Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No horse in this race at all. However the most passionate parents I have met in person tend to be the Basis haters.

This thread is almost entirely BASIS haters. They go on and on and on about all the things they hate about BASIS, and then every once in awhile, someone corrects something silly they say and that person gets labeled a BASIS booster. There's an unmistakable jealousness among the BASIS haters. They may or may not want their kids to actually go there, because the downsides are real, but they are extremely jealous of BASIS's pretty incredible record of getting kids into great schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No horse in this race at all. However the most passionate parents I have met in person tend to be the Basis haters.

This thread is almost entirely BASIS haters. They go on and on and on about all the things they hate about BASIS, and then every once in awhile, someone corrects something silly they say and that person gets labeled a BASIS booster. There's an unmistakable jealousness among the BASIS haters. They may or may not want their kids to actually go there, because the downsides are real, but they are extremely jealous of BASIS's pretty incredible record of getting kids into great schools.

OMG, are you for real with this post? Jealous of college admissions?

Hate is a strong word but please get some insight as to why some people dislike Basis parents and your post is exactly an example of why……

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No horse in this race at all. However the most passionate parents I have met in person tend to be the Basis haters.

This thread is almost entirely BASIS haters. They go on and on and on about all the things they hate about BASIS, and then every once in awhile, someone corrects something silly they say and that person gets labeled a BASIS booster. There's an unmistakable jealousness among the BASIS haters. They may or may not want their kids to actually go there, because the downsides are real, but they are extremely jealous of BASIS's pretty incredible record of getting kids into great schools.

Well, other schools have great college admissions but they don’t accuse other parents of hating the school or being jealous of the school or jealous of their college admission

See how that works…….

[Anonymous]

Some jealousy in the mix, right, along with a bunch of serious long running problems at BASIS DC that never seem to be addressed. Most of these issues appear intractable: they can't be tackled for lack of resources, space and/or weak autonomy on the part of admins (w/Arizona calling the shots). Poor use of senior year looms large among them.

Fact is, plenty of high schools in the DMV--public, parochial, independent--have a "pretty incredible record" of getting kids into great schools. Walls certainly does; J-R, too. These programs have better facilities than BASIS (generally far better), broader curricula and better trained and paid teachers overall.

Plenty of BASIS DC grads don't get into great schools, the type admitting in the single digits or teens.

Sorry, we weren't bowled over by the colleges my children's BASIS middle school pals who stuck with the program went to, not after the years of relentless test pressure these kids had to contend with.

From what I've observed, BASIS haters are few among families who enrolled. BASIS boosters even fewer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some jealousy in the mix, right, along with a bunch of serious long running problems at BASIS DC that never seem to be addressed. Most of these issues appear intractable: they can't be tackled for lack of resources, space and/or weak autonomy on the part of admins (w/Arizona calling the shots). Poor use of senior year looms large among them.

Fact is, plenty of high schools in the DMV--public, parochial, independent--have a "pretty incredible record" of getting kids into great schools. Walls certainly does; J-R, too. These programs have better facilities than BASIS (generally far better), broader curricula and better trained and paid teachers overall.

Plenty of BASIS DC grads don't get into great schools, the type admitting in the single digits or teens.

Sorry, we weren't bowled over by the colleges my children's BASIS middle school pals who stuck with the program went to, not after the years of relentless test pressure these kids had to contend with.

From what I've observed, BASIS haters are few among families who enrolled. BASIS boosters even fewer.

I dont know. I think the only public school in DC that is comparable to BASIS in college admissions is Walls, especially if you do it on a per student basis. JR has about 9,000 kids in each grade so seems hard to compare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some jealousy in the mix, right, along with a bunch of serious long running problems at BASIS DC that never seem to be addressed. Most of these issues appear intractable: they can't be tackled for lack of resources, space and/or weak autonomy on the part of admins (w/Arizona calling the shots). Poor use of senior year looms large among them.

Fact is, plenty of high schools in the DMV--public, parochial, independent--have a "pretty incredible record" of getting kids into great schools. Walls certainly does; J-R, too. These programs have better facilities than BASIS (generally far better), broader curricula and better trained and paid teachers overall.

Plenty of BASIS DC grads don't get into great schools, the type admitting in the single digits or teens.

Sorry, we weren't bowled over by the colleges my children's BASIS middle school pals who stuck with the program went to, not after the years of relentless test pressure these kids had to contend with.

From what I've observed, BASIS haters are few among families who enrolled. BASIS boosters even fewer.

I dont know. I think the only public school in DC that is comparable to BASIS in college admissions is Walls, especially if you do it on a per student basis. JR has about 9,000 kids in each grade so seems hard to compare.

Basis has a place, plays its role.

[Anonymous]

And Basis can work quite well as a standalone middle school option before a jump to another option for HS. Basis won’t advertise that, but it does address a real gap for many families, if not perfectly, at least viably.

[Anonymous]

Who cares if a handful of kids get into some top schools. If so, it’s legacy, sports, big donors, etc.. unless URM. This is how it is no matter what high school you are coming from public or private.

I would argue that applicants with a ton of AP classes and good scores are a dime a dozen applying to the top schools. You don’t stand out at all. EC and non-academic stuff then gets looked at and I would argue at Basis that is a disadvantage. Even then it’s a crapshot.

[Anonymous]

PP above isn't wrong. I'm a little surprised by the fact that BASIS continues to get a few kids into Ivies each year, maybe even half a dozen, given how weak their facilities and ECs are and how narrow the curriculum is. We were at BASIS through middle school and know some of these families, UMC families. The parents run their kids around town for decent ECs and pay plenty for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No horse in this race at all. However the most passionate parents I have met in person tend to be the Basis haters.

This thread is almost entirely BASIS haters. They go on and on and on about all the things they hate about BASIS, and then every once in awhile, someone corrects something silly they say and that person gets labeled a BASIS booster. There's an unmistakable jealousness among the BASIS haters. They may or may not want their kids to actually go there, because the downsides are real, but they are extremely jealous of BASIS's pretty incredible record of getting kids into great schools.

I haven't followed this thread closely but have posted a few times. You are missing what the "hate" is towards, even though it's right in the OP.

People don't hate BASIS. They hate that their middle school options in DC are so limited that BASIS is one of the few acceptable options, even though the BASIS approach to education is not really what they want for their kids.

If DC had lots of great MS options, if many of the IB MSs had decent test scores and offered tracking in math AND ELA, if there were a variety of charter MSs offering decent quality education with various approaches, I don't think anyone would care about BASIS. Parents who wanted that kind of testing-forward approach would send their kids there, and parents who didn't would send their kids to one of the many other schools in the city where you could still get a good education. Many kids, including many smart kids, do NOT thrive in a BASIS style education system. Parents want options for these kids.

But when people vocalize this, they are immediately jumped on: what's wrong with BASIS, BASIS is working great for my kid, you obviously don't know what quality education is because BASIS is offering it and you don't care.

It's not BASIS hate, it's resentment that BASIS is one of the few options available to families who want a more rigorous academic experience for their kids, and that the options they would prefer more (Latin, Deal) are harder to get into or don't exist at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No horse in this race at all. However the most passionate parents I have met in person tend to be the Basis haters.

This thread is almost entirely BASIS haters. They go on and on and on about all the things they hate about BASIS, and then every once in awhile, someone corrects something silly they say and that person gets labeled a BASIS booster. There's an unmistakable jealousness among the BASIS haters. They may or may not want their kids to actually go there, because the downsides are real, but they are extremely jealous of BASIS's pretty incredible record of getting kids into great schools.

I haven't followed this thread closely but have posted a few times. You are missing what the "hate" is towards, even though it's right in the OP.

People don't hate BASIS. They hate that their middle school options in DC are so limited that BASIS is one of the few acceptable options, even though the BASIS approach to education is not really what they want for their kids.

If DC had lots of great MS options, if many of the IB MSs had decent test scores and offered tracking in math AND ELA, if there were a variety of charter MSs offering decent quality education with various approaches, I don't think anyone would care about BASIS. Parents who wanted that kind of testing-forward approach would send their kids there, and parents who didn't would send their kids to one of the many other schools in the city where you could still get a good education. Many kids, including many smart kids, do NOT thrive in a BASIS style education system. Parents want options for these kids.

But when people vocalize this, they are immediately jumped on: what's wrong with BASIS, BASIS is working great for my kid, you obviously don't know what quality education is because BASIS is offering it and you don't care.

It's not BASIS hate, it's resentment that BASIS is one of the few options available to families who want a more rigorous academic experience for their kids, and that the options they would prefer more (Latin, Deal) are harder to get into or don't exist at all.

I think what sometimes gets lost in these discussions is why BASIS appeals to some families in ways that schools like Deal or Latin may not—even when those families recognize that Latin or Deal might be more well-rounded or accommodating in certain respects. I actually think, had I been a kid, I might have preferred Latin’s vibe. And I completely get the appeal. But I want to speak honestly about why BASIS, for us, has been the right fit during these middle school years—even if we’re not necessarily viewing it as the forever plan.

Some families are incredibly adept at navigating flexible, accommodating school environments where expectations are fluid and where engaged parents can step in and advocate for individualized tweaks—extra time, special seating, leadership roles, and so on. And they’re good at it because they’ve been doing it their whole lives. At our former charter, we saw how certain families, often with high social capital and a certain Central Casting profile, got more from the system—more access, more grace, more visibility.

For our family, that didn’t feel like a fair fight. And while we’re comfortable advocating when necessary, we’ve also seen how quickly one can be labeled “difficult” if you don’t come from the expected mold.

At BASIS, there’s a certain stiff-arming of parents—and ironically, that’s been a relief. The cadence of tests and quizzes provides a kind of clarity. Weekly grades, constant feedback, and a rigid academic structure give our child the opportunity to consistently demonstrate that they’re not only engaged, but performing well. That they are not deficient.

Because let’s be honest: the achievement gap in this city is real. And when your child bears more than a passing resemblance to those most frequently left behind by that gap—when they are statistically expected to struggle, regardless of what they’re capable of—you learn very quickly how rare it is to find a school that doesn’t subtly affirm those expectations. That doesn’t delay or flatten the signal that your child is thriving.

At BASIS, the bluntness of the system works in our favor. The feedback is constant. The assessments are objective. And when the grades are in the 90s week after week, it’s hard for a teacher—or anyone else—to overlook that. That’s not something we’ve found as readily in environments that pride themselves on flexibility or “whole child” approaches, but often leave families like ours in the position of having to prove again and again that our kids are not exceptions to a grim statistical trend.

And yes, I’ve heard people say, “Well, not all smart kids thrive at BASIS.” I’m sure that’s true. But it’s often said as if the school is failing them, when in many cases, it just means those students have specific deficits—executive function, stamina, etc.—that need addressing. Those don’t magically disappear at Latin or Deal. They may just get papered over. At BASIS, the structure exposes them. That’s not cruelty—it’s transparency. And for families like ours, transparency is a gift.

So no, BASIS isn’t perfect. And no, it’s not right for every child. But it should absolutely exist as an option. And for families whose kids are often underestimated by default, it offers something precious: a system that doesn’t rely on teacher perception, parent polish, or social currency to affirm that your child is capable.

[Anonymous]

I’d agree with you PP above if the teachers were better overall, the admins were better and had more autonomy, if the curriculum was richer, if the facilities were good. As things stand, BASIS DC isn’t a very happy place. It’s a grind and a drag and need not be so to serve its hardest hardworking and highest achieving students well. When my eldest, who is close to fluent in Spanish, wound up trapped in beginning Spanish at BASIS (which he hated) we hit the wall. When I was told by admins and the teacher that his misery was all my fault because I knew it was coming, I realized that we’d had enough of DC public schools. We lacked access to Adams, DCI, Walls and JR, in short, any option with appropriate language instruction. Total BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No horse in this race at all. However the most passionate parents I have met in person tend to be the Basis haters.

This thread is almost entirely BASIS haters. They go on and on and on about all the things they hate about BASIS, and then every once in awhile, someone corrects something silly they say and that person gets labeled a BASIS booster. There's an unmistakable jealousness among the BASIS haters. They may or may not want their kids to actually go there, because the downsides are real, but they are extremely jealous of BASIS's pretty incredible record of getting kids into great schools.

I haven't followed this thread closely but have posted a few times. You are missing what the "hate" is towards, even though it's right in the OP.

People don't hate BASIS. They hate that their middle school options in DC are so limited that BASIS is one of the few acceptable options, even though the BASIS approach to education is not really what they want for their kids.

If DC had lots of great MS options, if many of the IB MSs had decent test scores and offered tracking in math AND ELA, if there were a variety of charter MSs offering decent quality education with various approaches, I don't think anyone would care about BASIS. Parents who wanted that kind of testing-forward approach would send their kids there, and parents who didn't would send their kids to one of the many other schools in the city where you could still get a good education. Many kids, including many smart kids, do NOT thrive in a BASIS style education system. Parents want options for these kids.

But when people vocalize this, they are immediately jumped on: what's wrong with BASIS, BASIS is working great for my kid, you obviously don't know what quality education is because BASIS is offering it and you don't care.

It's not BASIS hate, it's resentment that BASIS is one of the few options available to families who want a more rigorous academic experience for their kids, and that the options they would prefer more (Latin, Deal) are harder to get into or don't exist at all.

I think what sometimes gets lost in these discussions is why BASIS appeals to some families in ways that schools like Deal or Latin may not—even when those families recognize that Latin or Deal might be more well-rounded or accommodating in certain respects. I actually think, had I been a kid, I might have preferred Latin’s vibe. And I completely get the appeal. But I want to speak honestly about why BASIS, for us, has been the right fit during these middle school years—even if we’re not necessarily viewing it as the forever plan.

Some families are incredibly adept at navigating flexible, accommodating school environments where expectations are fluid and where engaged parents can step in and advocate for individualized tweaks—extra time, special seating, leadership roles, and so on. And they’re good at it because they’ve been doing it their whole lives. At our former charter, we saw how certain families, often with high social capital and a certain Central Casting profile, got more from the system—more access, more grace, more visibility.

For our family, that didn’t feel like a fair fight. And while we’re comfortable advocating when necessary, we’ve also seen how quickly one can be labeled “difficult” if you don’t come from the expected mold.

At BASIS, there’s a certain stiff-arming of parents—and ironically, that’s been a relief. The cadence of tests and quizzes provides a kind of clarity. Weekly grades, constant feedback, and a rigid academic structure give our child the opportunity to consistently demonstrate that they’re not only engaged, but performing well. That they are not deficient.

Because let’s be honest: the achievement gap in this city is real. And when your child bears more than a passing resemblance to those most frequently left behind by that gap—when they are statistically expected to struggle, regardless of what they’re capable of—you learn very quickly how rare it is to find a school that doesn’t subtly affirm those expectations. That doesn’t delay or flatten the signal that your child is thriving.

At BASIS, the bluntness of the system works in our favor. The feedback is constant. The assessments are objective. And when the grades are in the 90s week after week, it’s hard for a teacher—or anyone else—to overlook that. That’s not something we’ve found as readily in environments that pride themselves on flexibility or “whole child” approaches, but often leave families like ours in the position of having to prove again and again that our kids are not exceptions to a grim statistical trend.

And yes, I’ve heard people say, “Well, not all smart kids thrive at BASIS.” I’m sure that’s true. But it’s often said as if the school is failing them, when in many cases, it just means those students have specific deficits—executive function, stamina, etc.—that need addressing. Those don’t magically disappear at Latin or Deal. They may just get papered over. At BASIS, the structure exposes them. That’s not cruelty—it’s transparency. And for families like ours, transparency is a gift.

So no, BASIS isn’t perfect. And no, it’s not right for every child. But it should absolutely exist as an option. And for families whose kids are often underestimated by default, it offers something precious: a system that doesn’t rely on teacher perception, parent polish, or social currency to affirm that your child is capable.

To the reasons of the bolded above, you are wrong. It is not that smart kids have any deficits who don’t thrive at Basis.

It is because they are stunted and want something more and a more well rounded school experience than the grind and over reliance on testing at Basis. They want more robust curriculum and electives, better facilities, better EC, clubs, and sports. This is why Basis loses so many high performing kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No horse in this race at all. However the most passionate parents I have met in person tend to be the Basis haters.

This thread is almost entirely BASIS haters. They go on and on and on about all the things they hate about BASIS, and then every once in awhile, someone corrects something silly they say and that person gets labeled a BASIS booster. There's an unmistakable jealousness among the BASIS haters. They may or may not want their kids to actually go there, because the downsides are real, but they are extremely jealous of BASIS's pretty incredible record of getting kids into great schools.

I haven't followed this thread closely but have posted a few times. You are missing what the "hate" is towards, even though it's right in the OP.

People don't hate BASIS. They hate that their middle school options in DC are so limited that BASIS is one of the few acceptable options, even though the BASIS approach to education is not really what they want for their kids.

If DC had lots of great MS options, if many of the IB MSs had decent test scores and offered tracking in math AND ELA, if there were a variety of charter MSs offering decent quality education with various approaches, I don't think anyone would care about BASIS. Parents who wanted that kind of testing-forward approach would send their kids there, and parents who didn't would send their kids to one of the many other schools in the city where you could still get a good education. Many kids, including many smart kids, do NOT thrive in a BASIS style education system. Parents want options for these kids.

But when people vocalize this, they are immediately jumped on: what's wrong with BASIS, BASIS is working great for my kid, you obviously don't know what quality education is because BASIS is offering it and you don't care.

It's not BASIS hate, it's resentment that BASIS is one of the few options available to families who want a more rigorous academic experience for their kids, and that the options they would prefer more (Latin, Deal) are harder to get into or don't exist at all.

Agree with all this. Great post. Thanks, PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No horse in this race at all. However the most passionate parents I have met in person tend to be the Basis haters.

This thread is almost entirely BASIS haters. They go on and on and on about all the things they hate about BASIS, and then every once in awhile, someone corrects something silly they say and that person gets labeled a BASIS booster. There's an unmistakable jealousness among the BASIS haters. They may or may not want their kids to actually go there, because the downsides are real, but they are extremely jealous of BASIS's pretty incredible record of getting kids into great schools.

I haven't followed this thread closely but have posted a few times. You are missing what the "hate" is towards, even though it's right in the OP.

People don't hate BASIS. They hate that their middle school options in DC are so limited that BASIS is one of the few acceptable options, even though the BASIS approach to education is not really what they want for their kids.

If DC had lots of great MS options, if many of the IB MSs had decent test scores and offered tracking in math AND ELA, if there were a variety of charter MSs offering decent quality education with various approaches, I don't think anyone would care about BASIS. Parents who wanted that kind of testing-forward approach would send their kids there, and parents who didn't would send their kids to one of the many other schools in the city where you could still get a good education. Many kids, including many smart kids, do NOT thrive in a BASIS style education system. Parents want options for these kids.

But when people vocalize this, they are immediately jumped on: what's wrong with BASIS, BASIS is working great for my kid, you obviously don't know what quality education is because BASIS is offering it and you don't care.

It's not BASIS hate, it's resentment that BASIS is one of the few options available to families who want a more rigorous academic experience for their kids, and that the options they would prefer more (Latin, Deal) are harder to get into or don't exist at all.

I think what sometimes gets lost in these discussions is why BASIS appeals to some families in ways that schools like Deal or Latin may not—even when those families recognize that Latin or Deal might be more well-rounded or accommodating in certain respects. I actually think, had I been a kid, I might have preferred Latin’s vibe. And I completely get the appeal. But I want to speak honestly about why BASIS, for us, has been the right fit during these middle school years—even if we’re not necessarily viewing it as the forever plan.

Some families are incredibly adept at navigating flexible, accommodating school environments where expectations are fluid and where engaged parents can step in and advocate for individualized tweaks—extra time, special seating, leadership roles, and so on. And they’re good at it because they’ve been doing it their whole lives. At our former charter, we saw how certain families, often with high social capital and a certain Central Casting profile, got more from the system—more access, more grace, more visibility.

For our family, that didn’t feel like a fair fight. And while we’re comfortable advocating when necessary, we’ve also seen how quickly one can be labeled “difficult” if you don’t come from the expected mold.

At BASIS, there’s a certain stiff-arming of parents—and ironically, that’s been a relief. The cadence of tests and quizzes provides a kind of clarity. Weekly grades, constant feedback, and a rigid academic structure give our child the opportunity to consistently demonstrate that they’re not only engaged, but performing well. That they are not deficient.

Because let’s be honest: the achievement gap in this city is real. And when your child bears more than a passing resemblance to those most frequently left behind by that gap—when they are statistically expected to struggle, regardless of what they’re capable of—you learn very quickly how rare it is to find a school that doesn’t subtly affirm those expectations. That doesn’t delay or flatten the signal that your child is thriving.

At BASIS, the bluntness of the system works in our favor. The feedback is constant. The assessments are objective. And when the grades are in the 90s week after week, it’s hard for a teacher—or anyone else—to overlook that. That’s not something we’ve found as readily in environments that pride themselves on flexibility or “whole child” approaches, but often leave families like ours in the position of having to prove again and again that our kids are not exceptions to a grim statistical trend.

And yes, I’ve heard people say, “Well, not all smart kids thrive at BASIS.” I’m sure that’s true. But it’s often said as if the school is failing them, when in many cases, it just means those students have specific deficits—executive function, stamina, etc.—that need addressing. Those don’t magically disappear at Latin or Deal. They may just get papered over. At BASIS, the structure exposes them. That’s not cruelty—it’s transparency. And for families like ours, transparency is a gift.

So no, BASIS isn’t perfect. And no, it’s not right for every child. But it should absolutely exist as an option. And for families whose kids are often underestimated by default, it offers something precious: a system that doesn’t rely on teacher perception, parent polish, or social currency to affirm that your child is capable.

To the reasons of the bolded above, you are wrong. It is not that smart kids have any deficits who don’t thrive at Basis.

It is because they are stunted and want something more and a more well rounded school experience than the grind and over reliance on testing at Basis. They want more robust curriculum and electives, better facilities, better EC, clubs, and sports. This is why Basis loses so many high performing kids.

Funny how that was the single line you plucked out.