BASIS attrition after middle school- why?

[Anonymous]

I want a place where those in charge recognize that times are changing in college admissions, that strong AP results in the absence of strong ECs won't cut it in 2024 like they may have pre Covid, when Affirmative Action was still a thing. Some of the BASIS attrition after middle school can be explained by the franchise's attachment to pre Covid thinking and practices about elite college admissions that are less relevant with each passing year. We left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s been hard to distinguish complaints about the school model and facility shortcomings from complaints with the HoS. It’s unclear what any HoS could or should do differently when it comes to the BASIS curriculum, which is implemented nationally by the charter network, right? And what could or would any HoS do about the facilities problem? The complaint about good teachers leaving perhaps could have to do with school management but teacher turnover is just so common right now, isn’t it hard to gauge the reasons they leave? (Unless teachers specifically complain to parents about the reasons).

A better building would allow for better ECs through the school, which in turn would take up less time for families to deal with after school, which in turn frees up more time for getting the HW and studying done each night. The BASIS model doesn’t leave so much extra room for interests outside of school, especially when those interests require driving across DC. A better building would presumably solve for some of this, and make for a much happier overall experience, with more outdoor time and space for students and families to congregate and socialize.

We have the impression that the HoS does recognize the need for a better building and would pursue any feasible possibility if one arises. Who knows if/when this could happen, but it would solve so many problems at once.

I have never gotten this impression. BASIS (the company) owns that building, and they love that it is centrally located. The company doesn't care AT ALL that BASIS DC families hate the building, and they will never be solving that problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I want a place where those in charge recognize that times are changing in college admissions, that strong AP results in the absence of strong ECs won't cut it in 2024 like they may have pre Covid, when Affirmative Action was still a thing. Some of the BASIS attrition after middle school can be explained by the franchise's attachment to pre Covid thinking and practices about elite college admissions that are less relevant with each passing year. We left.

Test Scores, APs, GPA and academic rigor definitely matter - probably more so than ECs. The results this year, only through ED rounds show that.

(It's not like there aren't ECs available anyway - just not the choices that a private or large high school would have)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s been hard to distinguish complaints about the school model and facility shortcomings from complaints with the HoS. It’s unclear what any HoS could or should do differently when it comes to the BASIS curriculum, which is implemented nationally by the charter network, right? And what could or would any HoS do about the facilities problem? The complaint about good teachers leaving perhaps could have to do with school management but teacher turnover is just so common right now, isn’t it hard to gauge the reasons they leave? (Unless teachers specifically complain to parents about the reasons).

A better building would allow for better ECs through the school, which in turn would take up less time for families to deal with after school, which in turn frees up more time for getting the HW and studying done each night. The BASIS model doesn’t leave so much extra room for interests outside of school, especially when those interests require driving across DC. A better building would presumably solve for some of this, and make for a much happier overall experience, with more outdoor time and space for students and families to congregate and socialize.

We have the impression that the HoS does recognize the need for a better building and would pursue any feasible possibility if one arises. Who knows if/when this could happen, but it would solve so many problems at once.

I have never gotten this impression. BASIS (the company) owns that building, and they love that it is centrally located. The company doesn't care AT ALL that BASIS DC families hate the building, and they will never be solving that problem.

They know perfectly well that buildings large enough are few and far between, and that locating EOTR would be the end of BASIS' "success".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want a place where those in charge recognize that times are changing in college admissions, that strong AP results in the absence of strong ECs won't cut it in 2024 like they may have pre Covid, when Affirmative Action was still a thing. Some of the BASIS attrition after middle school can be explained by the franchise's attachment to pre Covid thinking and practices about elite college admissions that are less relevant with each passing year. We left.

Test Scores, APs, GPA and academic rigor definitely matter - probably more so than ECs. The results this year, only through ED rounds show that.

(It's not like there aren't ECs available anyway - just not the choices that a private or large high school would have)

Which results? Last year it was one Johns Hopkins, one to Cal Tech for colleges admitting in the single digits. Zero Ivies. I wasn't impressed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I


Last year it was one Johns Hopkins, one to Cal Tech for colleges admitting in the single digits. Zero Ivies. I wasn't impressed.

Nice quote.

So far: Yale, Penn, Hopkins, Emory and others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I


Last year it was one Johns Hopkins, one to Cal Tech for colleges admitting in the single digits. Zero Ivies. I wasn't impressed.

Nice quote.

So far: Yale, Penn, Hopkins, Emory and others.

So a better year than last year. Yale and Penn, wow. Emory isn't difficult to get into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I


Last year it was one Johns Hopkins, one to Cal Tech for colleges admitting in the single digits. Zero Ivies. I wasn't impressed.

Nice quote.

So far: Yale, Penn, Hopkins, Emory and others.

So a better year than last year. Yale and Penn, wow. Emory isn't difficult to get into.

You're so miserable. Emory isn't hard enough (average SAT 1530). Only 2 ivies in ED round for a class size of 60. May as well shut the school down

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I


Last year it was one Johns Hopkins, one to Cal Tech for colleges admitting in the single digits. Zero Ivies. I wasn't impressed.

Nice quote.

So far: Yale, Penn, Hopkins, Emory and others.

Is that all the same one kid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I


Last year it was one Johns Hopkins, one to Cal Tech for colleges admitting in the single digits. Zero Ivies. I wasn't impressed.

Nice quote.

So far: Yale, Penn, Hopkins, Emory and others.

So a better year than last year. Yale and Penn, wow. Emory isn't difficult to get into.

You're so miserable. Emory isn't hard enough (average SAT 1530). Only 2 ivies in ED round for a class size of 60. May as well shut the school down

When a school goes on and on about "rigor", we're #1, best test scores, most APs, etc., then yes people expect results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I


Last year it was one Johns Hopkins, one to Cal Tech for colleges admitting in the single digits. Zero Ivies. I wasn't impressed.

Nice quote.

So far: Yale, Penn, Hopkins, Emory and others.

Is that all the same one kid?

Yale and Penn and JH are different kids. Not sure about Emory.

There are plenty more T50 as well and decisions are just now landing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:...if your child always received "5"s in DCPS, then you think it will be a good fit. However, it can often become very obvious how little the child actually was taught in DCPS. This is where insecure skills in reading, writing, comprehension, organization and math show up.

Elementary parents: Don't be scared off. Yes, Basis is more challenging than most DCPS schools, but students don't have to be geniuses or even come in above grade level to do well. My child (now in HS at Basis) has found Basis to be generally pretty easy. And yes, they're reasonably smart, but they didn't get a single 5 on a PARCC in elementary school.

Well, I have a kid who got 5s in his first go round on PARCC and we are a mathy family that loves rigor.
but we are not going to lottery for Basis because: the teachers are too inexperienced and there is too much turnover, the middle schoolers all looked depressed, the lack of windows coupled with never leaving the windowless building, the lack of freedom for kids (like no recess when they can do what they want), the "drill and kill" vibe of middle school classwork, and a bad feeling from the HoS (seemed like a bullshitter who is acting smarter than he is)

The high school actually seemed better on all those fronts, but we would not put our kids in the middle school.

I'm a generally satisfied Basis parent who agrees that it would be better to combine the rigor of the curriculum with more experienced teachers, more freedom, and a better campus. I'd also like butterflies to flutter around our kids during the school day.

The question is not whether Basis is imperfect, the question is how it compares to other options. Since you are not planning to lottery for Basis, what are your plans?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:...if your child always received "5"s in DCPS, then you think it will be a good fit. However, it can often become very obvious how little the child actually was taught in DCPS. This is where insecure skills in reading, writing, comprehension, organization and math show up.

Elementary parents: Don't be scared off. Yes, Basis is more challenging than most DCPS schools, but students don't have to be geniuses or even come in above grade level to do well. My child (now in HS at Basis) has found Basis to be generally pretty easy. And yes, they're reasonably smart, but they didn't get a single 5 on a PARCC in elementary school.

Well, I have a kid who got 5s in his first go round on PARCC and we are a mathy family that loves rigor.
but we are not going to lottery for Basis because: the teachers are too inexperienced and there is too much turnover, the middle schoolers all looked depressed, the lack of windows coupled with never leaving the windowless building, the lack of freedom for kids (like no recess when they can do what they want), the "drill and kill" vibe of middle school classwork, and a bad feeling from the HoS (seemed like a bullshitter who is acting smarter than he is)

The high school actually seemed better on all those fronts, but we would not put our kids in the middle school.

I'm a generally satisfied Basis parent who agrees that it would be better to combine the rigor of the curriculum with more experienced teachers, more freedom, and a better campus. I'd also like butterflies to flutter around our kids during the school day.

The question is not whether Basis is imperfect, the question is how it compares to other options. Since you are not planning to lottery for Basis, what are your plans?

A midling DCPS middle school and then hopefully SWW or Banneker. Kid knows he needs to keep his grades up and he is very capable of it.

[Anonymous]

(I'll add that I'm a former high school teacher, a to me the number one thing i look for in a school is teacher quality. Even the middling DCPS schools have excellent teachers. I was not impressed with the teaching I saw at Basis.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:(I'll add that I'm a former high school teacher, a to me the number one thing i look for in a school is teacher quality. Even the middling DCPS schools have excellent teachers. I was not impressed with the teaching I saw at Basis.)

That's downright funny.