BASIS attrition after middle school- why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've had the opposite experience in Arlington, where my ex lives (we share custody). At BASIS from 5th-6th, my eldest struggled in math, was often bored in English and social studies and couldn't study the language we speak at home at school. In Arlington, the math is pitched right and the English and social studies are more rigorous and better taught than at BASIS in 8th grade "Intensified" (honors classes). He plays in the top band at the school, daily as a class, and takes a daily language class (IB Middle Years Curriculum) that's quite challenging. With the band, he was able to qualify for a county PS band and even a 3-county district band. I've had to fight for nothing and none of his core classes have more than two dozen students.

Do you really think a small charter school in DC can compete with Arlington in terms of choices? Why are you here?

[Anonymous]

The detractors don’t just insult those of us who are happy with BASIS, they accuse us of child abuse and harm.

Meanwhile, my eldest graduated from BASIS and is very happy at their liberal arts college of choice, including a hefty merit scholarship - no issues with writing papers and researching, contrary to what the detractors may think.

My younger child is currently at BASIS and enjoys many of the extracurriculars. So YMMV, but this family is as satisfied as one can be for not having had to pay for private high school and being able to keep all of our commutes short.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've had the opposite experience in Arlington, where my ex lives (we share custody). At BASIS from 5th-6th, my eldest struggled in math, was often bored in English and social studies and couldn't study the language we speak at home at school. In Arlington, the math is pitched right and the English and social studies are more rigorous and better taught than at BASIS in 8th grade "Intensified" (honors classes). He plays in the top band at the school, daily as a class, and takes a daily language class (IB Middle Years Curriculum) that's quite challenging. With the band, he was able to qualify for a county PS band and even a 3-county district band. I've had to fight for nothing and none of his core classes have more than two dozen students.

Do you really think a small charter school in DC can compete with Arlington in terms of choices? Why are you here?

Here because we experienced several years of a BASIS MS education before finding a better suburban option. I had doubts when trying to decide if we should leave BASIS, but, yes, the grass can be greener w/out heading to a pricey private or looking farther away than 8 or 10 miles. BASIS DC isn't a small charter school as much as a link in a powerhouse national chain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The detractors don’t just insult those of us who are happy with BASIS, they accuse us of child abuse and harm.

Meanwhile, my eldest graduated from BASIS and is very happy at their liberal arts college of choice, including a hefty merit scholarship - no issues with writing papers and researching, contrary to what the detractors may think.

My younger child is currently at BASIS and enjoys many of the extracurriculars. So YMMV, but this family is as satisfied as one can be for not having had to pay for private high school and being able to keep all of our commutes short.

Child abuse and harm? Silly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, we’re expecting little fron BASIS. But we’d sure like a modicum of common sense flexibility at no cost to the school on curriculum here and there. The ironclad policy on language instruction is so over the top obtuse that you can’t make this stuff up. Be our guests, march and salute on into the high school claiming that the rest of us leave because are children are too dumb and lazy to cope.

Self centered entitled parent has entered the chat. He doesn't understand why the school can't just make an exception for his snowflake.

i don't understand why bullying seems to be a huge part of BASIS culture. I can't imagine anyone from any other school speaking this way.

You don't seem to understand what the term "bullying" means. Snarky? Sure. Also accurate. I bet you think anyone who disagrees with you is persecuting you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The detractors don’t just insult those of us who are happy with BASIS, they accuse us of child abuse and harm.

Meanwhile, my eldest graduated from BASIS and is very happy at their liberal arts college of choice, including a hefty merit scholarship - no issues with writing papers and researching, contrary to what the detractors may think.

My younger child is currently at BASIS and enjoys many of the extracurriculars. So YMMV, but this family is as satisfied as one can be for not having had to pay for private high school and being able to keep all of our commutes short.

Child abuse and harm? Silly.

“The building isn’t healthy”
“Bad to cram everything in before senior year”
“No outdoor space”
“Homework”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The detractors don’t just insult those of us who are happy with BASIS, they accuse us of child abuse and harm.

Meanwhile, my eldest graduated from BASIS and is very happy at their liberal arts college of choice, including a hefty merit scholarship - no issues with writing papers and researching, contrary to what the detractors may think.

My younger child is currently at BASIS and enjoys many of the extracurriculars. So YMMV, but this family is as satisfied as one can be for not having had to pay for private high school and being able to keep all of our commutes short.

Child abuse and harm? Silly.

“The building isn’t healthy”
“Bad to cram everything in before senior year”
“No outdoor space”
“Homework”

“Silly”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm going to play devil's advocate by arguing that the point the detractors are making is a good one. In a public school supported by taxpayers money, a measure of flexibility in supporting best practices isn't just permitted, it's mandated to execute the overarching mission of the institution: serving the public well. When a local BASIS administrator insists that a student is forced to complete schoolwork that isn't remotely appropriate to their background or aptitude, they aren't serving the public well at taxpayers expense. This is especially true when the remedy would require only a little flexibility on their part, vs. expenditure. This is what happens in one of the country's lowest-capacity urban school systems without a law on GT education, a system that relies heavily on national charter franchises for service delivery: families are blamed and labelled as poor consumers when schools offer no flexibility in situations where a measure of flexibility is warranted. BASIS could indeed strive to accommodate families seeking more appropriate advanced educational challenge within budgetary constraints. They don't bother for two simple reasons: DC ed leaders don't require them to in a poorly governed jurisdiction and neither does the law. In a much higher-capacity public school system, e.g. Fairfax, such modest requests would generally be accommodated. No thoughtful stakeholder should defend such poor treatment of voters/consumers/families. When no flexibility is extended to families making a strong case for it at no expense to the taxpayer, a system failure to be corrected should be flagged up the chain. In BASIS DC's case, there doesn't seem to be any chain to go, up either at the jurisdiction level or the franchise level.

Your points are valid. However, in a choice system, DCPS should be the system that makes the accommodations that you mention. Parents often choose charters specifically because of the way they run their schools -- i.e., for many of the BASIS families that choose to stay, many of the BASIS characteristics are features, not bugs. The real problem is that DCPS does not provide an MS option for students who want rigor but don't like the BASIS program.

+1. I'm one of the families that actually *likes* that BASIS teaches linguistics over offering a language right away. There are other families in the school like us as well.

If you love having your kid learn about linguistics in a public middle school, fantastic, do have your kid that. If you want your kids to learn a language instead, you should have a desirable option, like at the good suburban schools. Beating the drum for limiting options for the sake of limiting options, as others are doing here, gets you nowhere.

Agree, but this is not a BASIS problem.

I hope what this thread is doing is encouraging families to research BASIS before putting it on the lottery list. Don't send your kid there if you don't like the program!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've had the opposite experience in Arlington, where my ex lives (we share custody). At BASIS from 5th-6th, my eldest struggled in math, was often bored in English and social studies and couldn't study the language we speak at home at school. In Arlington, the math is pitched right and the English and social studies are more rigorous and better taught than at BASIS in 8th grade "Intensified" (honors classes). He plays in the top band at the school, daily as a class, and takes a daily language class (IB Middle Years Curriculum) that's quite challenging. With the band, he was able to qualify for a county PS band and even a 3-county district band. I've had to fight for nothing and none of his core classes have more than two dozen students.

Do you really think a small charter school in DC can compete with Arlington in terms of choices? Why are you here?

Here because we experienced several years of a BASIS MS education before finding a better suburban option. I had doubts when trying to decide if we should leave BASIS, but, yes, the grass can be greener w/out heading to a pricey private or looking farther away than 8 or 10 miles. BASIS DC isn't a small charter school as much as a link in a powerhouse national chain.

Yet another reason why parents should do their research. It may turn out that moving is the best option, and if you can swing it, then do it. I looked at Arlington schools myself, and decided going to BASIS would actually be better for my kid. I was right, and she's been very happy. Do what is best for your kid!

[Anonymous]

Okay. This thread and many like it describe the school and its inflexibilities. If that isnt a match for your family but you put your children there, you are the problem. At that point, don’t blame the school, blame yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm going to play devil's advocate by arguing that the point the detractors are making is a good one. In a public school supported by taxpayers money, a measure of flexibility in supporting best practices isn't just permitted, it's mandated to execute the overarching mission of the institution: serving the public well. When a local BASIS administrator insists that a student is forced to complete schoolwork that isn't remotely appropriate to their background or aptitude, they aren't serving the public well at taxpayers expense. This is especially true when the remedy would require only a little flexibility on their part, vs. expenditure. This is what happens in one of the country's lowest-capacity urban school systems without a law on GT education, a system that relies heavily on national charter franchises for service delivery: families are blamed and labelled as poor consumers when schools offer no flexibility in situations where a measure of flexibility is warranted. BASIS could indeed strive to accommodate families seeking more appropriate advanced educational challenge within budgetary constraints. They don't bother for two simple reasons: DC ed leaders don't require them to in a poorly governed jurisdiction and neither does the law. In a much higher-capacity public school system, e.g. Fairfax, such modest requests would generally be accommodated. No thoughtful stakeholder should defend such poor treatment of voters/consumers/families. When no flexibility is extended to families making a strong case for it at no expense to the taxpayer, a system failure to be corrected should be flagged up the chain. In BASIS DC's case, there doesn't seem to be any chain to go, up either at the jurisdiction level or the franchise level.

. THIS. Pretending that any DC public school is all that great only gets you so far. If you want exam prep, BASIS. If you want your kid to get a good education where there’s respect for the individual advanced learner, look elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay. This thread and many like it describe the school and its inflexibilities. If that isnt a match for your family but you put your children there, you are the problem. At that point, don’t blame the school, blame yourself.

This is the craziest take yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've had the opposite experience in Arlington, where my ex lives (we share custody). At BASIS from 5th-6th, my eldest struggled in math, was often bored in English and social studies and couldn't study the language we speak at home at school. In Arlington, the math is pitched right and the English and social studies are more rigorous and better taught than at BASIS in 8th grade "Intensified" (honors classes). He plays in the top band at the school, daily as a class, and takes a daily language class (IB Middle Years Curriculum) that's quite challenging. With the band, he was able to qualify for a county PS band and even a 3-county district band. I've had to fight for nothing and none of his core classes have more than two dozen students.

Do you really think a small charter school in DC can compete with Arlington in terms of choices? Why are you here?

Here because we experienced several years of a BASIS MS education before finding a better suburban option. I had doubts when trying to decide if we should leave BASIS, but, yes, the grass can be greener w/out heading to a pricey private or looking farther away than 8 or 10 miles. BASIS DC isn't a small charter school as much as a link in a powerhouse national chain.

Yet another reason why parents should do their research. It may turn out that moving is the best option, and if you can swing it, then do it. I looked at Arlington schools myself, and decided going to BASIS would actually be better for my kid. I was right, and she's been very happy. Do what is best for your kid!

Right. We wanted to stay in DC and decided that Basis was our only good option. If we didn’t have success in the lottery, we would have decamped for Bethesda or McLean.

Others with different kids might very make other choices.

[Anonymous]

Well DCUM, we matched at Basis. I have to say this thread was extremely useful and we will be going in with a lot of insight into the pros and cons. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well DCUM, we matched at Basis. I have to say this thread was extremely useful and we will be going in with a lot of insight into the pros and cons. Thank you!

Congrats and best of luck making a decision! I think you'll find that the truth of what you read on here about any particular school lies somewhere in the middle, depending on your own values and priorities.