at BASIS year to year, since the leadership can change. When my eldest realized that none of her close friends would be returning for 9th grade, she staunchly refused to stay, despite her high GPA and strong STEM interests. Apparently, her friend group was what had made BASIS bearable for her. As for what makes applying to private high schools challenging w/out support from BASIS, talk to parents whose middle schools actively market their 8th graders to high schools. I would include the best DCPS middle schools in this category of school.

The schools that do this have no high school of their own, which is why they market their kids to other high schools. It makes no sense to compare BASIS to those schools.

Not the full picture. BASIS likes to shed middle schoolers who aren't a good fit for their high school program, along with those with contrarian parents (even if the kids are top students). If they want to get rid of your family, you'll get your transcripts and recommendations for private school applications promptly. Things work out if you ensure that they do.

“Get rid of your family”? Sounds like you have a lot of baggage and HPD.

BASIS has literally hundreds of satisfied families.

[Anonymous]

Yea, hundreds of "satisfied families" who'd love an appealing alternative. They'd go for a school with strong high school ECs, good facilities, low teacher turnover, flexible policies promoting academic excellence and strong leadership where parents aren't expected to top up teacher pay. None exists in the DC public system, so families put up with BASIS.

Dictate to somebody else, please. This is our fourth year. How long have you been at BASIS. Gosh....not a day.

[Anonymous]

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yea, hundreds of "satisfied families" who'd love an appealing alternative. They'd go for a school with strong high school ECs, good facilities, low teacher turnover, flexible policies promoting academic excellence and strong leadership where parents aren't expected to top up teacher pay. None exists in the DC public system, so families put up with BASIS.

Dictate to somebody else, please. This is our fourth year. How long have you been at BASIS. Gosh....not a day.

Then leave.

It’s called school choice.

Bye.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yea, hundreds of "satisfied families" who'd love an appealing alternative. They'd go for a school with strong high school ECs, good facilities, low teacher turnover, flexible policies promoting academic excellence and strong leadership where parents aren't expected to top up teacher pay. None exists in the DC public system, so families put up with BASIS.

Dictate to somebody else, please. This is our fourth year. How long have you been at BASIS. Gosh....not a day.

Longer than you.

And apparently a lot happier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yea, hundreds of "satisfied families" who'd love an appealing alternative. They'd go for a school with strong high school ECs, good facilities, low teacher turnover, flexible policies promoting academic excellence and strong leadership where parents aren't expected to top up teacher pay. None exists in the DC public system, so families put up with BASIS.

Dictate to somebody else, please. This is our fourth year. How long have you been at BASIS. Gosh....not a day.

Then leave.

It’s called school choice.

Bye.

Don't listen. Don't leave. None of our choices is good enough past elementary school in DC public schools so complain to the DCPSCB, Ward 6 and at-large council members about the worst of BASIS. Organize. Work to vote out Bowser. Politely stand up to dismissive BASIS admins (whose salaries you pay).