Does anyone know the status of the Proposed BASIS Expansion

[Anonymous]

Apologies if this is answered elsewhere in the thread. What grade would Basis start with if they do expand? Four and down? Or K and up? And when would the expansion start?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't really think anyone would lose sibling preference. In this year's data, only 30 kids matched to BASIS as siblings. So if there's 75 kids per class in BASIS elementary, plus 30 siblings, that's only 105 kids. BASIS tends to offer 150-ish seats (adding regular and EA together here), so it seems like all siblings could easily get in.

Actually, revise that, if BASIS elementary kids can confer preference on older siblings to get into BASIS at 5th, I might feel differently. I suppose it depends. But still, not all siblings will accept.

Yes, I assume this is exactly what BASIS is going for to fill its K-5 initially. I wanted to know if I could enroll my Ker and then bring him back to his IB after a week once we've taken the sibling preference for my 4th grader.

Sibling attending preference: "Please note that at most schools, this preference is meant to allow siblings to attend the same school at the same time. If you withdraw the "attending" student for the following school year, it is possible that your sibling preference, and subsequent enrollment, match or waitlist offer, will be revoked."

Sibling offered preference: "Please note that at most schools, this preference is meant to allow siblings to attend the same school at the same time. If the sibling who was offered a space at the school does not enroll at that school or later enrolls at another school, the “sibling offered” preference may be removed for all siblings that applied to that same school. This may result in the siblings losing their match, or moving down on the waitlist at that school."

I'm pretty sure if enough people did what you're describing, BASIS could and would just revoke enrollment and offer a spot to the next student on the waitlist.

Not once the year has started they won’t. It works because my younger kid can start at their IB whenever. You’re telling me they’re going to pull out my good student 5th grader after a week? No, they aren’t. What would their incentive be? Also, I pulled out my Ker because it was a bad fit; prove I didn’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This post finally came full circle: if BASIS had an elementary school, at-risk students who would otherwise miss the 5th grade lottery or struggle to catch up would have a better chance at not only getting in but also succeeding. 5th grade is currently a nice way to more gradually acclimate to the demands of middle school. So many students come into the school without good foundations and BASIS has to catch them up. There would be far less catch up in middle school if the students had mostly uniform preparation going into middle school. Certainly some DCPS elementary schools prepare their students but many do not.

No, because at-risk families aren't going to drag their kindergarten kids to wherever basis locates its elementary school. They are not going to switch a kid at k when they enrolled somewhere else for pk. Basis knows this and is happy to design an elementary school that, like its middle and high school, is desirable primarily to wealthier families. I will believe otherwise if they try to locate their new campus at the Eagle academy building in Congress heights.

Basis doesn’t care what you think or believe.

There will be plenty of interest when the new elementary school opens.

Options are always good.

There are 135 charter schools in DC. If you don’t like Basis, go to one or stay at your in-bounds school.

+1 also chiming in to say for every one of the ward 6 parents confident that their voice will get BASIS elementary shut down before it gets off the ground, there are five parents supporting this new school. Don't believe everything you read on DCUM (my post of course included).

I think you’re genuinely mistaken. Parents at Brent, Maury, LT, SWS & Payne, at the very least, are now worse off than they were before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't really think anyone would lose sibling preference. In this year's data, only 30 kids matched to BASIS as siblings. So if there's 75 kids per class in BASIS elementary, plus 30 siblings, that's only 105 kids. BASIS tends to offer 150-ish seats (adding regular and EA together here), so it seems like all siblings could easily get in.

Actually, revise that, if BASIS elementary kids can confer preference on older siblings to get into BASIS at 5th, I might feel differently. I suppose it depends. But still, not all siblings will accept.

Yes, I assume this is exactly what BASIS is going for to fill its K-5 initially. I wanted to know if I could enroll my Ker and then bring him back to his IB after a week once we've taken the sibling preference for my 4th grader.

Sibling attending preference: "Please note that at most schools, this preference is meant to allow siblings to attend the same school at the same time. If you withdraw the "attending" student for the following school year, it is possible that your sibling preference, and subsequent enrollment, match or waitlist offer, will be revoked."

Sibling offered preference: "Please note that at most schools, this preference is meant to allow siblings to attend the same school at the same time. If the sibling who was offered a space at the school does not enroll at that school or later enrolls at another school, the “sibling offered” preference may be removed for all siblings that applied to that same school. This may result in the siblings losing their match, or moving down on the waitlist at that school."

I'm pretty sure if enough people did what you're describing, BASIS could and would just revoke enrollment and offer a spot to the next student on the waitlist.

Not once the year has started they won’t. It works because my younger kid can start at their IB whenever. You’re telling me they’re going to pull out my good student 5th grader after a week? No, they aren’t. What would their incentive be? Also, I pulled out my Ker because it was a bad fit; prove I didn’t.

I'm pretty convinced that there is only one person in DC planning to do this, this poster who always uses the abbreviation"Ker." She can go for it. I doubt this will be a widespread issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Apologies if this is answered elsewhere in the thread. What grade would Basis start with if they do expand? Four and down? Or K and up? And when would the expansion start?

K and up.

Basis still needs to agree to the modification.

Figure a start in a couple of years at the earliest. They don’t even have a location yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't really think anyone would lose sibling preference. In this year's data, only 30 kids matched to BASIS as siblings. So if there's 75 kids per class in BASIS elementary, plus 30 siblings, that's only 105 kids. BASIS tends to offer 150-ish seats (adding regular and EA together here), so it seems like all siblings could easily get in.

Actually, revise that, if BASIS elementary kids can confer preference on older siblings to get into BASIS at 5th, I might feel differently. I suppose it depends. But still, not all siblings will accept.

Yes, I assume this is exactly what BASIS is going for to fill its K-5 initially. I wanted to know if I could enroll my Ker and then bring him back to his IB after a week once we've taken the sibling preference for my 4th grader.

Sibling attending preference: "Please note that at most schools, this preference is meant to allow siblings to attend the same school at the same time. If you withdraw the "attending" student for the following school year, it is possible that your sibling preference, and subsequent enrollment, match or waitlist offer, will be revoked."

Sibling offered preference: "Please note that at most schools, this preference is meant to allow siblings to attend the same school at the same time. If the sibling who was offered a space at the school does not enroll at that school or later enrolls at another school, the “sibling offered” preference may be removed for all siblings that applied to that same school. This may result in the siblings losing their match, or moving down on the waitlist at that school."

I'm pretty sure if enough people did what you're describing, BASIS could and would just revoke enrollment and offer a spot to the next student on the waitlist.

Not once the year has started they won’t. It works because my younger kid can start at their IB whenever. You’re telling me they’re going to pull out my good student 5th grader after a week? No, they aren’t. What would their incentive be? Also, I pulled out my Ker because it was a bad fit; prove I didn’t.

Their incentive would be to stop people from attempting this in future years. Filling a bunch of elementary seats after the school year has already started is harder for admin and disruptive to the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This post finally came full circle: if BASIS had an elementary school, at-risk students who would otherwise miss the 5th grade lottery or struggle to catch up would have a better chance at not only getting in but also succeeding. 5th grade is currently a nice way to more gradually acclimate to the demands of middle school. So many students come into the school without good foundations and BASIS has to catch them up. There would be far less catch up in middle school if the students had mostly uniform preparation going into middle school. Certainly some DCPS elementary schools prepare their students but many do not.

No, because at-risk families aren't going to drag their kindergarten kids to wherever basis locates its elementary school. They are not going to switch a kid at k when they enrolled somewhere else for pk. Basis knows this and is happy to design an elementary school that, like its middle and high school, is desirable primarily to wealthier families. I will believe otherwise if they try to locate their new campus at the Eagle academy building in Congress heights.

Basis doesn’t care what you think or believe.

There will be plenty of interest when the new elementary school opens.

Options are always good.

There are 135 charter schools in DC. If you don’t like Basis, go to one or stay at your in-bounds school.

+1 also chiming in to say for every one of the ward 6 parents confident that their voice will get BASIS elementary shut down before it gets off the ground, there are five parents supporting this new school. Don't believe everything you read on DCUM (my post of course included).

I think you’re genuinely mistaken. Parents at Brent, Maury, LT, SWS & Payne, at the very least, are now worse off than they were before.

I don't really follow this - is the argument because there is one new elementary school, that all of the other schools in our neighborhood are going to fail? What are there going to be, maybe 3-4 classrooms per grade? It will pull from many different schools, including parents who would have otherwise gone to other charters or private (or moved). The direct impact per school won't be huge, and to be honest with the way school enrollments have been trending (esp in some of the ones you just listed above) - having a few less kids per grade isn't the worst thing. It would help keep class sizes more manageable. The interesting thing would be to see if there will be the same issue of kids returning to DCPS after a few years (as happens in the middle school). It is that issue (transfering back to DCPS over the summer or mid-year so therefore not accounted for when projecting staffing needs at public schools) who end up skewing enrollment and impacting the public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This post finally came full circle: if BASIS had an elementary school, at-risk students who would otherwise miss the 5th grade lottery or struggle to catch up would have a better chance at not only getting in but also succeeding. 5th grade is currently a nice way to more gradually acclimate to the demands of middle school. So many students come into the school without good foundations and BASIS has to catch them up. There would be far less catch up in middle school if the students had mostly uniform preparation going into middle school. Certainly some DCPS elementary schools prepare their students but many do not.

No, because at-risk families aren't going to drag their kindergarten kids to wherever basis locates its elementary school. They are not going to switch a kid at k when they enrolled somewhere else for pk. Basis knows this and is happy to design an elementary school that, like its middle and high school, is desirable primarily to wealthier families. I will believe otherwise if they try to locate their new campus at the Eagle academy building in Congress heights.

Basis doesn’t care what you think or believe.

There will be plenty of interest when the new elementary school opens.

Options are always good.

There are 135 charter schools in DC. If you don’t like Basis, go to one or stay at your in-bounds school.

+1 also chiming in to say for every one of the ward 6 parents confident that their voice will get BASIS elementary shut down before it gets off the ground, there are five parents supporting this new school. Don't believe everything you read on DCUM (my post of course included).

I think you’re genuinely mistaken. Parents at Brent, Maury, LT, SWS & Payne, at the very least, are now worse off than they were before.

I don't really follow this - is the argument because there is one new elementary school, that all of the other schools in our neighborhood are going to fail? What are there going to be, maybe 3-4 classrooms per grade? It will pull from many different schools, including parents who would have otherwise gone to other charters or private (or moved). The direct impact per school won't be huge, and to be honest with the way school enrollments have been trending (esp in some of the ones you just listed above) - having a few less kids per grade isn't the worst thing. It would help keep class sizes more manageable. The interesting thing would be to see if there will be the same issue of kids returning to DCPS after a few years (as happens in the middle school). It is that issue (transfering back to DCPS over the summer or mid-year so therefore not accounted for when projecting staffing needs at public schools) who end up skewing enrollment and impacting the public schools.

I think it hurts these schools. You see it already in the 5th grade, when a bunch of kids leave for Latin/Basis. To get those Basis spots, those kids will now need to leave the school earlier. Those kids are usually among the (though obviously not the only) academically advanced groups and/or from families (though again, not the only families!) that emphasize academics. If those kids leave earlier, the advanced cohort at the schools will be correspondingly weaker. Increasing numbers of stronger students have attracted families to these schools, so taking a hit to these numbers could negatively affect enrollment by other advanced students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This post finally came full circle: if BASIS had an elementary school, at-risk students who would otherwise miss the 5th grade lottery or struggle to catch up would have a better chance at not only getting in but also succeeding. 5th grade is currently a nice way to more gradually acclimate to the demands of middle school. So many students come into the school without good foundations and BASIS has to catch them up. There would be far less catch up in middle school if the students had mostly uniform preparation going into middle school. Certainly some DCPS elementary schools prepare their students but many do not.

No, because at-risk families aren't going to drag their kindergarten kids to wherever basis locates its elementary school. They are not going to switch a kid at k when they enrolled somewhere else for pk. Basis knows this and is happy to design an elementary school that, like its middle and high school, is desirable primarily to wealthier families. I will believe otherwise if they try to locate their new campus at the Eagle academy building in Congress heights.

Basis doesn’t care what you think or believe.

There will be plenty of interest when the new elementary school opens.

Options are always good.

There are 135 charter schools in DC. If you don’t like Basis, go to one or stay at your in-bounds school.

+1 also chiming in to say for every one of the ward 6 parents confident that their voice will get BASIS elementary shut down before it gets off the ground, there are five parents supporting this new school. Don't believe everything you read on DCUM (my post of course included).

I think you’re genuinely mistaken. Parents at Brent, Maury, LT, SWS & Payne, at the very least, are now worse off than they were before.

I don't really follow this - is the argument because there is one new elementary school, that all of the other schools in our neighborhood are going to fail? What are there going to be, maybe 3-4 classrooms per grade? It will pull from many different schools, including parents who would have otherwise gone to other charters or private (or moved). The direct impact per school won't be huge, and to be honest with the way school enrollments have been trending (esp in some of the ones you just listed above) - having a few less kids per grade isn't the worst thing. It would help keep class sizes more manageable. The interesting thing would be to see if there will be the same issue of kids returning to DCPS after a few years (as happens in the middle school). It is that issue (transfering back to DCPS over the summer or mid-year so therefore not accounted for when projecting staffing needs at public schools) who end up skewing enrollment and impacting the public schools.

I think it hurts these schools. You see it already in the 5th grade, when a bunch of kids leave for Latin/Basis. To get those Basis spots, those kids will now need to leave the school earlier. Those kids are usually among the (though obviously not the only) academically advanced groups and/or from families (though again, not the only families!) that emphasize academics. If those kids leave earlier, the advanced cohort at the schools will be correspondingly weaker. Increasing numbers of stronger students have attracted families to these schools, so taking a hit to these numbers could negatively affect enrollment by other advanced students.

But how many kids could it possibly be from any one school, if BASIS has 75 kids in a grade and is pulling kids from dozens of schools around the city?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This post finally came full circle: if BASIS had an elementary school, at-risk students who would otherwise miss the 5th grade lottery or struggle to catch up would have a better chance at not only getting in but also succeeding. 5th grade is currently a nice way to more gradually acclimate to the demands of middle school. So many students come into the school without good foundations and BASIS has to catch them up. There would be far less catch up in middle school if the students had mostly uniform preparation going into middle school. Certainly some DCPS elementary schools prepare their students but many do not.

No, because at-risk families aren't going to drag their kindergarten kids to wherever basis locates its elementary school. They are not going to switch a kid at k when they enrolled somewhere else for pk. Basis knows this and is happy to design an elementary school that, like its middle and high school, is desirable primarily to wealthier families. I will believe otherwise if they try to locate their new campus at the Eagle academy building in Congress heights.

Basis doesn’t care what you think or believe.

There will be plenty of interest when the new elementary school opens.

Options are always good.

There are 135 charter schools in DC. If you don’t like Basis, go to one or stay at your in-bounds school.

+1 also chiming in to say for every one of the ward 6 parents confident that their voice will get BASIS elementary shut down before it gets off the ground, there are five parents supporting this new school. Don't believe everything you read on DCUM (my post of course included).

I think you’re genuinely mistaken. Parents at Brent, Maury, LT, SWS & Payne, at the very least, are now worse off than they were before.

I don't really follow this - is the argument because there is one new elementary school, that all of the other schools in our neighborhood are going to fail? What are there going to be, maybe 3-4 classrooms per grade? It will pull from many different schools, including parents who would have otherwise gone to other charters or private (or moved). The direct impact per school won't be huge, and to be honest with the way school enrollments have been trending (esp in some of the ones you just listed above) - having a few less kids per grade isn't the worst thing. It would help keep class sizes more manageable. The interesting thing would be to see if there will be the same issue of kids returning to DCPS after a few years (as happens in the middle school). It is that issue (transfering back to DCPS over the summer or mid-year so therefore not accounted for when projecting staffing needs at public schools) who end up skewing enrollment and impacting the public schools.

I think it hurts these schools. You see it already in the 5th grade, when a bunch of kids leave for Latin/Basis. To get those Basis spots, those kids will now need to leave the school earlier. Those kids are usually among the (though obviously not the only) academically advanced groups and/or from families (though again, not the only families!) that emphasize academics. If those kids leave earlier, the advanced cohort at the schools will be correspondingly weaker. Increasing numbers of stronger students have attracted families to these schools, so taking a hit to these numbers could negatively affect enrollment by other advanced students.

But wouldn't some of these kids already have sibling status at Latin? And just because a kid is advanced does not mean parents want to send them to BASIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This post finally came full circle: if BASIS had an elementary school, at-risk students who would otherwise miss the 5th grade lottery or struggle to catch up would have a better chance at not only getting in but also succeeding. 5th grade is currently a nice way to more gradually acclimate to the demands of middle school. So many students come into the school without good foundations and BASIS has to catch them up. There would be far less catch up in middle school if the students had mostly uniform preparation going into middle school. Certainly some DCPS elementary schools prepare their students but many do not.

No, because at-risk families aren't going to drag their kindergarten kids to wherever basis locates its elementary school. They are not going to switch a kid at k when they enrolled somewhere else for pk. Basis knows this and is happy to design an elementary school that, like its middle and high school, is desirable primarily to wealthier families. I will believe otherwise if they try to locate their new campus at the Eagle academy building in Congress heights.

Basis doesn’t care what you think or believe.

There will be plenty of interest when the new elementary school opens.

Options are always good.

There are 135 charter schools in DC. If you don’t like Basis, go to one or stay at your in-bounds school.

+1 also chiming in to say for every one of the ward 6 parents confident that their voice will get BASIS elementary shut down before it gets off the ground, there are five parents supporting this new school. Don't believe everything you read on DCUM (my post of course included).

I think you’re genuinely mistaken. Parents at Brent, Maury, LT, SWS & Payne, at the very least, are now worse off than they were before.

I don't really follow this - is the argument because there is one new elementary school, that all of the other schools in our neighborhood are going to fail? What are there going to be, maybe 3-4 classrooms per grade? It will pull from many different schools, including parents who would have otherwise gone to other charters or private (or moved). The direct impact per school won't be huge, and to be honest with the way school enrollments have been trending (esp in some of the ones you just listed above) - having a few less kids per grade isn't the worst thing. It would help keep class sizes more manageable. The interesting thing would be to see if there will be the same issue of kids returning to DCPS after a few years (as happens in the middle school). It is that issue (transfering back to DCPS over the summer or mid-year so therefore not accounted for when projecting staffing needs at public schools) who end up skewing enrollment and impacting the public schools.

I think it hurts these schools. You see it already in the 5th grade, when a bunch of kids leave for Latin/Basis. To get those Basis spots, those kids will now need to leave the school earlier. Those kids are usually among the (though obviously not the only) academically advanced groups and/or from families (though again, not the only families!) that emphasize academics. If those kids leave earlier, the advanced cohort at the schools will be correspondingly weaker. Increasing numbers of stronger students have attracted families to these schools, so taking a hit to these numbers could negatively affect enrollment by other advanced students.

Right - but spread across many schools, it won't be that many kids, and once the school is full with all the grades (again, at least 5 years from now) - it will not take any more kids in one grade than it already does now. So instead of pulling kids out of school in 5th, they will just have been in BASIS for longer. And as much as BASIS appeals to a lot of families, there a lot of families who are not putting on their lottery and are not interested. The schools will be OK, the kids will be alright.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This post finally came full circle: if BASIS had an elementary school, at-risk students who would otherwise miss the 5th grade lottery or struggle to catch up would have a better chance at not only getting in but also succeeding. 5th grade is currently a nice way to more gradually acclimate to the demands of middle school. So many students come into the school without good foundations and BASIS has to catch them up. There would be far less catch up in middle school if the students had mostly uniform preparation going into middle school. Certainly some DCPS elementary schools prepare their students but many do not.

No, because at-risk families aren't going to drag their kindergarten kids to wherever basis locates its elementary school. They are not going to switch a kid at k when they enrolled somewhere else for pk. Basis knows this and is happy to design an elementary school that, like its middle and high school, is desirable primarily to wealthier families. I will believe otherwise if they try to locate their new campus at the Eagle academy building in Congress heights.

Basis doesn’t care what you think or believe.

There will be plenty of interest when the new elementary school opens.

Options are always good.

There are 135 charter schools in DC. If you don’t like Basis, go to one or stay at your in-bounds school.

+1 also chiming in to say for every one of the ward 6 parents confident that their voice will get BASIS elementary shut down before it gets off the ground, there are five parents supporting this new school. Don't believe everything you read on DCUM (my post of course included).

I think you’re genuinely mistaken. Parents at Brent, Maury, LT, SWS & Payne, at the very least, are now worse off than they were before.

I don't really follow this - is the argument because there is one new elementary school, that all of the other schools in our neighborhood are going to fail? What are there going to be, maybe 3-4 classrooms per grade? It will pull from many different schools, including parents who would have otherwise gone to other charters or private (or moved). The direct impact per school won't be huge, and to be honest with the way school enrollments have been trending (esp in some of the ones you just listed above) - having a few less kids per grade isn't the worst thing. It would help keep class sizes more manageable. The interesting thing would be to see if there will be the same issue of kids returning to DCPS after a few years (as happens in the middle school). It is that issue (transfering back to DCPS over the summer or mid-year so therefore not accounted for when projecting staffing needs at public schools) who end up skewing enrollment and impacting the public schools.

I think it hurts these schools. You see it already in the 5th grade, when a bunch of kids leave for Latin/Basis. To get those Basis spots, those kids will now need to leave the school earlier. Those kids are usually among the (though obviously not the only) academically advanced groups and/or from families (though again, not the only families!) that emphasize academics. If those kids leave earlier, the advanced cohort at the schools will be correspondingly weaker. Increasing numbers of stronger students have attracted families to these schools, so taking a hit to these numbers could negatively affect enrollment by other advanced students.

Right - but spread across many schools, it won't be that many kids, and once the school is full with all the grades (again, at least 5 years from now) - it will not take any more kids in one grade than it already does now. So instead of pulling kids out of school in 5th, they will just have been in BASIS for longer. And as much as BASIS appeals to a lot of families, there a lot of families who are not putting on their lottery and are not interested. The schools will be OK, the kids will be alright.

This. BASIS 5th grade received kids from 45 different schools.

And there's no reason to think a BASIS elementary would be that close to the Hill anyway.

[Anonymous]

Build up adding one grade per year so the first year K class ends up being the first class to complete all grades K-4. Actually the place to negotiate is in starting with K-2 not just K-1. I generally think most K parents are not especially sophisticated school consumers. You do not always know your child’s full aptitude yet, disabilities, willingness to do large amounts of homework, might underestimate how much of a grind a school commute will day to day be for your family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This post finally came full circle: if BASIS had an elementary school, at-risk students who would otherwise miss the 5th grade lottery or struggle to catch up would have a better chance at not only getting in but also succeeding. 5th grade is currently a nice way to more gradually acclimate to the demands of middle school. So many students come into the school without good foundations and BASIS has to catch them up. There would be far less catch up in middle school if the students had mostly uniform preparation going into middle school. Certainly some DCPS elementary schools prepare their students but many do not.

No, because at-risk families aren't going to drag their kindergarten kids to wherever basis locates its elementary school. They are not going to switch a kid at k when they enrolled somewhere else for pk. Basis knows this and is happy to design an elementary school that, like its middle and high school, is desirable primarily to wealthier families. I will believe otherwise if they try to locate their new campus at the Eagle academy building in Congress heights.

Basis doesn’t care what you think or believe.

There will be plenty of interest when the new elementary school opens.

Options are always good.

There are 135 charter schools in DC. If you don’t like Basis, go to one or stay at your in-bounds school.

+1 also chiming in to say for every one of the ward 6 parents confident that their voice will get BASIS elementary shut down before it gets off the ground, there are five parents supporting this new school. Don't believe everything you read on DCUM (my post of course included).

I think you’re genuinely mistaken. Parents at Brent, Maury, LT, SWS & Payne, at the very least, are now worse off than they were before.

I don't really follow this - is the argument because there is one new elementary school, that all of the other schools in our neighborhood are going to fail? What are there going to be, maybe 3-4 classrooms per grade? It will pull from many different schools, including parents who would have otherwise gone to other charters or private (or moved). The direct impact per school won't be huge, and to be honest with the way school enrollments have been trending (esp in some of the ones you just listed above) - having a few less kids per grade isn't the worst thing. It would help keep class sizes more manageable. The interesting thing would be to see if there will be the same issue of kids returning to DCPS after a few years (as happens in the middle school). It is that issue (transfering back to DCPS over the summer or mid-year so therefore not accounted for when projecting staffing needs at public schools) who end up skewing enrollment and impacting the public schools.

Parents at these schools want to stay at these schools for ES, but want the MS spots. I didn't mean that BASIS ES would destroy any of these schools -- I agree, it will marginally affect them for the worse at worst; I meant that parents at these schools wouldn't be pro-BASIS ES expansion, since few of them would want to use it. The "genuinely mistaken" was in reference to the poster saying that for every 1 parent on the Hill opposed to BASIS ES, 5 were in favor. I don't think that's right. I think parents at good DCPS ESes would much rather leave their kids in their local school with their friends and then still have a shot at BASIS MS, which will now disappear/be drastically reduced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This post finally came full circle: if BASIS had an elementary school, at-risk students who would otherwise miss the 5th grade lottery or struggle to catch up would have a better chance at not only getting in but also succeeding. 5th grade is currently a nice way to more gradually acclimate to the demands of middle school. So many students come into the school without good foundations and BASIS has to catch them up. There would be far less catch up in middle school if the students had mostly uniform preparation going into middle school. Certainly some DCPS elementary schools prepare their students but many do not.

No, because at-risk families aren't going to drag their kindergarten kids to wherever basis locates its elementary school. They are not going to switch a kid at k when they enrolled somewhere else for pk. Basis knows this and is happy to design an elementary school that, like its middle and high school, is desirable primarily to wealthier families. I will believe otherwise if they try to locate their new campus at the Eagle academy building in Congress heights.

Basis doesn’t care what you think or believe.

There will be plenty of interest when the new elementary school opens.

Options are always good.

There are 135 charter schools in DC. If you don’t like Basis, go to one or stay at your in-bounds school.

+1 also chiming in to say for every one of the ward 6 parents confident that their voice will get BASIS elementary shut down before it gets off the ground, there are five parents supporting this new school. Don't believe everything you read on DCUM (my post of course included).

I think you’re genuinely mistaken. Parents at Brent, Maury, LT, SWS & Payne, at the very least, are now worse off than they were before.

I don't really follow this - is the argument because there is one new elementary school, that all of the other schools in our neighborhood are going to fail? What are there going to be, maybe 3-4 classrooms per grade? It will pull from many different schools, including parents who would have otherwise gone to other charters or private (or moved). The direct impact per school won't be huge, and to be honest with the way school enrollments have been trending (esp in some of the ones you just listed above) - having a few less kids per grade isn't the worst thing. It would help keep class sizes more manageable. The interesting thing would be to see if there will be the same issue of kids returning to DCPS after a few years (as happens in the middle school). It is that issue (transfering back to DCPS over the summer or mid-year so therefore not accounted for when projecting staffing needs at public schools) who end up skewing enrollment and impacting the public schools.

Parents at these schools want to stay at these schools for ES, but want the MS spots. I didn't mean that BASIS ES would destroy any of these schools -- I agree, it will marginally affect them for the worse at worst; I meant that parents at these schools wouldn't be pro-BASIS ES expansion, since few of them would want to use it. The "genuinely mistaken" was in reference to the poster saying that for every 1 parent on the Hill opposed to BASIS ES, 5 were in favor. I don't think that's right. I think parents at good DCPS ESes would much rather leave their kids in their local school with their friends and then still have a shot at BASIS MS, which will now disappear/be drastically reduced.

I'm a parent at one of the Hill elementary schools with no interest in Basis, but I support the expansion because I think it will be better for Hill upper elementary and middle schools. Currently, most Hill middle schools lose a fair number of students in 5th to Basis (and the Latins). Brent sent 13 kids to Basis last year. Watkins sent 17 the previous year. I think it would be less disruptive to have kids start in K and lose a trickle up through 5th, rather than Basis contributing to the mass exodus in 5th. I expect there would be a more even balance of kids from different catchments starting in K and it wouldn't significantly impact any Hill elementary.