BASIS attrition after middle school- why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[img]

Anonymous wrote:So you agree with PP above that the problem is fundamentally political.

I don't care for how BASIS is the best we can do for our most academic preteens and teens in the public school system east of Rock Creek. We found their ms depressing, with ridiculously top-down management and less challenging and inspiring academics than expected.

If your family loves it, if your children thrive there, good for you.

So then where did you send your kids to MS?

Blessed Sacrament in NW. The tuition isn’t bad, great teachers, strong community, PTA and ECs, good leadership. Not enough diversity and STEM instruction weaker than BASIS but we can live with that.

Oh look! Another poster using BASIS as a whipping boy but actually has an issue with DCPS and DC schools. You all bore me.

[Anonymous]

You could easily argue that of every last family who leaves BASIS DC during or after MS. It's a no-brainer that parents head to BASIS in the first place because they aren't satisfied with their DCPS MS option(s). If they aren't satisfied with BASIS either, and are willing to leave, they're generally out of MS options in the DC public system, unless they're willing to move in-boundary for Deal or Hardy. It's the rare BASIS family that bails planning to head to a DCPS MS (have heard of this for Stuart Hobson). The BASIS families we know who left during or after middle school all went private/parochial or moved. They seem happy where they landed. We couldn't get our kid to stay for the BASIS HS mainly because her good school friends were all leaving, and not because they were struggling academically. The peer influence was strong, with the friends emphasizing more appealing high school options (serious sports, theater, music, science research, languages past the AP level and so on).

[Anonymous]

How about a new thread entitled DC public school attrition after middle school - why? None of our DC public high school options appeal to us. We both attended public middle and high schools magnets in NYC as kids. Even the best DC public schools don't seem half as good to us. What's wrong with this picture?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about a new thread entitled DC public school attrition after middle school - why? None of our DC public high school options appeal to us. We both attended public middle and high schools magnets in NYC as kids. Even the best DC public schools don't seem half as good to us. What's wrong with this picture?

But middle school was? I think most of the parents who feel this way either don't enroll in DCPS in the first place or peel off after elementary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about a new thread entitled DC public school attrition after middle school - why? None of our DC public high school options appeal to us. We both attended public middle and high schools magnets in NYC as kids. Even the best DC public schools don't seem half as good to us. What's wrong with this picture?

But middle school was? I think most of the parents who feel this way either don't enroll in DCPS in the first place or peel off after elementary.

Nah. Lots of people don’t have the money to pay for private MS and HS. They can only scrounge up enough to pay for HS.

[Anonymous]

This. When our kids were at BASIS, we got to know fellow test-in public magnet grads from big cities around the country who weren't bowled over by the education their children were receiving and weren't impressed with the school's leadership either. A few loved the place but most would they'd say that they tolerated BASIS because they couldn't afford both private MS and HS and didn't want to move from DC. These parents were mostly Federal civil servants, academics, non-profit workers or journalists. Their prevalence at BASIS helps explain substantial attrition after MS. We used our years in DCPS and BASIS to save for a HS where the curriculum stresses critical thinking, creativity, inquiry, independent research, hands-on learning, the arts, advanced language work and other academic offerings not available at BASIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This. When our kids were at BASIS, we got to know fellow test-in public magnet grads from big cities around the country who weren't bowled over by the education their children were receiving and weren't impressed with the school's leadership either. A few loved the place but most would they'd say that they tolerated BASIS because they couldn't afford both private MS and HS and didn't want to move from DC. These parents were mostly Federal civil servants, academics, non-profit workers or journalists. Their prevalence at BASIS helps explain substantial attrition after MS. We used our years in DCPS and BASIS to save for a HS where the curriculum stresses critical thinking, creativity, inquiry, independent research, hands-on learning, the arts, advanced language work and other academic offerings not available at BASIS.

So where did you end up?

[Anonymous]

St. Stephen's and St. Agnes in VA with good fi aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:St. Stephen's and St. Agnes in VA with good fi aid.

Were JR or SWW options you had? If not, would you have taken them?

[Anonymous]

Yes, Walls was an option, but not as appealing as a private with good fi aid and help from relatives on tuition. J-R was not an option and wouldn't have been a good fit for a shy teen who isn't much of a self-starter if it had been. We were v. lucky to exit BASIS on good form. Child was well prepared for HS, I'll give BASIS that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This. When our kids were at BASIS, we got to know fellow test-in public magnet grads from big cities around the country who weren't bowled over by the education their children were receiving and weren't impressed with the school's leadership either. A few loved the place but most would they'd say that they tolerated BASIS because they couldn't afford both private MS and HS and didn't want to move from DC. These parents were mostly Federal civil servants, academics, non-profit workers or journalists. Their prevalence at BASIS helps explain substantial attrition after MS. We used our years in DCPS and BASIS to save for a HS where the curriculum stresses critical thinking, creativity, inquiry, independent research, hands-on learning, the arts, advanced language work and other academic offerings not available at BASIS.

BASIS is not a test-in magnet. BASIS is not a private school. If you enter hoping or expecting either thing you will be disappointed.

Sir, this is a Wendy's!

[Anonymous]

If you enter hoping for more than pre-AP test prep and AP test prep you will also be dissappointed. BASIS is a test prep program in the guise of a school. If that bothers you don’t enroll, or enroll and don’t stay for high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you enter hoping for more than pre-AP test prep and yAP test prep you will also be dissappointed. BASIS is a test prep program in the guise of a school. If that bothers you don’t enroll, or enroll and don’t stay for high school.

Not in our experience.

And the school’s high rankings refute your point as well.

BTW, check your spelling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This. When our kids were at BASIS, we got to know fellow test-in public magnet grads from big cities around the country who weren't bowled over by the education their children were receiving and weren't impressed with the school's leadership either. A few loved the place but most would they'd say that they tolerated BASIS because they couldn't afford both private MS and HS and didn't want to move from DC. These parents were mostly Federal civil servants, academics, non-profit workers or journalists. Their prevalence at BASIS helps explain substantial attrition after MS. We used our years in DCPS and BASIS to save [b]for a HS where the curriculum stresses critical thinking, creativity, inquiry, independent research, hands-on learning, [\b] the arts, advanced language work and other academic offerings not available at BASIS.

From what I’ve heard from BASIS admin, the HS experience is very different from MS, and there is a lot more of the bolded above in HS. Is that true?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This. When our kids were at BASIS, we got to know fellow test-in public magnet grads from big cities around the country who weren't bowled over by the education their children were receiving and weren't impressed with the school's leadership either. A few loved the place but most would they'd say that they tolerated BASIS because they couldn't afford both private MS and HS and didn't want to move from DC. These parents were mostly Federal civil servants, academics, non-profit workers or journalists. Their prevalence at BASIS helps explain substantial attrition after MS. We used our years in DCPS and BASIS to save [b]for a HS where the curriculum stresses critical thinking, creativity, inquiry, independent research, hands-on learning, [\b] the arts, advanced language work and other academic offerings not available at BASIS.

From what I’ve heard from BASIS admin, the HS experience is very different from MS, and there is a lot more of the bolded above in HS. Is that true?

It seems really true. Also, the high school kids get to leave campus for an hour for lunch and be free. Fundamentally different experience than MS. It's a shame -- I would totally send my kids to the High School, but I would never send them to the middle.