Basis DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You want to gather good info, listen to parents of top performers who left BASIS 3, 4 or 5 years in. All ears? Be open to moving to NoVa if you can't afford private school.

Doesn't this mean that it's the best public option in DC?

Not necessarily. We switched from BASIS to SH after 5th. Kid is on his way to Walls in the fall, while his elementary school pals at BASIS who tried for Walls weren't offered spots. We supplemented in various ways at SH, especially for science and social studies, but that worked better for us than BASIS, which we disliked.

I hear this. Very open to moving our kid if he really hates it. And with the newly announced DCPS change, his backup is now SWWFS.

I don’t have a dog in this Basis fight (I’m WOTP) but my kid came home from the Walls summer bridge reporting there were a lot of kids coming from Basis. Can someone explain why kids/parents seem to use Basis as a means to and end (Walls)? Isn’t part of the Basis appeal that you start early and stay through HS?

I don't have a dog in the fight either -- though am sort of fascinated that the same thread gets re-written every few months and I don't see it happen with any other school. But, I would say that if you're sending your kids to a school that ends with them having the choice between BASIS and Walls after 8th, it is a win. We know many DCI parents that were ready to leave and didn't have the option.

+1. Why is DCUM obsessed with this school? I feel like I can count the number of Latin threads I’ve seen in the past 5 years on one hand, but BASIS has a new thread every other week.

Because Latin is not super controversial for-profit with an insane washout rate.

No other school attracts crackpots who just make things up like PP.

BASIS HS re-enrollment rate is higher than Latin HS's (95.1% vs 93.2%). Latin MS's re-enrollment rate is higher than BASIS's (94.5% vs 90%). Neither school has anything that could remotely be considered an "insane washout rate".

How many kids are enrolled at BASIS in 5th grade, how many are enrolled at 9th grade and how many graduate?

Thanks in advance...

You moved the goal posts. A "washout rate" is how many kids leave. I just gave you those numbers. Latin loses more in HS than BASIS does. This means a higher percentage of 9th graders at BASIS graduate than do entering 9th graders from Latin. You seem not to understand that concept so I will retype it in bold for you: A higher percentage of 9th graders at BASIS graduate than do entering 9th graders from Latin. Inconvenient as that data may be, it is what we call "reality". BASIS loses more kids in MS years than does Latin. Latin retains more entering 5th graders than does BASIS. I quoted the data above. The re-enrollment rate for MS at BASIS is 90%. Could it be higher? Sure. Latin MS's is 94.5%. The way you and your ilk throw misinformation around DCUM you'd think BASIS retained 50% of kids.

You are asking about class sizes. BASIS doesn't add kids after 5th, Latin does, so asking about overall enrollment does not tell us anything about retention (which is what a "washout rate" addresses.) Do you understand how and why re-enrollment rates are the only apples to apples comparison between two schools, one of which adds kids after 5th and one that doesn't?

Thanks in advance...

You understand that you asked why BASIS is so controversial and I said it's the washout rate and then you started talking about reenrollment. The vast majority of kids who start at BASIS don't make it to the end, and that's a method of education—especially public education which is built on the idea that everyone deserves access to quality education—that is controversial. Sorry if you don't like that everyone doesn't agree with you, but a lot of people don't like BASIS' method of operation. Latin has its own problems, but they are not as shocking to most people as BASIS' problems.

A "washout rate" by plain meaning is kids who leave. Re-enrollment is an objective measure of kids who remain vs depart. You have it stuck in your head that kids are being forced from BASIS at an alarming rate. I showed you data in fact more % of kids leave Latin in HS than BASIS. This is not an opinion question, it is a FACT. I wasn't the person who asked why people are fixated on BASIS, but ironically you have provided an example of what so frequently occurs on DCUM. People like have a story in their heads and no amount of facts or data can get you to come off of your what you so deeply believe. You are like MAGA folks who just KNOW the election was stolen from them. There is no reasoning with people like you.

9th to graduation is one metric, but more relevant ones for this discussion would be 8th to 9th, or 5th to graduation. Both schools do a good job of getting kids who start high school to graduate. But do middle schoolers leave before high school? This is relevant because neither school takes many, if any, kids after 6th grade.

I dunno, latest numbers I can find online say 129 in 5th grade, 78 in 9th and 42 in graduating class. That's pretty brutal. I get that BASIS doesn't replenish, but I find it problematic when you see stats like, "100% college acceptance" because it's really saying "100% college acceptance for the 1/3 of students we started with" which is much more problematic.

I'm not saying those 42 don't get a great education, but I wonder how Latin would compare if the bottom 2/3 were removed from their enrollment.

[Anonymous]

People want more/better options for middle school in DC. Every DCUM thread lately makes that abundantly clear. BASIS is a wonderful option for many (not most) families who want their kids receiving a public education in DC. Comparing schools and scores is tricky because of the reasons mentioned regarding enrollment and which tests students are taking, whether they are taking a rest after having been at the school for a few years, etc. Comparing college acceptances is difficult, too, because you have to factor in class size, whether a school is a pure lottery or application school, etc. There’s no precise “fair” or “clean” way to compare schools most of the time. I think zealous BASIS advocates and haters alike invite criticism and backlash by sometimes overlooking the fact that the comparisons are not apples to apples.

Why are there so many threads like? Some guesses. Some people seem quite bitter about BASIS; maybe it’s because they think it takes away top students from DCPS middle schools, or maybe it’s because their kid didn’t do well, or maybe it’s because they hate charter schools in general. Or maybe it’s because they are trolls who like to start these discussions repeatedly. Or maybe the numerous threads are because BASIS tends to attract type A families who aren’t afraid to vocalize concerns or defend their school.

My biggest theory as to why there are so many discussions is that people tend to second guess whether they made the right decision in sending or not sending their kid to BASIS (it’s not a normal school!) and they need everyone else to agree with their decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You want to gather good info, listen to parents of top performers who left BASIS 3, 4 or 5 years in. All ears? Be open to moving to NoVa if you can't afford private school.

Doesn't this mean that it's the best public option in DC?

Not necessarily. We switched from BASIS to SH after 5th. Kid is on his way to Walls in the fall, while his elementary school pals at BASIS who tried for Walls weren't offered spots. We supplemented in various ways at SH, especially for science and social studies, but that worked better for us than BASIS, which we disliked.

I hear this. Very open to moving our kid if he really hates it. And with the newly announced DCPS change, his backup is now SWWFS.

I don’t have a dog in this Basis fight (I’m WOTP) but my kid came home from the Walls summer bridge reporting there were a lot of kids coming from Basis. Can someone explain why kids/parents seem to use Basis as a means to and end (Walls)? Isn’t part of the Basis appeal that you start early and stay through HS?

I don't have a dog in the fight either -- though am sort of fascinated that the same thread gets re-written every few months and I don't see it happen with any other school. But, I would say that if you're sending your kids to a school that ends with them having the choice between BASIS and Walls after 8th, it is a win. We know many DCI parents that were ready to leave and didn't have the option.

+1. Why is DCUM obsessed with this school? I feel like I can count the number of Latin threads I’ve seen in the past 5 years on one hand, but BASIS has a new thread every other week.

Because Latin is not super controversial for-profit with an insane washout rate.

No other school attracts crackpots who just make things up like PP.

BASIS HS re-enrollment rate is higher than Latin HS's (95.1% vs 93.2%). Latin MS's re-enrollment rate is higher than BASIS's (94.5% vs 90%). Neither school has anything that could remotely be considered an "insane washout rate".

How many kids are enrolled at BASIS in 5th grade, how many are enrolled at 9th grade and how many graduate?

Thanks in advance...

You moved the goal posts. A "washout rate" is how many kids leave. I just gave you those numbers. Latin loses more in HS than BASIS does. This means a higher percentage of 9th graders at BASIS graduate than do entering 9th graders from Latin. You seem not to understand that concept so I will retype it in bold for you: A higher percentage of 9th graders at BASIS graduate than do entering 9th graders from Latin. Inconvenient as that data may be, it is what we call "reality". BASIS loses more kids in MS years than does Latin. Latin retains more entering 5th graders than does BASIS. I quoted the data above. The re-enrollment rate for MS at BASIS is 90%. Could it be higher? Sure. Latin MS's is 94.5%. The way you and your ilk throw misinformation around DCUM you'd think BASIS retained 50% of kids.

You are asking about class sizes. BASIS doesn't add kids after 5th, Latin does, so asking about overall enrollment does not tell us anything about retention (which is what a "washout rate" addresses.) Do you understand how and why re-enrollment rates are the only apples to apples comparison between two schools, one of which adds kids after 5th and one that doesn't?

Thanks in advance...

You understand that you asked why BASIS is so controversial and I said it's the washout rate and then you started talking about reenrollment. The vast majority of kids who start at BASIS don't make it to the end, and that's a method of education—especially public education which is built on the idea that everyone deserves access to quality education—that is controversial. Sorry if you don't like that everyone doesn't agree with you, but a lot of people don't like BASIS' method of operation. Latin has its own problems, but they are not as shocking to most people as BASIS' problems.

A "washout rate" by plain meaning is kids who leave. Re-enrollment is an objective measure of kids who remain vs depart. You have it stuck in your head that kids are being forced from BASIS at an alarming rate. I showed you data in fact more % of kids leave Latin in HS than BASIS. This is not an opinion question, it is a FACT. I wasn't the person who asked why people are fixated on BASIS, but ironically you have provided an example of what so frequently occurs on DCUM. People like have a story in their heads and no amount of facts or data can get you to come off of your what you so deeply believe. You are like MAGA folks who just KNOW the election was stolen from them. There is no reasoning with people like you.

9th to graduation is one metric, but more relevant ones for this discussion would be 8th to 9th, or 5th to graduation. Both schools do a good job of getting kids who start high school to graduate. But do middle schoolers leave before high school? This is relevant because neither school takes many, if any, kids after 6th grade.

I dunno, latest numbers I can find online say 129 in 5th grade, 78 in 9th and 42 in graduating class. That's pretty brutal. I get that BASIS doesn't replenish, but I find it problematic when you see stats like, "100% college acceptance" because it's really saying "100% college acceptance for the 1/3 of students we started with" which is much more problematic.

I'm not saying those 42 don't get a great education, but I wonder how Latin would compare if the bottom 2/3 were removed from their enrollment.

I agree that the middle school attrition makes the interpretation of the numbers different from if they weren't losing kids. I do not think it's straightforwardly the bottom 2/3 of students who are leaving. It's a mix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You want to gather good info, listen to parents of top performers who left BASIS 3, 4 or 5 years in. All ears? Be open to moving to NoVa if you can't afford private school.

Doesn't this mean that it's the best public option in DC?

Not necessarily. We switched from BASIS to SH after 5th. Kid is on his way to Walls in the fall, while his elementary school pals at BASIS who tried for Walls weren't offered spots. We supplemented in various ways at SH, especially for science and social studies, but that worked better for us than BASIS, which we disliked.

I hear this. Very open to moving our kid if he really hates it. And with the newly announced DCPS change, his backup is now SWWFS.

I don’t have a dog in this Basis fight (I’m WOTP) but my kid came home from the Walls summer bridge reporting there were a lot of kids coming from Basis. Can someone explain why kids/parents seem to use Basis as a means to and end (Walls)? Isn’t part of the Basis appeal that you start early and stay through HS?

I don't have a dog in the fight either -- though am sort of fascinated that the same thread gets re-written every few months and I don't see it happen with any other school. But, I would say that if you're sending your kids to a school that ends with them having the choice between BASIS and Walls after 8th, it is a win. We know many DCI parents that were ready to leave and didn't have the option.

+1. Why is DCUM obsessed with this school? I feel like I can count the number of Latin threads I’ve seen in the past 5 years on one hand, but BASIS has a new thread every other week.

Because Latin is not super controversial for-profit with an insane washout rate.

No other school attracts crackpots who just make things up like PP.

BASIS HS re-enrollment rate is higher than Latin HS's (95.1% vs 93.2%). Latin MS's re-enrollment rate is higher than BASIS's (94.5% vs 90%). Neither school has anything that could remotely be considered an "insane washout rate".

How many kids are enrolled at BASIS in 5th grade, how many are enrolled at 9th grade and how many graduate?

Thanks in advance...

You moved the goal posts. A "washout rate" is how many kids leave. I just gave you those numbers. Latin loses more in HS than BASIS does. This means a higher percentage of 9th graders at BASIS graduate than do entering 9th graders from Latin. You seem not to understand that concept so I will retype it in bold for you: A higher percentage of 9th graders at BASIS graduate than do entering 9th graders from Latin. Inconvenient as that data may be, it is what we call "reality". BASIS loses more kids in MS years than does Latin. Latin retains more entering 5th graders than does BASIS. I quoted the data above. The re-enrollment rate for MS at BASIS is 90%. Could it be higher? Sure. Latin MS's is 94.5%. The way you and your ilk throw misinformation around DCUM you'd think BASIS retained 50% of kids.

You are asking about class sizes. BASIS doesn't add kids after 5th, Latin does, so asking about overall enrollment does not tell us anything about retention (which is what a "washout rate" addresses.) Do you understand how and why re-enrollment rates are the only apples to apples comparison between two schools, one of which adds kids after 5th and one that doesn't?

Thanks in advance...

You understand that you asked why BASIS is so controversial and I said it's the washout rate and then you started talking about reenrollment. The vast majority of kids who start at BASIS don't make it to the end, and that's a method of education—especially public education which is built on the idea that everyone deserves access to quality education—that is controversial. Sorry if you don't like that everyone doesn't agree with you, but a lot of people don't like BASIS' method of operation. Latin has its own problems, but they are not as shocking to most people as BASIS' problems.

A "washout rate" by plain meaning is kids who leave. Re-enrollment is an objective measure of kids who remain vs depart. You have it stuck in your head that kids are being forced from BASIS at an alarming rate. I showed you data in fact more % of kids leave Latin in HS than BASIS. This is not an opinion question, it is a FACT. I wasn't the person who asked why people are fixated on BASIS, but ironically you have provided an example of what so frequently occurs on DCUM. People like have a story in their heads and no amount of facts or data can get you to come off of your what you so deeply believe. You are like MAGA folks who just KNOW the election was stolen from them. There is no reasoning with people like you.

9th to graduation is one metric, but more relevant ones for this discussion would be 8th to 9th, or 5th to graduation. Both schools do a good job of getting kids who start high school to graduate. But do middle schoolers leave before high school? This is relevant because neither school takes many, if any, kids after 6th grade.

I dunno, latest numbers I can find online say 129 in 5th grade, 78 in 9th and 42 in graduating class. That's pretty brutal. I get that BASIS doesn't replenish, but I find it problematic when you see stats like, "100% college acceptance" because it's really saying "100% college acceptance for the 1/3 of students we started with" which is much more problematic.

I'm not saying those 42 don't get a great education, but I wonder how Latin would compare if the bottom 2/3 were removed from their enrollment.

I think the senior class was never as big as the current 5th grade classes are, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People want more/better options for middle school in DC. Every DCUM thread lately makes that abundantly clear. BASIS is a wonderful option for many (not most) families who want their kids receiving a public education in DC. Comparing schools and scores is tricky because of the reasons mentioned regarding enrollment and which tests students are taking, whether they are taking a rest after having been at the school for a few years, etc. Comparing college acceptances is difficult, too, because you have to factor in class size, whether a school is a pure lottery or application school, etc. There’s no precise “fair” or “clean” way to compare schools most of the time. I think zealous BASIS advocates and haters alike invite criticism and backlash by sometimes overlooking the fact that the comparisons are not apples to apples.

Why are there so many threads like? Some guesses. Some people seem quite bitter about BASIS; maybe it’s because they think it takes away top students from DCPS middle schools, or maybe it’s because their kid didn’t do well, or maybe it’s because they hate charter schools in general. Or maybe it’s because they are trolls who like to start these discussions repeatedly. Or maybe the numerous threads are because BASIS tends to attract type A families who aren’t afraid to vocalize concerns or defend their school.

My biggest theory as to why there are so many discussions is that people tend to second guess whether they made the right decision in sending or not sending their kid to BASIS (it’s not a normal school!) and they need everyone else to agree with their decision.

In my experience, in real life, is that there are two types of BASIS families: those that will tell you it is absolutely the perfect school and those that told you the same until they had to leave and now are very regretful.

I'm probably someone that would be accused of being a troll—I think it's clearly a good school for a very particular type of kid, but the for-profit nature is appalling and has no place in our public education system and I think that if you want to have a great deal of money spent on a school that caters only to a very specific kind of kid, using very specific methods that are not universally accepted, you should send your kid to private school and my tax dollars shouldn't be financing your experiment. I also feel very badly for my friend whose kids had bad experiences there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You want to gather good info, listen to parents of top performers who left BASIS 3, 4 or 5 years in. All ears? Be open to moving to NoVa if you can't afford private school.

Doesn't this mean that it's the best public option in DC?

Not necessarily. We switched from BASIS to SH after 5th. Kid is on his way to Walls in the fall, while his elementary school pals at BASIS who tried for Walls weren't offered spots. We supplemented in various ways at SH, especially for science and social studies, but that worked better for us than BASIS, which we disliked.

I hear this. Very open to moving our kid if he really hates it. And with the newly announced DCPS change, his backup is now SWWFS.

I don’t have a dog in this Basis fight (I’m WOTP) but my kid came home from the Walls summer bridge reporting there were a lot of kids coming from Basis. Can someone explain why kids/parents seem to use Basis as a means to and end (Walls)? Isn’t part of the Basis appeal that you start early and stay through HS?

I don't have a dog in the fight either -- though am sort of fascinated that the same thread gets re-written every few months and I don't see it happen with any other school. But, I would say that if you're sending your kids to a school that ends with them having the choice between BASIS and Walls after 8th, it is a win. We know many DCI parents that were ready to leave and didn't have the option.

+1. Why is DCUM obsessed with this school? I feel like I can count the number of Latin threads I’ve seen in the past 5 years on one hand, but BASIS has a new thread every other week.

Because Latin is not super controversial for-profit with an insane washout rate.

No other school attracts crackpots who just make things up like PP.

BASIS HS re-enrollment rate is higher than Latin HS's (95.1% vs 93.2%). Latin MS's re-enrollment rate is higher than BASIS's (94.5% vs 90%). Neither school has anything that could remotely be considered an "insane washout rate".

How many kids are enrolled at BASIS in 5th grade, how many are enrolled at 9th grade and how many graduate?

Thanks in advance...

You moved the goal posts. A "washout rate" is how many kids leave. I just gave you those numbers. Latin loses more in HS than BASIS does. This means a higher percentage of 9th graders at BASIS graduate than do entering 9th graders from Latin. You seem not to understand that concept so I will retype it in bold for you: A higher percentage of 9th graders at BASIS graduate than do entering 9th graders from Latin. Inconvenient as that data may be, it is what we call "reality". BASIS loses more kids in MS years than does Latin. Latin retains more entering 5th graders than does BASIS. I quoted the data above. The re-enrollment rate for MS at BASIS is 90%. Could it be higher? Sure. Latin MS's is 94.5%. The way you and your ilk throw misinformation around DCUM you'd think BASIS retained 50% of kids.

You are asking about class sizes. BASIS doesn't add kids after 5th, Latin does, so asking about overall enrollment does not tell us anything about retention (which is what a "washout rate" addresses.) Do you understand how and why re-enrollment rates are the only apples to apples comparison between two schools, one of which adds kids after 5th and one that doesn't?

Thanks in advance...

You understand that you asked why BASIS is so controversial and I said it's the washout rate and then you started talking about reenrollment. The vast majority of kids who start at BASIS don't make it to the end, and that's a method of education—especially public education which is built on the idea that everyone deserves access to quality education—that is controversial. Sorry if you don't like that everyone doesn't agree with you, but a lot of people don't like BASIS' method of operation. Latin has its own problems, but they are not as shocking to most people as BASIS' problems.

A "washout rate" by plain meaning is kids who leave. Re-enrollment is an objective measure of kids who remain vs depart. You have it stuck in your head that kids are being forced from BASIS at an alarming rate. I showed you data in fact more % of kids leave Latin in HS than BASIS. This is not an opinion question, it is a FACT. I wasn't the person who asked why people are fixated on BASIS, but ironically you have provided an example of what so frequently occurs on DCUM. People like have a story in their heads and no amount of facts or data can get you to come off of your what you so deeply believe. You are like MAGA folks who just KNOW the election was stolen from them. There is no reasoning with people like you.

9th to graduation is one metric, but more relevant ones for this discussion would be 8th to 9th, or 5th to graduation. Both schools do a good job of getting kids who start high school to graduate. But do middle schoolers leave before high school? This is relevant because neither school takes many, if any, kids after 6th grade.

8th to 9th is not a useful metric in a city with excellent/varied application high schools. If a kid (from Latin, BASIS, DCI or anywhere else) decides to apply to Duke Ellington, SWW or another school and chooses to matriculate to a place that is a good/better fit for that kid, it is not an indictment of the current school. 9th grade is a natural place for kids to choose DCPS application schools, private, parochial, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People want more/better options for middle school in DC. Every DCUM thread lately makes that abundantly clear. BASIS is a wonderful option for many (not most) families who want their kids receiving a public education in DC. Comparing schools and scores is tricky because of the reasons mentioned regarding enrollment and which tests students are taking, whether they are taking a rest after having been at the school for a few years, etc. Comparing college acceptances is difficult, too, because you have to factor in class size, whether a school is a pure lottery or application school, etc. There’s no precise “fair” or “clean” way to compare schools most of the time. I think zealous BASIS advocates and haters alike invite criticism and backlash by sometimes overlooking the fact that the comparisons are not apples to apples.

Why are there so many threads like? Some guesses. Some people seem quite bitter about BASIS; maybe it’s because they think it takes away top students from DCPS middle schools, or maybe it’s because their kid didn’t do well, or maybe it’s because they hate charter schools in general. Or maybe it’s because they are trolls who like to start these discussions repeatedly. Or maybe the numerous threads are because BASIS tends to attract type A families who aren’t afraid to vocalize concerns or defend their school.

My biggest theory as to why there are so many discussions is that people tend to second guess whether they made the right decision in sending or not sending their kid to BASIS (it’s not a normal school!) and they need everyone else to agree with their decision.

I think BASIS is the rare school where it's actually a very good thing that there are lots of informative threads in it, because it will not work for every kid but will work wonderfully for some kids. Some families love and and think it's the best public option in DC for their kids, some loathe it and want to burn it down. (We are in the category of "this is a great fit for middle school and a good back up plan for high school." My son is really happy so far.)

Attrition would be less if an issue if families and kids came in knowing as many details as possible and self selected into the model.

DCI and Latin both seem like places where any kid will basically be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People want more/better options for middle school in DC. Every DCUM thread lately makes that abundantly clear. BASIS is a wonderful option for many (not most) families who want their kids receiving a public education in DC. Comparing schools and scores is tricky because of the reasons mentioned regarding enrollment and which tests students are taking, whether they are taking a rest after having been at the school for a few years, etc. Comparing college acceptances is difficult, too, because you have to factor in class size, whether a school is a pure lottery or application school, etc. There’s no precise “fair” or “clean” way to compare schools most of the time. I think zealous BASIS advocates and haters alike invite criticism and backlash by sometimes overlooking the fact that the comparisons are not apples to apples.

Why are there so many threads like? Some guesses. Some people seem quite bitter about BASIS; maybe it’s because they think it takes away top students from DCPS middle schools, or maybe it’s because their kid didn’t do well, or maybe it’s because they hate charter schools in general. Or maybe it’s because they are trolls who like to start these discussions repeatedly. Or maybe the numerous threads are because BASIS tends to attract type A families who aren’t afraid to vocalize concerns or defend their school.

My biggest theory as to why there are so many discussions is that people tend to second guess whether they made the right decision in sending or not sending their kid to BASIS (it’s not a normal school!) and they need everyone else to agree with their decision.

I think BASIS is the rare school where it's actually a very good thing that there are lots of informative threads in it, because it will not work for every kid but will work wonderfully for some kids. Some families love and and think it's the best public option in DC for their kids, some loathe it and want to burn it down. (We are in the category of "this is a great fit for middle school and a good back up plan for high school." My son is really happy so far.)

Attrition would be less if an issue if families and kids came in knowing as many details as possible and self selected into the model.

DCI and Latin both seem like places where any kid will basically be fine.

DP. Depends on what you consider "fine."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People want more/better options for middle school in DC. Every DCUM thread lately makes that abundantly clear. BASIS is a wonderful option for many (not most) families who want their kids receiving a public education in DC. Comparing schools and scores is tricky because of the reasons mentioned regarding enrollment and which tests students are taking, whether they are taking a rest after having been at the school for a few years, etc. Comparing college acceptances is difficult, too, because you have to factor in class size, whether a school is a pure lottery or application school, etc. There’s no precise “fair” or “clean” way to compare schools most of the time. I think zealous BASIS advocates and haters alike invite criticism and backlash by sometimes overlooking the fact that the comparisons are not apples to apples.

Why are there so many threads like? Some guesses. Some people seem quite bitter about BASIS; maybe it’s because they think it takes away top students from DCPS middle schools, or maybe it’s because their kid didn’t do well, or maybe it’s because they hate charter schools in general. Or maybe it’s because they are trolls who like to start these discussions repeatedly. Or maybe the numerous threads are because BASIS tends to attract type A families who aren’t afraid to vocalize concerns or defend their school.

My biggest theory as to why there are so many discussions is that people tend to second guess whether they made the right decision in sending or not sending their kid to BASIS (it’s not a normal school!) and they need everyone else to agree with their decision.

I think BASIS is the rare school where it's actually a very good thing that there are lots of informative threads in it, because it will not work for every kid but will work wonderfully for some kids. Some families love and and think it's the best public option in DC for their kids, some loathe it and want to burn it down. (We are in the category of "this is a great fit for middle school and a good back up plan for high school." My son is really happy so far.)

Attrition would be less if an issue if families and kids came in knowing as many details as possible and self selected into the model.

DCI and Latin both seem like places where any kid will basically be fine.

DP. Depends on what you consider "fine."

ABle to get into college and be equipped to succeed there.

Getting to college a nervous wreck who fears/hates learning because some over-zealous charter school operator has a "new" philosophy doesn't seem ideal.

[Anonymous]

Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

New poster here. There is something more intense about the culture than the workload. It is the high stakes all or nothing end of year testing at the end of the school year for pre-teens that stokes the fear or failure culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

New poster here. There is something more intense about the culture than the workload. It is the high stakes all or nothing end of year testing at the end of the school year for pre-teens that stokes the fear or failure culture.

The end of year tests are very generously curved, and the baseline for passing is pretty low. They also spend a lot of time at the end of the year reviewing for the tests. Almost everyone's grade increases after the comp exams. The kids who fail usually were struggling all year.

I can see why it would be too intense for kids with anxiety or other issues, but for most kids, it really shouldn't be a big deal. It's honestly not dissimilar to final exams and other high stakes testing that we all had 30 years ago. The main difference is that kids these days are much more fragile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

New poster here. There is something more intense about the culture than the workload. It is the high stakes all or nothing end of year testing at the end of the school year for pre-teens that stokes the fear or failure culture.

The end of year tests are very generously curved, and the baseline for passing is pretty low. They also spend a lot of time at the end of the year reviewing for the tests. Almost everyone's grade increases after the comp exams. The kids who fail usually were struggling all year.

I can see why it would be too intense for kids with anxiety or other issues, but for most kids, it really shouldn't be a big deal. It's honestly not dissimilar to final exams and other high stakes testing that we all had 30 years ago. The main difference is that kids these days are much more fragile.

Given the attrition it clearly is problematic for most kids.