If you gave BASIS a chance and it didn't work out, when did you know?

[Anonymous]

I had secured back up plans before my child started. But I was pretty certain it was the absolute best option for my child in this area. I did not pick it as a back up. None of the privates fit (NCS was prob closest fit for my kid, but I walked out mid open house; had I a boy with the same personality, we may have chosen St Albans), we had no good inbound and the other charters seemed like a good fit in younger years but not for later. I also firmly believed my child would learn more living in the city. All of this turned out to be true in my opinion.

Many kids left after 6th. We contemplated it before 9th because walls would have been a great option. But in the end, the cohort was way too good to leave. Very happy we stayed. Wasn’t always easy, but I still firmly believe it was the right choice. If I hadn’t started with that belief, I’m sure the whole experience would have been frustrating for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's a question of what your options are for 6th-- like what are you willing to accept if you have a bad number.

People leave BASIS in 6th just because they thought it was fine but like something else better. An good-not-great number gets you into BASIS but it takes a really good number for Latin and DCI. So their 6th grade pick might be what they preferred all along.

People should really not choose BASIS bc they lack better options. Those people (like people who would rather be at Latin) are almost always super unhappy and then leave.

they should only do it if their kid actively wants that curriculum, and is interested in STEM. We made sure we gave our kid a shadow day there, told him all about the academics, and knew he could handle the workload and memorization necessary to succeed there.

A much higher proportion of these kinds of kids stay. Everyone we know who ranked BASIS higher than Latin is still there.

It's not that simple. Middle school kids can develop new interests, including ECs that are standard at most good schools but aren't available at BASIS (like halfway decent performing arts and serious sports).

Our family wasn't impressed with too many of the middle school teachers. They were young with insufficient training and weak classroom management skills. And we disliked the top-down management and pressure to donate to top up teachers' pay. None of this had anything to do with my kids' strong interest in STEM.

All you guys want to talk about is kids being able to handle the workload. That's around half the story at BASIS. It's not a very happy environment.

That’s not universally true, obviously. There are plenty of kids who are happy there, but what makes one kid happy will be different from the next.

Not really buying it. What we experienced in the BASIS MS was that, by 8th grade, even dyed-in-the-wool booster families weren't doing more than making the best of an OK school in a bad building with an unstable teaching force (indicating not-so-great working conditions, including training, pay and hours) a narrow curriculum and a lot of unserious ECs. As far as I could tell, electives and ECs weren't too hot mainly for lack of funding in a cash-strapped charter. No kid is leaping for joy in a crappy building where electives aren't too good and inspiration isn't the strong suit.

I went to Hunter in NYC. Our building was almost as bad, but it was GT program where hands-on learning (like sophisticated research projects in the community), offbeat interests, unique talents and unusual backgrounds were celebrated. In our experience, BASIS DC is essentially a factory, a one-size-fits all education with 4 years of HS stressfully crammed into 3. Had it been a happier place, with better choices for us, we'd have stayed for HS. We know many Ward 6 BASIS families who've stayed through 12th grade in the last 15 years. I've never heard any of them talk about loving BASIS, although some of the students have gone on to top 10 SLACs and Ivies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's a question of what your options are for 6th-- like what are you willing to accept if you have a bad number.

People leave BASIS in 6th just because they thought it was fine but like something else better. An good-not-great number gets you into BASIS but it takes a really good number for Latin and DCI. So their 6th grade pick might be what they preferred all along.

People should really not choose BASIS bc they lack better options. Those people (like people who would rather be at Latin) are almost always super unhappy and then leave.

they should only do it if their kid actively wants that curriculum, and is interested in STEM. We made sure we gave our kid a shadow day there, told him all about the academics, and knew he could handle the workload and memorization necessary to succeed there.

A much higher proportion of these kinds of kids stay. Everyone we know who ranked BASIS higher than Latin is still there.

It's not that simple. Middle school kids can develop new interests, including ECs that are standard at most good schools but aren't available at BASIS (like halfway decent performing arts and serious sports).

Our family wasn't impressed with too many of the middle school teachers. They were young with insufficient training and weak classroom management skills. And we disliked the top-down management and pressure to donate to top up teachers' pay. None of this had anything to do with my kids' strong interest in STEM.

All you guys want to talk about is kids being able to handle the workload. That's around half the story at BASIS. It's not a very happy environment.

That’s not universally true, obviously. There are plenty of kids who are happy there, but what makes one kid happy will be different from the next.

Not really buying it. What we experienced in the BASIS MS was that, by 8th grade, even dyed-in-the-wool booster families weren't doing more than making the best of an OK school in a bad building with an unstable teaching force (indicating not-so-great working conditions, including training, pay and hours) a narrow curriculum and a lot of unserious ECs. As far as I could tell, electives and ECs weren't too hot mainly for lack of funding in a cash-strapped charter. No kid is leaping for joy in a crappy building where electives aren't too good and inspiration isn't the strong suit.

I went to Hunter in NYC. Our building was almost as bad, but it was GT program where hands-on learning (like sophisticated research projects in the community), offbeat interests, unique talents and unusual backgrounds were celebrated. In our experience, BASIS DC is essentially a factory, a one-size-fits all education with 4 years of HS stressfully crammed into 3. Had it been a happier place, with better choices for us, we'd have stayed for HS. We know many Ward 6 BASIS families who've stayed through 12th grade in the last 15 years. I've never heard any of them talk about loving BASIS, although some of the students have gone on to top 10 SLACs and Ivies.

I don't know what to tell you. I have a middle schooler in my house who is genuinely happy to be there. The other day i asked him if he was glad we sent him to BASIS and he actually raised his arms up to the sky and pumped them. Maybe all the things you mention have gotten a bit better (there are way more clubs and sports than even a couple years ago, and my kid enjoys them, and the teachers seem mostly excellent with only one this year who is kind of lackluster and doesn't seem to be explaining things well). Teachers seem much happier under the new HOS, too. The vibe is different.

Anyone who wants to make the claim that there are 0 happy students at BASIS is simply incorrect.

[Anonymous]

Nobody's making that claim. Right, BASIS is improving. But the reality is still that around half the original middle students are gone by HS in any given year, and not necessarily because they aren't strong students. HS electives and ECs still aren't serious enough for many, along with some of the academic offerings.

My kid wouldn't stay for HS (recently), despite claiming that she liked BASIS. She wanted out for the simple reason that all of her close friends were planning to bail for Walls or privates.

[Anonymous]

Not unusual for kids to want to leave because their best buds are heading to Walls etc. My best answer to OP is 8th grade is the pivotal year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's a question of what your options are for 6th-- like what are you willing to accept if you have a bad number.

People leave BASIS in 6th just because they thought it was fine but like something else better. An good-not-great number gets you into BASIS but it takes a really good number for Latin and DCI. So their 6th grade pick might be what they preferred all along.

People should really not choose BASIS bc they lack better options. Those people (like people who would rather be at Latin) are almost always super unhappy and then leave.

they should only do it if their kid actively wants that curriculum, and is interested in STEM. We made sure we gave our kid a shadow day there, told him all about the academics, and knew he could handle the workload and memorization necessary to succeed there.

A much higher proportion of these kinds of kids stay. Everyone we know who ranked BASIS higher than Latin is still there.

It's not that simple. Middle school kids can develop new interests, including ECs that are standard at most good schools but aren't available at BASIS (like halfway decent performing arts and serious sports).

Our family wasn't impressed with too many of the middle school teachers. They were young with insufficient training and weak classroom management skills. And we disliked the top-down management and pressure to donate to top up teachers' pay. None of this had anything to do with my kids' strong interest in STEM.

All you guys want to talk about is kids being able to handle the workload. That's around half the story at BASIS. It's not a very happy environment.

That’s not universally true, obviously. There are plenty of kids who are happy there, but what makes one kid happy will be different from the next.

Not really buying it. What we experienced in the BASIS MS was that, by 8th grade, even dyed-in-the-wool booster families weren't doing more than making the best of an OK school in a bad building with an unstable teaching force (indicating not-so-great working conditions, including training, pay and hours) a narrow curriculum and a lot of unserious ECs. As far as I could tell, electives and ECs weren't too hot mainly for lack of funding in a cash-strapped charter. No kid is leaping for joy in a crappy building where electives aren't too good and inspiration isn't the strong suit.

I went to Hunter in NYC. Our building was almost as bad, but it was GT program where hands-on learning (like sophisticated research projects in the community), offbeat interests, unique talents and unusual backgrounds were celebrated. In our experience, BASIS DC is essentially a factory, a one-size-fits all education with 4 years of HS stressfully crammed into 3. Had it been a happier place, with better choices for us, we'd have stayed for HS. We know many Ward 6 BASIS families who've stayed through 12th grade in the last 15 years. I've never heard any of them talk about loving BASIS, although some of the students have gone on to top 10 SLACs and Ivies.

You’re not buying that different things make different kids happy? Or that kids have different experiences? Ok then.

I’ll never understand posters who insist their experience and view of the things is the only correct one.

[Anonymous]

Not the PP you're responding but kids loving the BASIS middle school? Ridiculous. The high school? Even nuttier. Parents love it, sure.

There are some good teachers, true. The new HoS is much better than the last one, yes. But it remains an unpleasant place. This is a franchise that isn't headed up by educators, explaining why parent organizations are banned (other than the type that fundraises to hand the winnings off to admins).

The physical plant is obviously so lousy, and the budget so stretched that strong ECs are impossible. This thread is a waste of time. You tolerate BASIS, you roll with it, obviously. That's all we've done. Total BS that you do more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not the PP you're responding but kids loving the BASIS middle school? Ridiculous. The high school? Even nuttier. Parents love it, sure.

There are some good teachers, true. The new HoS is much better than the last one, yes. But it remains an unpleasant place. This is a franchise that isn't headed up by educators, explaining why parent organizations are banned (other than the type that fundraises to hand the winnings off to admins).

The physical plant is obviously so lousy, and the budget so stretched that strong ECs are impossible. This thread is a waste of time. You tolerate BASIS, you roll with it, obviously. That's all we've done. Total BS that you do more.

Talk to seniors. They are having a blast!

[Anonymous]

Mine isn't. He's getting very little support for his senior year projects and activities and doesn't want to goof around (like so many of his classmates are doing).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine isn't. He's getting very little support for his senior year projects and activities and doesn't want to goof around (like so many of his classmates are doing).

Our next door neighbor is pretty unhappy with his senior year. He’s basically done by lunch, his classmates are all totally checked out of all ECs (unlike at most HSes where EC leadership is a huge part of senior year) and the school isn’t helping at all with his senior project logistics. He has mostly likely BASIS along the way, but hates the senior year model. Definitely not having a blast other than the break from work being nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kid is academically advanced, it will be fine.

If not, you will know by the end of 6th grade.

We had the opposite - kid is smart and hardworking and was in a cohort with serious behavioral issues and teachers watered things down a ton. This includes adjusting the comps for content not covered.
We knew in 7th grade things were going down hill - but it was also after a year + back after covid. It was all a mess.
Applied for privates and Walls, went private, junior now - life is grand.

[Anonymous]

+1. Our 7th grade experience wasn't all that different, more recently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine isn't. He's getting very little support for his senior year projects and activities and doesn't want to goof around (like so many of his classmates are doing).

Our next door neighbor is pretty unhappy with his senior year. He’s basically done by lunch, his classmates are all totally checked out of all ECs (unlike at most HSes where EC leadership is a huge part of senior year) and the school isn’t helping at all with his senior project logistics. He has mostly likely BASIS along the way, but hates the senior year model. Definitely not having a blast other than the break from work being nice.

We hated it, too. My kid found it lonely and a silly waste of time. We ran our kid's senior project logistics ourselves, using our contacts and resources. BASIS did so little to help us that I'm not sure what the point of the senior project was. If I could go back, we'd have found a four-year high school program instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It took us until 7th grade before we pulled the plug. It's not that it "didn't work out" - kids was academically advanced and the top of the class. But it wasn't the environment we wanted him in long term. We moved out of the city.

That is what not working out means. Would be so helpful if those who don’t find it a good fit aren’t so defensive.

Immediate PP: "If your kid is academically advanced, it will be fine."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine isn't. He's getting very little support for his senior year projects and activities and doesn't want to goof around (like so many of his classmates are doing).

Our next door neighbor is pretty unhappy with his senior year. He’s basically done by lunch, his classmates are all totally checked out of all ECs (unlike at most HSes where EC leadership is a huge part of senior year) and the school isn’t helping at all with his senior project logistics. He has mostly likely BASIS along the way, but hates the senior year model. Definitely not having a blast other than the break from work being nice.

We hated it, too. My kid found it lonely and a silly waste of time. We ran our kid's senior project logistics ourselves, using our contacts and resources. BASIS did so little to help us that I'm not sure what the point of the senior project was. If I could go back, we'd have found a four-year high school program instead.

My senior and friends are leading the projects themselves. I have nothing to do with it. But I know mine has found an advisor at a local university, a related internship, has interviewed many people, and is reading tons. Neither I nor the school have provided contacts. It is mostly cold calling, which seems to be working remarkably well. I believe the point is that it is to be self driven. I have not once considered helping and certainly haven’t been asked to help. It is fascinating to watch. In addition to many extracurriculars and large social gatherings occurring seemingly constantly.