BASIS DC will seek to expand to include K to 4th grade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, current building. No info on where K-4 campus will be located. No approval yet.

With 35Million to spend, they should take 5M - revamp the current building into the elementary and use 30M to get a new building for the Upper School.

The whole meeting was so dumb for current parents "We are going to ignore your concerns, but allow us to tell you about all of the wonderful things we are going to do for this new school which 99% of you wont benefit from

An ES for 450+ with zero outdoor space, no windows in the cafeteria, no real gym/stage/multipurpose room., little natural light. No.

They think its okay for the even larger MS/HS
with fewer kids they could take the whole second floor and open it up - plenty of room to make a multipurpose room. could dedicate an entire wing to music/arts/crafts and other ES fun things

Good point. From our family's perspective, the problem isn't so much the building itself. It's BASIS' insistence on cramming 600 preteens and teens in there. I can't see things changing though.

They said in the presentation that if they moved 5th to the elementary school, they would increase enrollment in 6th-12th. They clearly have no intention of easing the cramming.

Sounds like BASIS is jumping the gun with their planning. Their last ES program proposal was rejected, what 8 years ago, and they might get rejected again. DCPS highers ups aren't going to like the idea of BASIS creaming off scores of kids from the highest-performing DCPS neighborhood ES programs EotP from K. That would mean that a bunch of Brent, Maury, Ludlow and Watkins kids would use their IB schools only for PreS3 and PreK4. The Mayor's Office might not get on board under political pressure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, current building. No info on where K-4 campus will be located. No approval yet.

With 35Million to spend, they should take 5M - revamp the current building into the elementary and use 30M to get a new building for the Upper School.

The whole meeting was so dumb for current parents "We are going to ignore your concerns, but allow us to tell you about all of the wonderful things we are going to do for this new school which 99% of you wont benefit from

An ES for 450+ with zero outdoor space, no windows in the cafeteria, no real gym/stage/multipurpose room., little natural light. No.

They think its okay for the even larger MS/HS
with fewer kids they could take the whole second floor and open it up - plenty of room to make a multipurpose room. could dedicate an entire wing to music/arts/crafts and other ES fun things

Good point. From our family's perspective, the problem isn't so much the building itself. It's BASIS' insistence on cramming 600 preteens and teens in there. I can't see things changing though.

They said in the presentation that if they moved 5th to the elementary school, they would increase enrollment in 6th-12th. They clearly have no intention of easing the cramming.

They said no such thing. Stop making things up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m just catching up — would the new elementary school definitely have feeder rights to the junior high/high school?

Yes. They said their initial plan is 80 feeder seats per grade.

It would be great for Hill MSs and upper elementary if BASIS MS started at 6th grade, and if the number of seats available at MS goes down. If Latin started at 6th it would be even better!

There is no talk of changing the entry year to 6th. BASIS believes they need to get kids earlier because nobody else can prepare kids for BASIS.

You are correct that this will make it very difficult for Hill families to lottery into BASIS if they want to stay at their elementary school through 4th.

It is almost as if BASIS isn't focused only on Capitol Hill. The nerve!!!!

[Anonymous]

What makes BASIS think their proposal will be approved when it was rejected last time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, current building. No info on where K-4 campus will be located. No approval yet.

With 35Million to spend, they should take 5M - revamp the current building into the elementary and use 30M to get a new building for the Upper School.

The whole meeting was so dumb for current parents "We are going to ignore your concerns, but allow us to tell you about all of the wonderful things we are going to do for this new school which 99% of you wont benefit from

An ES for 450+ with zero outdoor space, no windows in the cafeteria, no real gym/stage/multipurpose room., little natural light. No.

They think its okay for the even larger MS/HS
with fewer kids they could take the whole second floor and open it up - plenty of room to make a multipurpose room. could dedicate an entire wing to music/arts/crafts and other ES fun things

Good point. From our family's perspective, the problem isn't so much the building itself. It's BASIS' insistence on cramming 600 preteens and teens in there. I can't see things changing though.

They said in the presentation that if they moved 5th to the elementary school, they would increase enrollment in 6th-12th. They clearly have no intention of easing the cramming.

Sounds like BASIS is jumping the gun with their planning. Their last ES program proposal was rejected, what 8 years ago, and they might get rejected again. DCPS highers ups aren't going to like the idea of BASIS creaming off scores of kids from the highest-performing DCPS neighborhood ES programs EotP from K. That would mean that a bunch of Brent, Maury, Ludlow and Watkins kids would use their IB schools only for PreS3 and PreK4. The Mayor's Office might not get on board under political pressure.

Tell me you haven't a clue how the charter system in DC works without telling me...

[Anonymous]

Why not fix the DCPS middle and high schools if the Mayor cares so much about families choosing/sticking with DCPS Elementary Schools? Where’s that political pressure?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BASIS is a for profit organization, no? Isn’t this their main motivation to expand?

No, it isn't. But you knew that. Now do the rest of your back catalogue and complain about China.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not fix the DCPS middle and high schools if the Mayor cares so much about families choosing/sticking with DCPS Elementary Schools? Where’s that political pressure?

That's too hard. The easier path it to demonize charter schools that parents choose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, current building. No info on where K-4 campus will be located. No approval yet.

With 35Million to spend, they should take 5M - revamp the current building into the elementary and use 30M to get a new building for the Upper School.

The whole meeting was so dumb for current parents "We are going to ignore your concerns, but allow us to tell you about all of the wonderful things we are going to do for this new school which 99% of you wont benefit from

An ES for 450+ with zero outdoor space, no windows in the cafeteria, no real gym/stage/multipurpose room., little natural light. No.

They think its okay for the even larger MS/HS
with fewer kids they could take the whole second floor and open it up - plenty of room to make a multipurpose room. could dedicate an entire wing to music/arts/crafts and other ES fun things

Good point. From our family's perspective, the problem isn't so much the building itself. It's BASIS' insistence on cramming 600 preteens and teens in there. I can't see things changing though.

They said in the presentation that if they moved 5th to the elementary school, they would increase enrollment in 6th-12th. They clearly have no intention of easing the cramming.

They said no such thing. Stop making things up.

They said it both verbally and had a slide on it. Go watch the video if you weren't paying attention enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What makes BASIS think their proposal will be approved when it was rejected last time?

This is why they are campaigning so hard for parent support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes BASIS think their proposal will be approved when it was rejected last time?

This is why they are campaigning so hard for parent support.

Was that the problem last time?

The approval criteria have changed since then and lean heavily on showing of demand, and I'm just not sure there's so much interest in the BASIS style for elementary. At least not WOTR.

[Anonymous]

Last time it was withdrawn, not actually rejected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What makes BASIS think their proposal will be approved when it was rejected last time?

Maybe because they are the highest performing charter in the city according to the agency that authorized them which is the same agency that will need to approve the expansion? That agency (public charter school board) looks mostly at performance and demand. Basis has both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes BASIS think their proposal will be approved when it was rejected last time?

Maybe because they are the highest performing charter in the city according to the agency that authorized them which is the same agency that will need to approve the expansion? That agency (public charter school board) looks mostly at performance and demand. Basis has both.

So why did BASIS withdraw their application last time?

Demand for 5th grade is not the same thing as demand for elementary school and you know it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes BASIS think their proposal will be approved when it was rejected last time?

Maybe because they are the highest performing charter in the city according to the agency that authorized them which is the same agency that will need to approve the expansion? That agency (public charter school board) looks mostly at performance and demand. Basis has both.

So why did BASIS withdraw their application last time?

Demand for 5th grade is not the same thing as demand for elementary school and you know it.

Thread about 2016 withdrawal: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/600003.page#9922373

Thread about 2019 (potential?) application: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/793010.page#14730703