How to help child succeed at BASIS

[Anonymous]

I don’t think the number “90” has been confirmed. That’s just what I vaguely thought I heard on a recent town hall. Regardless, I understand the vast majority of current 8th graders are staying.

In any case, as already stated in this thread, the plan would be to decrease the size of the entering 5th grade to accommodate better upper grade retention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but the counselor isn’t a powerful player in the not so subtle BASIS game to weed out academic stragglers, starting after 6th grade comp results come out. If admins and teachers want your kid gone, the counselor can’t necessarily do much to help.

What PP means is, their kid couldn't hack it academically and when they failed their comps and were told they needed to repeat the grade (which they are always able to do) because Basis won't socially promote, PP got mad, moved their kid and started blaming everyone but themselves. Apparently it is the counselor's fault their kid couldn't hack it. Now, even removed from that experience, PP can't acknowledge their parenting failure because the knew damn well, as do all Basis families, that there is a comp exam every year starting in 6th.

Psycho babble nonsense, PP. I posted about the counselor's role.

My kid made 90s Club from the get go and passed comps before moving on to a different HS. A few of classmates failed comps, were instructed to repeat a grade to stay, then left. These kids weren't treated well by admins before their families bailed, which I considered shameful. Admins want no more than around 50% of the MS students back for HS. That's the BASIS franchise's model wherever they operate.

That is simply not true. Just as bad: your argument is internally inconsistent.

In fact, as you say, very few kids fail comps and those that do can retake. Basis DC generally doesn't fill seats after 5th grade because new kids would be too far behind to catch up. So, the reduction of numbers at Basis DC is due to normal attrition. Embassy people move to other countries, people decamp to other states, families choose a less demanding school, couples get divorced, etc. Life goes on.

Moreover, every year more and more stay through 12th. Probably 2/3 of the 5th grade class from 4 years ago will move to 9th and 90-95% of them will stay to graduate. For example, fewer and fewer are leaving to go to Walls.

I don't know why people bother to post false information. If you didn't like Basis a few years ago, good for you. But don't pretend you know what the current situation is at Basis.

This can't be true. My sibling sends her kids to a BASIS school in Arizona that admits kids in every grade. Apparently, that's what the Arizona BASIS schools do. But there's a catch, if new students can't pass grade level placement tests in core subjects, they need to repeat a year to enter. One of my nephews placed into 7th grade after having completed 6th grade at a different school, while my other nephew had to repeat 6th grade to start at BASIS. I don't know why BASIS DC doesn't fill seats after 5th grade the way the Arizona schools do, but there must be another reason.

[Anonymous]

I am wondering if students decide to re-enroll at 9th grade have they generally made the commitment to stay through high school graduation? About how many students leave after 9th grade? If so many more students are returning for 9th grade this coming year, I wonder why the incoming 5th grade class isn’t smaller (unless more students leave after 9th or the administration didn’t anticipate the higher re-enrollment in allocating 5th grade seats this year)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do we know how many kids — in raw numbers — have enrolled in 9th for next year? Did I hear correctly on a recent townhall that it’s about 90 kids? Or am I mistaken?

That is correct. Attrition at an all-time low

[Anonymous]

Is the BASIS WL moving for 5th? If not, maybe they’re keeping the class size smaller.

[Anonymous]

Can BASIS actually change/reduce the number of allocated lottery seats at this point? I didn’t realize they could just choose not to fill rejected offers…we just got an offer and we started with a waitlist number in the 30s. This is on track with last year’s lottery results for offers made by June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can BASIS actually change/reduce the number of allocated lottery seats at this point? I didn’t realize they could just choose not to fill rejected offers…we just got an offer and we started with a waitlist number in the 30s. This is on track with last year’s lottery results for offers made by June.

Yes. They can stop taking kids off the waitlist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but the counselor isn’t a powerful player in the not so subtle BASIS game to weed out academic stragglers, starting after 6th grade comp results come out. If admins and teachers want your kid gone, the counselor can’t necessarily do much to help.

What PP means is, their kid couldn't hack it academically and when they failed their comps and were told they needed to repeat the grade (which they are always able to do) because Basis won't socially promote, PP got mad, moved their kid and started blaming everyone but themselves. Apparently it is the counselor's fault their kid couldn't hack it. Now, even removed from that experience, PP can't acknowledge their parenting failure because the knew damn well, as do all Basis families, that there is a comp exam every year starting in 6th.

Psycho babble nonsense, PP. I posted about the counselor's role.

My kid made 90s Club from the get go and passed comps before moving on to a different HS. A few of classmates failed comps, were instructed to repeat a grade to stay, then left. These kids weren't treated well by admins before their families bailed, which I considered shameful. Admins want no more than around 50% of the MS students back for HS. That's the BASIS franchise's model wherever they operate.

DC isn’t Arizona.

That is simply not true. Just as bad: your argument is internally inconsistent.

In fact, as you say, very few kids fail comps and those that do can retake. Basis DC generally doesn't fill seats after 5th grade because new kids would be too far behind to catch up. So, the reduction of numbers at Basis DC is due to normal attrition. Embassy people move to other countries, people decamp to other states, families choose a less demanding school, couples get divorced, etc. Life goes on.

Moreover, every year more and more stay through 12th. Probably 2/3 of the 5th grade class from 4 years ago will move to 9th and 90-95% of them will stay to graduate. For example, fewer and fewer are leaving to go to Walls.

I don't know why people bother to post false information. If you didn't like Basis a few years ago, good for you. But don't pretend you know what the current situation is at Basis.

This can't be true. My sibling sends her kids to a BASIS school in Arizona that admits kids in every grade. Apparently, that's what the Arizona BASIS schools do. But there's a catch, if new students can't pass grade level placement tests in core subjects, they need to repeat a year to enter. One of my nephews placed into 7th grade after having completed 6th grade at a different school, while my other nephew had to repeat 6th grade to start at BASIS. I don't know why BASIS DC doesn't fill seats after 5th grade the way the Arizona schools do, but there must be another reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but the counselor isn’t a powerful player in the not so subtle BASIS game to weed out academic stragglers, starting after 6th grade comp results come out. If admins and teachers want your kid gone, the counselor can’t necessarily do much to help.

What PP means is, their kid couldn't hack it academically and when they failed their comps and were told they needed to repeat the grade (which they are always able to do) because Basis won't socially promote, PP got mad, moved their kid and started blaming everyone but themselves. Apparently it is the counselor's fault their kid couldn't hack it. Now, even removed from that experience, PP can't acknowledge their parenting failure because the knew damn well, as do all Basis families, that there is a comp exam every year starting in 6th.

Psycho babble nonsense, PP. I posted about the counselor's role.

My kid made 90s Club from the get go and passed comps before moving on to a different HS. A few of classmates failed comps, were instructed to repeat a grade to stay, then left. These kids weren't treated well by admins before their families bailed, which I considered shameful. Admins want no more than around 50% of the MS students back for HS. That's the BASIS franchise's model wherever they operate.

That is simply not true. Just as bad: your argument is internally inconsistent.

In fact, as you say, very few kids fail comps and those that do can retake. Basis DC generally doesn't fill seats after 5th grade because new kids would be too far behind to catch up. So, the reduction of numbers at Basis DC is due to normal attrition. Embassy people move to other countries, people decamp to other states, families choose a less demanding school, couples get divorced, etc. Life goes on.

Moreover, every year more and more stay through 12th. Probably 2/3 of the 5th grade class from 4 years ago will move to 9th and 90-95% of them will stay to graduate. For example, fewer and fewer are leaving to go to Walls.

I don't know why people bother to post false information. If you didn't like Basis a few years ago, good for you. But don't pretend you know what the current situation is at Basis.

This can't be true. My sibling sends her kids to a BASIS school in Arizona that admits kids in every grade. Apparently, that's what the Arizona BASIS schools do. But there's a catch, if new students can't pass grade level placement tests in core subjects, they need to repeat a year to enter. One of my nephews placed into 7th grade after having completed 6th grade at a different school, while my other nephew had to repeat 6th grade to start at BASIS. I don't know why BASIS DC doesn't fill seats after 5th grade the way the Arizona schools do, but there must be another reason.

DC isn’t Arizona.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The more I learn about BASIS the less appealing it sounds. Too cutthroat and high stress for our family I think. We have PhDs and our kid has been rather bored in DCPS (almost all 4s on every report card since K). Sounds like we will need to go private or move after 5th grade if we don't get into Latin 1 or 2.

You have PhDs but make important life decisions based on anonymous posts you read on DCUM…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The more I learn about BASIS the less appealing it sounds. Too cutthroat and high stress for our family I think. We have PhDs and our kid has been rather bored in DCPS (almost all 4s on every report card since K). Sounds like we will need to go private or move after 5th grade if we don't get into Latin 1 or 2.

You have PhDs but make important life decisions based on anonymous posts you read on DCUM…

I'm not the PP you're responding to. Even so, I'm going to ask you to stop being a jerk and a bully on this thread, and, presumably, others related to BASIS.

Why assume that this poster relies entirely on DCUM for info on BASIS? For all you know, they've been to open houses and done a shadow day if that's still an option. They may have talked to a variety of BASIS stakeholders before arriving at the same conclusion.

We turned down BASIS because it didn't seem anything like the happy school you describe.

Go on, slam me, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but the counselor isn’t a powerful player in the not so subtle BASIS game to weed out academic stragglers, starting after 6th grade comp results come out. If admins and teachers want your kid gone, the counselor can’t necessarily do much to help.

What PP means is, their kid couldn't hack it academically and when they failed their comps and were told they needed to repeat the grade (which they are always able to do) because Basis won't socially promote, PP got mad, moved their kid and started blaming everyone but themselves. Apparently it is the counselor's fault their kid couldn't hack it. Now, even removed from that experience, PP can't acknowledge their parenting failure because the knew damn well, as do all Basis families, that there is a comp exam every year starting in 6th.

Psycho babble nonsense, PP. I posted about the counselor's role.

My kid made 90s Club from the get go and passed comps before moving on to a different HS. A few of classmates failed comps, were instructed to repeat a grade to stay, then left. These kids weren't treated well by admins before their families bailed, which I considered shameful. Admins want no more than around 50% of the MS students back for HS. That's the BASIS franchise's model wherever they operate.

That is simply not true. Just as bad: your argument is internally inconsistent.

In fact, as you say, very few kids fail comps and those that do can retake. Basis DC generally doesn't fill seats after 5th grade because new kids would be too far behind to catch up. So, the reduction of numbers at Basis DC is due to normal attrition. Embassy people move to other countries, people decamp to other states, families choose a less demanding school, couples get divorced, etc. Life goes on.

Moreover, every year more and more stay through 12th. Probably 2/3 of the 5th grade class from 4 years ago will move to 9th and 90-95% of them will stay to graduate. For example, fewer and fewer are leaving to go to Walls.

I don't know why people bother to post false information. If you didn't like Basis a few years ago, good for you. But don't pretend you know what the current situation is at Basis.

This can't be true. My sibling sends her kids to a BASIS school in Arizona that admits kids in every grade. Apparently, that's what the Arizona BASIS schools do. But there's a catch, if new students can't pass grade level placement tests in core subjects, they need to repeat a year to enter. One of my nephews placed into 7th grade after having completed 6th grade at a different school, while my other nephew had to repeat 6th grade to start at BASIS. I don't know why BASIS DC doesn't fill seats after 5th grade the way the Arizona schools do, but there must be another reason.

DC isn’t Arizona.

Right, and the point is....? I think it's very interesting that the Arizona campuses admit after 6th grade. DC parents often present BASIS as an out-of-the-box experience nationally on these threads. It isn't.

My nephews in Arizona are involved in an excellent instrumental music program at their BASIS campus. They get free, high-quality lessons during the school day and play in an impressive orchestra.

[Anonymous]

The Arizona placement system is interesting though I’m unsure what the advantage of such a system would be to BASISDC?

I could see lots of admitted and enrolled kids withdrawing before school began because they’d rather stay at their inbound than repeat a grade. I could also see charges of discrimination because UMC white kids might be more likely to test into their current grade than other populations. Seems easier just to admit everyone into 5th and give students a level playing field.

What would be even easier, of course, would be to have a test-in magnet school, but no chance DC allows that….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The more I learn about BASIS the less appealing it sounds. Too cutthroat and high stress for our family I think. We have PhDs and our kid has been rather bored in DCPS (almost all 4s on every report card since K). Sounds like we will need to go private or move after 5th grade if we don't get into Latin 1 or 2.

You have PhDs but make important life decisions based on anonymous posts you read on DCUM…

I'm not the PP you're responding to. Even so, I'm going to ask you to stop being a jerk and a bully on this thread, and, presumably, others related to BASIS.

Why assume that this poster relies entirely on DCUM for info on BASIS? For all you know, they've been to open houses and done a shadow day if that's still an option. They may have talked to a variety of BASIS stakeholders before arriving at the same conclusion.

We turned down BASIS because it didn't seem anything like the happy school you describe.

Go on, slam me, too.

NP. Listen to yourself. You know nothing about the school, and yet you feel the need to post in this thread repeatedly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Arizona placement system is interesting though I’m unsure what the advantage of such a system would be to BASISDC?

I could see lots of admitted and enrolled kids withdrawing before school began because they’d rather stay at their inbound than repeat a grade. I could also see charges of discrimination because UMC white kids might be more likely to test into their current grade than other populations. Seems easier just to admit everyone into 5th and give students a level playing field.

What would be even easier, of course, would be to have a test-in magnet school, but no chance DC allows that….

Easier but not better. Not a great system that kids without older sibs need to start in 5th grade or not at all.

BASIS DC could run a summer program to help applicants admitted after 5th or 6th grades prep to pass placement tests. Arizona campuses offer such prep. But that would involve fund-raising, organization, prioritizing the initiative.