Last night my kid said "I really like Basis - I'm glad I go to school there"!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We left BASIS because my child was miserable. Straight A student but didn’t have any friends or a social life. Middle school is a time to find yourself. DC is not getting the same level of rigor at their current school and we have to supplement but what a different happier kid! BASIS is not for everyone and I’m thrilled with our decision. Our kids have their whole lives to “work” like adults!

Thank you, PP above. Same story for DS. It's a pernicious urban myth, perpetuated by adherents of "BASIS exceptionalism," that only academic laggards leave the school.

My straight A middle school student studies far more efficiently, and with greater enthusiasm, at his new school for several reasons:

He's happier and, therefore, more motivated to learn.
He has better teachers overall (assigning more inspired and better tailored work).
He's given much more of say in what he studies. He's permitted to study the European language we speak at home at school, at the AP level in 7th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I roll my eyes when 5th grade BASIS families jump on DCUM to wax enthusiastic about how much their children love this over-rated program. A school with BASIS DC’s particular building, management model and curriculum can only be so good.As kids get older, you tire of schlepping them to quality extra-curriculars and other sourcing inputs necessary to ensure that they get a well-rounded education as teens. You also get fed up with paying to supplement on the enrichment front to the tune of thousands and thousands of dollars a year for decent music, performing arts, art, foreign language, sports or whatever.. If we could do it over again we’d probably have moved to Arlington. BASIS essentially offers half an education, not more.

Few BASIS MS parents can see that far ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our kids are really happy at BASIS as well.

The school is academically demanding and the curriculum is rigorous. Certainly agree that the school is not for everyone. The kids that do best are smart and motivated.

And now, in just a decade, Basis is the #1 public middle school in DC:

https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/middle-schools/district-of-columbia

+1,000,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We left BASIS because my child was miserable. Straight A student but didn’t have any friends or a social life. Middle school is a time to find yourself. DC is not getting the same level of rigor at their current school and we have to supplement but what a different happier kid! BASIS is not for everyone and I’m thrilled with our decision. Our kids have their whole lives to “work” like adults!

Thank you, PP above. Same story for DS. It's a pernicious urban myth, perpetuated by adherents of "BASIS exceptionalism," that only academic laggards leave the school.

My straight A middle school student studies far more efficiently, and with greater enthusiasm, at his new school for several reasons:

He's happier and, therefore, more motivated to learn.
He has better teachers overall (assigning more inspired and better tailored work).
He's given much more of say in what he studies. He's permitted to study the European language we speak at home at school, at the AP level in 7th grade.

Ah, yes, everything is wonderful and rainbows and unicorns at the mystery school you decline to reveal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kids are really happy at BASIS as well.

The school is academically demanding and the curriculum is rigorous. Certainly agree that the school is not for everyone. The kids that do best are smart and motivated.

And now, in just a decade, Basis is the #1 public middle school in DC:

https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/middle-schools/district-of-columbia

+1,000,000

New BASIS parent says if the haters don't like BASIS and it's #1 public school, then I guess the haters like being second best or worse. I'm not blind, I see BASIS has flaws, but the good outweigh the bad.

[Anonymous]

I'm so glad to read so many happy accounts. I'm not sure that the school would be a perfect fit for my own kid, but having gone to Stuyvesant in NYC way back when, I would be thrilled.

Any realistic chance of getting a spot for 6th grade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm so glad to read so many happy accounts. I'm not sure that the school would be a perfect fit for my own kid, but having gone to Stuyvesant in NYC way back when, I would be thrilled.

Any realistic chance of getting a spot for 6th grade?

Don’t count on it. Only maybe 1-4 kids in 6th grade are taken each year, as far as I can tell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kids are really happy at BASIS as well.

The school is academically demanding and the curriculum is rigorous. Certainly agree that the school is not for everyone. The kids that do best are smart and motivated.

And now, in just a decade, Basis is the #1 public middle school in DC:

https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/middle-schools/district-of-columbia

+1,000,000

New BASIS parent says if the haters don't like BASIS and it's #1 public school, then I guess the haters like being second best or worse. I'm not blind, I see BASIS has flaws, but the good outweigh the bad.

Come on. I'm not hearing hatred here. When BASIS boosters stop claiming that the program is wonderful for all the kids who can "handle" the curriculum, a more balanced and thoughtful discussion might emerge. Our kid often felt stifled, lonely and stressed-out at BASIS. He took the SATs recently from a different school and scored over 1500. I'd cheer if BASIS worked for students like him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kids are really happy at BASIS as well.

The school is academically demanding and the curriculum is rigorous. Certainly agree that the school is not for everyone. The kids that do best are smart and motivated.

And now, in just a decade, Basis is the #1 public middle school in DC:

https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/middle-schools/district-of-columbia

+1,000,000

New BASIS parent says if the haters don't like BASIS and it's #1 public school, then I guess the haters like being second best or worse. I'm not blind, I see BASIS has flaws, but the good outweigh the bad.

Come on. I'm not hearing hatred here. When BASIS boosters stop claiming that the program is wonderful for all the kids who can "handle" the curriculum, a more balanced and thoughtful discussion might emerge. Our kid often felt stifled, lonely and stressed-out at BASIS. He took the SATs recently from a different school and scored over 1500. I'd cheer if BASIS worked for students like him.

No offense but it sounds like you have a huge chip on your shoulder.

Hope you get over it someday.

[Anonymous]

I don’t get why you BASIS cheerleaders don’t post on a school list serv instead of DCUM. You seem to spend a lot of time and energy trying to drive even the mildest criticism of the program off threads. Calling parents who don’t share your warm feelings for BASIS DC names on DCUM only does so much to advance the PR exercise.

[Anonymous]

I’m from Arizona. BASIS has had very mixed reviews in the state since the get go, particularly from the state legislature. The sort of tit for tat criticism and defensiveness you see on DCUM isn’t just a DC phenomenon.

[Anonymous]

Pot calling the kettle black.

I don't have a kid at Basis but the people being defensive here appear to be those whose kids dropped out of the school or who don't have a kid there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get why you BASIS cheerleaders don’t post on a school list serv instead of DCUM. You seem to spend a lot of time and energy trying to drive even the mildest criticism of the program off threads. Calling parents who don’t share your warm feelings for BASIS DC names on DCUM only does so much to advance the PR exercise.

+100.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m from Arizona. BASIS has had very mixed reviews in the state since the get go, particularly from the state legislature. The sort of tit for tat criticism and defensiveness you see on DCUM isn’t just a DC phenomenon.

Sure, someone from Arizona is monitoring the DC public and public charter school forum on DCUM. And agrees 100% with the PP. Very likely.

8 0f the 10 ranked high schools in Arizona are BASIS, and some of these are ranked among the best in the country. No one, including the state legislature, is giving mixed reviews.

PP, stop lying and posting false information here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I roll my eyes when 5th grade BASIS families jump on DCUM to wax enthusiastic about how much their children love this over-rated program. A school with BASIS DC’s particular building, management model and curriculum can only be so good.As kids get older, you tire of schlepping them to quality extra-curriculars and other sourcing inputs necessary to ensure that they get a well-rounded education as teens. You also get fed up with paying to supplement on the enrichment front to the tune of thousands and thousands of dollars a year for decent music, performing arts, art, foreign language, sports or whatever.. If we could do it over again we’d probably have moved to Arlington. BASIS essentially offers half an education, not more.

Few BASIS MS parents can see that far ahead.

You can’t really evaluate Basis without understanding the context most patents are coming from. Our assigned middle school (Stuart Hobson) didn’t seem like a good fit because DC is tortured by too much chaos and has seen how chaotic the S-H kids seem to be out and about in the neighborhood. She wasn’t willing to even try. We can’t afford private. I considered MoCo for years, but DH loves our neighborhood and would be crushed to live in the suburbs. So…? We played the lottery and were thrilled to have Basis as a choice.

At the same time, it’s not a perfect fit for DC or our family and not the school I’d choose if I had several strong choices. We have our grumbles. But we didn’t have several strong choices, and at least it’s (mostly) teaching DC a lot, and we like most of the kids. DC is considering other high school options but may decide to stay at Basis because supposedly high school is more enjoyable than middle school. As much as DC is torn now, I think high school might end up being a great experience. Most things in life are not either all great or all bad.