BASIS charter expansion is up for public comment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are also open, by the way, about th fact that around 10 percent of the kids do not pass their comps at the end of the year and actually cannot return (without repeating the grade). The admin said that most of these kids do not return, so Definitely lots of the attrition is coming from that. It's the only public school in DC that doesn't do social promotion, and their curriculum is very accelerated on top of that.

I wish people in this thread would stop characterizing BASIS middle school as being “very accelerated.” It’s not. The math is completely normal for middle school. The science, while split into three classes (that only meet a couple times a week) is the same core science that is taught in middle school.

That is simply not true. They take Algebra 1/geometry in 7th, and Algebra 2/Geometry in 8th, and then take precalc in 9th. There are kids doing that in DC, but they have tested out of the highest level at their DCOS and it is an exception. To expect that of everyone at the school is highly unusual.

Do you truly believe that kids aren't taking Algebra and geometry in 7th and 8th grade at normal high schools? You are under the impression that this is so amazingly advanced because you are comparing it to failing schools. We have been pretty disappointed with how much math is actually being taught in middle school at BASIS. The same is true for middle school science. They're slapping the label "chemistry" or "physics" on the class, but the kids are learning basic material that all children learn in 5-8th grade science class, just split into separate classes that only meet a few times a week.

Yes, I've been keeping track of which middle schools we were considering that teach algebra 1 by 8th grade (SWWFS and ITDS) and which teach algebra 1 and Geometry by 8th grade (Hardy, Deal, SH, Latin). BASIS is the only one that also gets the students through Algebra 2 (not as an exception but as the standard path).

If you are saying that BASIS is not actually executing on that, I would be interested in hearing more.

[Anonymous]

None of this has anything to do with whether BASIS should be allowed to expand the ES. Did it ever cross your minds that if kids were able to start in K instead of being stuck in failing DCPS ESs then maybe they would be better prepared to handle the MS/HS curriculum? Perhaps the problem isn’t so much that BASIS washes kids out but that DCPS ESs don’t prepare kids adequately to handle the rigor of the BASIS curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are also open, by the way, about th fact that around 10 percent of the kids do not pass their comps at the end of the year and actually cannot return (without repeating the grade). The admin said that most of these kids do not return, so Definitely lots of the attrition is coming from that. It's the only public school in DC that doesn't do social promotion, and their curriculum is very accelerated on top of that.

I wish people in this thread would stop characterizing BASIS middle school as being “very accelerated.” It’s not. The math is completely normal for middle school. The science, while split into three classes (that only meet a couple times a week) is the same core science that is taught in middle school.

That is simply not true. They take Algebra 1/geometry in 7th, and Algebra 2/Geometry in 8th, and then take precalc in 9th. There are kids doing that in DC, but they have tested out of the highest level at their DCOS and it is an exception. To expect that of everyone at the school is highly unusual.

Do you truly believe that kids aren't taking Algebra and geometry in 7th and 8th grade at normal high schools? You are under the impression that this is so amazingly advanced because you are comparing it to failing schools. We have been pretty disappointed with how much math is actually being taught in middle school at BASIS. The same is true for middle school science. They're slapping the label "chemistry" or "physics" on the class, but the kids are learning basic material that all children learn in 5-8th grade science class, just split into separate classes that only meet a few times a week.

Yes, I've been keeping track of which middle schools we were considering that teach algebra 1 by 8th grade (SWWFS and ITDS) and which teach algebra 1 and Geometry by 8th grade (Hardy, Deal, SH, Latin). BASIS is the only one that also gets the students through Algebra 2 (not as an exception but as the standard path).

If you are saying that BASIS is not actually executing on that, I would be interested in hearing more.

No offense but SWWFS and ITDS are exactly the kind of failing schools I’m talking about …

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None of this has anything to do with whether BASIS should be allowed to expand the ES. Did it ever cross your minds that if kids were able to start in K instead of being stuck in failing DCPS ESs then maybe they would be better prepared to handle the MS/HS curriculum? Perhaps the problem isn’t so much that BASIS washes kids out but that DCPS ESs don’t prepare kids adequately to handle the rigor of the BASIS curriculum.

Schools always think that their approach is going to be the magic bullet that overcomes poverty and generational trauma. Spoiler: BASIS getting kids earlier is not going to help kids succeed at BASIS MS and HS. The same crowd is going to wash out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are also open, by the way, about th fact that around 10 percent of the kids do not pass their comps at the end of the year and actually cannot return (without repeating the grade). The admin said that most of these kids do not return, so Definitely lots of the attrition is coming from that. It's the only public school in DC that doesn't do social promotion, and their curriculum is very accelerated on top of that.

I wish people in this thread would stop characterizing BASIS middle school as being “very accelerated.” It’s not. The math is completely normal for middle school. The science, while split into three classes (that only meet a couple times a week) is the same core science that is taught in middle school.

That is simply not true. They take Algebra 1/geometry in 7th, and Algebra 2/Geometry in 8th, and then take precalc in 9th. There are kids doing that in DC, but they have tested out of the highest level at their DCOS and it is an exception. To expect that of everyone at the school is highly unusual.

When I was in a gifted program 30 years ago, we took Alg 1 in 7th grade. It was definitely not the normal track.

I think it's important that prospective parents understand the track properly... Thinking it is "just normal math" is why so many students end up feeling unhappy and stressed out and leaving. It's not a brag about BASIS, but conveying facts that are helpful when deciding whether or not to enroll.

Assuming you have a child in the school older than 5th grade, go pull up a course description for any of the suburban high schools and compare what they're learning in 6th, 7th, 8th grade. It's all the same material that BASIS is teaching.

You mean like this? Here is the curriculum for Fairfax county schools, grade 7 math:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle/mathematics/grade-7

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are also open, by the way, about th fact that around 10 percent of the kids do not pass their comps at the end of the year and actually cannot return (without repeating the grade). The admin said that most of these kids do not return, so Definitely lots of the attrition is coming from that. It's the only public school in DC that doesn't do social promotion, and their curriculum is very accelerated on top of that.

I wish people in this thread would stop characterizing BASIS middle school as being “very accelerated.” It’s not. The math is completely normal for middle school. The science, while split into three classes (that only meet a couple times a week) is the same core science that is taught in middle school.

That is simply not true. They take Algebra 1/geometry in 7th, and Algebra 2/Geometry in 8th, and then take precalc in 9th. There are kids doing that in DC, but they have tested out of the highest level at their DCOS and it is an exception. To expect that of everyone at the school is highly unusual.

When I was in a gifted program 30 years ago, we took Alg 1 in 7th grade. It was definitely not the normal track.

I think it's important that prospective parents understand the track properly... Thinking it is "just normal math" is why so many students end up feeling unhappy and stressed out and leaving. It's not a brag about BASIS, but conveying facts that are helpful when deciding whether or not to enroll.

Assuming you have a child in the school older than 5th grade, go pull up a course description for any of the suburban high schools and compare what they're learning in 6th, 7th, 8th grade. It's all the same material that BASIS is teaching.

You mean like this? Here is the curriculum for Fairfax county schools, grade 7 math:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle/mathematics/grade-7

Thanks for this. Can you please tell me how I can enroll my kid there as a DC resident?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are also open, by the way, about th fact that around 10 percent of the kids do not pass their comps at the end of the year and actually cannot return (without repeating the grade). The admin said that most of these kids do not return, so Definitely lots of the attrition is coming from that. It's the only public school in DC that doesn't do social promotion, and their curriculum is very accelerated on top of that.

I wish people in this thread would stop characterizing BASIS middle school as being “very accelerated.” It’s not. The math is completely normal for middle school. The science, while split into three classes (that only meet a couple times a week) is the same core science that is taught in middle school.

That is simply not true. They take Algebra 1/geometry in 7th, and Algebra 2/Geometry in 8th, and then take precalc in 9th. There are kids doing that in DC, but they have tested out of the highest level at their DCOS and it is an exception. To expect that of everyone at the school is highly unusual.

When I was in a gifted program 30 years ago, we took Alg 1 in 7th grade. It was definitely not the normal track.

I think it's important that prospective parents understand the track properly... Thinking it is "just normal math" is why so many students end up feeling unhappy and stressed out and leaving. It's not a brag about BASIS, but conveying facts that are helpful when deciding whether or not to enroll.

Assuming you have a child in the school older than 5th grade, go pull up a course description for any of the suburban high schools and compare what they're learning in 6th, 7th, 8th grade. It's all the same material that BASIS is teaching.

You mean like this? Here is the curriculum for Fairfax county schools, grade 7 math:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle/mathematics/grade-7

Yep. Exactly what they’re studying at BASIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are also open, by the way, about th fact that around 10 percent of the kids do not pass their comps at the end of the year and actually cannot return (without repeating the grade). The admin said that most of these kids do not return, so Definitely lots of the attrition is coming from that. It's the only public school in DC that doesn't do social promotion, and their curriculum is very accelerated on top of that.

I wish people in this thread would stop characterizing BASIS middle school as being “very accelerated.” It’s not. The math is completely normal for middle school. The science, while split into three classes (that only meet a couple times a week) is the same core science that is taught in middle school.

That is simply not true. They take Algebra 1/geometry in 7th, and Algebra 2/Geometry in 8th, and then take precalc in 9th. There are kids doing that in DC, but they have tested out of the highest level at their DCOS and it is an exception. To expect that of everyone at the school is highly unusual.

When I was in a gifted program 30 years ago, we took Alg 1 in 7th grade. It was definitely not the normal track.

I think it's important that prospective parents understand the track properly... Thinking it is "just normal math" is why so many students end up feeling unhappy and stressed out and leaving. It's not a brag about BASIS, but conveying facts that are helpful when deciding whether or not to enroll.

Assuming you have a child in the school older than 5th grade, go pull up a course description for any of the suburban high schools and compare what they're learning in 6th, 7th, 8th grade. It's all the same material that BASIS is teaching.

You mean like this? Here is the curriculum for Fairfax county schools, grade 7 math:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle/mathematics/grade-7

Thanks for this. Can you please tell me how I can enroll my kid there as a DC resident?

Nobody is telling you to enroll there. They’re telling you to stop gaslighting people about BASIS being incredibly advanced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are also open, by the way, about th fact that around 10 percent of the kids do not pass their comps at the end of the year and actually cannot return (without repeating the grade). The admin said that most of these kids do not return, so Definitely lots of the attrition is coming from that. It's the only public school in DC that doesn't do social promotion, and their curriculum is very accelerated on top of that.

I wish people in this thread would stop characterizing BASIS middle school as being “very accelerated.” It’s not. The math is completely normal for middle school. The science, while split into three classes (that only meet a couple times a week) is the same core science that is taught in middle school.

That is simply not true. They take Algebra 1/geometry in 7th, and Algebra 2/Geometry in 8th, and then take precalc in 9th. There are kids doing that in DC, but they have tested out of the highest level at their DCOS and it is an exception. To expect that of everyone at the school is highly unusual.

When I was in a gifted program 30 years ago, we took Alg 1 in 7th grade. It was definitely not the normal track.

I think it's important that prospective parents understand the track properly... Thinking it is "just normal math" is why so many students end up feeling unhappy and stressed out and leaving. It's not a brag about BASIS, but conveying facts that are helpful when deciding whether or not to enroll.

Assuming you have a child in the school older than 5th grade, go pull up a course description for any of the suburban high schools and compare what they're learning in 6th, 7th, 8th grade. It's all the same material that BASIS is teaching.

You mean like this? Here is the curriculum for Fairfax county schools, grade 7 math:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle/mathematics/grade-7

Thanks for this. Can you please tell me how I can enroll my kid there as a DC resident?

Nobody is telling you to enroll there. They’re telling you to stop gaslighting people about BASIS being incredibly advanced.

Weird response. Why are you in a DC schools forum telling us about schools not in DC? No one is choosing between BASIS and Exeter or Bronx Science of Boston Latin or FCPS.

Serious question: What did BASIS do to you that makes you this way? I am not as invested in my job or my kids' schools as you are in you are in continuing to make this same silly point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are also open, by the way, about th fact that around 10 percent of the kids do not pass their comps at the end of the year and actually cannot return (without repeating the grade). The admin said that most of these kids do not return, so Definitely lots of the attrition is coming from that. It's the only public school in DC that doesn't do social promotion, and their curriculum is very accelerated on top of that.

I wish people in this thread would stop characterizing BASIS middle school as being “very accelerated.” It’s not. The math is completely normal for middle school. The science, while split into three classes (that only meet a couple times a week) is the same core science that is taught in middle school.

That is simply not true. They take Algebra 1/geometry in 7th, and Algebra 2/Geometry in 8th, and then take precalc in 9th. There are kids doing that in DC, but they have tested out of the highest level at their DCOS and it is an exception. To expect that of everyone at the school is highly unusual.

When I was in a gifted program 30 years ago, we took Alg 1 in 7th grade. It was definitely not the normal track.

I think it's important that prospective parents understand the track properly... Thinking it is "just normal math" is why so many students end up feeling unhappy and stressed out and leaving. It's not a brag about BASIS, but conveying facts that are helpful when deciding whether or not to enroll.

Assuming you have a child in the school older than 5th grade, go pull up a course description for any of the suburban high schools and compare what they're learning in 6th, 7th, 8th grade. It's all the same material that BASIS is teaching.

You mean like this? Here is the curriculum for Fairfax county schools, grade 7 math:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle/mathematics/grade-7

Thanks for this. Can you please tell me how I can enroll my kid there as a DC resident?

Nobody is telling you to enroll there. They’re telling you to stop gaslighting people about BASIS being incredibly advanced.

Weird response. Why are you in a DC schools forum telling us about schools not in DC? No one is choosing between BASIS and Exeter or Bronx Science of Boston Latin or FCPS.

Serious question: What did BASIS do to you that makes you this way? I am not as invested in my job or my kids' schools as you are in you are in continuing to make this same silly point.

NP with no kids at Basis but you don’t have to just compare to DC.

It’s a fuse point that Basis is not advance in this area. It just is not.

The problem is not comparing it to your typical suburban school. The problem is that in DC the kids are failing and so far behind and not even in grade level that Basis as compared to that is advance but get out of your low expectation bubble of DC in the real competitive world and it’s average

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are also open, by the way, about th fact that around 10 percent of the kids do not pass their comps at the end of the year and actually cannot return (without repeating the grade). The admin said that most of these kids do not return, so Definitely lots of the attrition is coming from that. It's the only public school in DC that doesn't do social promotion, and their curriculum is very accelerated on top of that.

I wish people in this thread would stop characterizing BASIS middle school as being “very accelerated.” It’s not. The math is completely normal for middle school. The science, while split into three classes (that only meet a couple times a week) is the same core science that is taught in middle school.

That is simply not true. They take Algebra 1/geometry in 7th, and Algebra 2/Geometry in 8th, and then take precalc in 9th. There are kids doing that in DC, but they have tested out of the highest level at their DCOS and it is an exception. To expect that of everyone at the school is highly unusual.

When I was in a gifted program 30 years ago, we took Alg 1 in 7th grade. It was definitely not the normal track.

I think it's important that prospective parents understand the track properly... Thinking it is "just normal math" is why so many students end up feeling unhappy and stressed out and leaving. It's not a brag about BASIS, but conveying facts that are helpful when deciding whether or not to enroll.

Assuming you have a child in the school older than 5th grade, go pull up a course description for any of the suburban high schools and compare what they're learning in 6th, 7th, 8th grade. It's all the same material that BASIS is teaching.

You mean like this? Here is the curriculum for Fairfax county schools, grade 7 math:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle/mathematics/grade-7

Thanks for this. Can you please tell me how I can enroll my kid there as a DC resident?

Nobody is telling you to enroll there. They’re telling you to stop gaslighting people about BASIS being incredibly advanced.

Weird response. Why are you in a DC schools forum telling us about schools not in DC? No one is choosing between BASIS and Exeter or Bronx Science of Boston Latin or FCPS.

Serious question: What did BASIS do to you that makes you this way? I am not as invested in my job or my kids' schools as you are in you are in continuing to make this same silly point.

NP with no kids at Basis but you don’t have to just compare to DC.

It’s a fuse point that Basis is not advance in this area. It just is not.

The problem is not comparing it to your typical suburban school. The problem is that in DC the kids are failing and so far behind and not even in grade level that Basis as compared to that is advance but get out of your low expectation bubble of DC in the real competitive world and it’s average

Typo fair not fuse

[Anonymous]

I don’t know what the math sequence track is since my kid is not in middle school yet but DCI is tracking some kids 2 years ahead in math.

Is that what Deal and Hardy are doing or Basis?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are also open, by the way, about th fact that around 10 percent of the kids do not pass their comps at the end of the year and actually cannot return (without repeating the grade). The admin said that most of these kids do not return, so Definitely lots of the attrition is coming from that. It's the only public school in DC that doesn't do social promotion, and their curriculum is very accelerated on top of that.

I wish people in this thread would stop characterizing BASIS middle school as being “very accelerated.” It’s not. The math is completely normal for middle school. The science, while split into three classes (that only meet a couple times a week) is the same core science that is taught in middle school.

That is simply not true. They take Algebra 1/geometry in 7th, and Algebra 2/Geometry in 8th, and then take precalc in 9th. There are kids doing that in DC, but they have tested out of the highest level at their DCOS and it is an exception. To expect that of everyone at the school is highly unusual.

When I was in a gifted program 30 years ago, we took Alg 1 in 7th grade. It was definitely not the normal track.

I think it's important that prospective parents understand the track properly... Thinking it is "just normal math" is why so many students end up feeling unhappy and stressed out and leaving. It's not a brag about BASIS, but conveying facts that are helpful when deciding whether or not to enroll.

Assuming you have a child in the school older than 5th grade, go pull up a course description for any of the suburban high schools and compare what they're learning in 6th, 7th, 8th grade. It's all the same material that BASIS is teaching.

You mean like this? Here is the curriculum for Fairfax county schools, grade 7 math:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle/mathematics/grade-7

Thanks for this. Can you please tell me how I can enroll my kid there as a DC resident?

Nobody is telling you to enroll there. They’re telling you to stop gaslighting people about BASIS being incredibly advanced.

Weird response. Why are you in a DC schools forum telling us about schools not in DC? No one is choosing between BASIS and Exeter or Bronx Science of Boston Latin or FCPS.

Serious question: What did BASIS do to you that makes you this way? I am not as invested in my job or my kids' schools as you are in you are in continuing to make this same silly point.

NP with no kids at Basis but you don’t have to just compare to DC.

It’s a fuse point that Basis is not advance in this area. It just is not.

The problem is not comparing it to your typical suburban school. The problem is that in DC the kids are failing and so far behind and not even in grade level that Basis as compared to that is advance but get out of your low expectation bubble of DC in the real competitive world and it’s average

Absolutely true that DC schools are failing kids. The vast majority of kids coming out of DC schools are not prepared for college and will not graduate, even if they get in. BASIS is one school, yes, a deeply weird one, that actually does challenge kids and prepare them for college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are also open, by the way, about th fact that around 10 percent of the kids do not pass their comps at the end of the year and actually cannot return (without repeating the grade). The admin said that most of these kids do not return, so Definitely lots of the attrition is coming from that. It's the only public school in DC that doesn't do social promotion, and their curriculum is very accelerated on top of that.

I wish people in this thread would stop characterizing BASIS middle school as being “very accelerated.” It’s not. The math is completely normal for middle school. The science, while split into three classes (that only meet a couple times a week) is the same core science that is taught in middle school.

That is simply not true. They take Algebra 1/geometry in 7th, and Algebra 2/Geometry in 8th, and then take precalc in 9th. There are kids doing that in DC, but they have tested out of the highest level at their DCOS and it is an exception. To expect that of everyone at the school is highly unusual.

When I was in a gifted program 30 years ago, we took Alg 1 in 7th grade. It was definitely not the normal track.

I think it's important that prospective parents understand the track properly... Thinking it is "just normal math" is why so many students end up feeling unhappy and stressed out and leaving. It's not a brag about BASIS, but conveying facts that are helpful when deciding whether or not to enroll.

Assuming you have a child in the school older than 5th grade, go pull up a course description for any of the suburban high schools and compare what they're learning in 6th, 7th, 8th grade. It's all the same material that BASIS is teaching.

You mean like this? Here is the curriculum for Fairfax county schools, grade 7 math:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle/mathematics/grade-7

Yep. Exactly what they’re studying at BASIS.

No, it’s not exactly what they are studying at BASIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are also open, by the way, about th fact that around 10 percent of the kids do not pass their comps at the end of the year and actually cannot return (without repeating the grade). The admin said that most of these kids do not return, so Definitely lots of the attrition is coming from that. It's the only public school in DC that doesn't do social promotion, and their curriculum is very accelerated on top of that.

I wish people in this thread would stop characterizing BASIS middle school as being “very accelerated.” It’s not. The math is completely normal for middle school. The science, while split into three classes (that only meet a couple times a week) is the same core science that is taught in middle school.

That is simply not true. They take Algebra 1/geometry in 7th, and Algebra 2/Geometry in 8th, and then take precalc in 9th. There are kids doing that in DC, but they have tested out of the highest level at their DCOS and it is an exception. To expect that of everyone at the school is highly unusual.

When I was in a gifted program 30 years ago, we took Alg 1 in 7th grade. It was definitely not the normal track.

I think it's important that prospective parents understand the track properly... Thinking it is "just normal math" is why so many students end up feeling unhappy and stressed out and leaving. It's not a brag about BASIS, but conveying facts that are helpful when deciding whether or not to enroll.

Assuming you have a child in the school older than 5th grade, go pull up a course description for any of the suburban high schools and compare what they're learning in 6th, 7th, 8th grade. It's all the same material that BASIS is teaching.

You mean like this? Here is the curriculum for Fairfax county schools, grade 7 math:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle/mathematics/grade-7

Yep. Exactly what they’re studying at BASIS.

https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle/mathematics

This says Alg 1 is taught in 8th grade. 7th grade honors is pre-algebra, which is stated in the previous link.