“Basis DC: Want the Peer Group, But Not the Boot Camp?”

[Anonymous]

NP. Agree with above. We're not taking our 5th grade spot after talking to admins, who didn't impress us.

We're staying at our charter immersion elementary for 5th grade, come what may, even though our kid is among the best in his cohort at math.

Nothing at BASIS seems worth it to us. We ran through the list. The awful building. The unserious extra curriculars. The ban on language instruction until 8th grade (with only beginning language courses offered in 8th for no good reason). The high teacher turnover. The superficial sounding forced math acceleration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. Agree with above. We're not taking our 5th grade spot after talking to admins, who didn't impress us.

We're staying at our charter immersion elementary for 5th grade, come what may, even though our kid is among the best in his cohort at math.

Nothing at BASIS seems worth it to us. We ran through the list. The awful building. The unserious extra curriculars. The ban on language instruction until 8th grade (with only beginning language courses offered in 8th for no good reason). The high teacher turnover. The superficial sounding forced math acceleration.

Great! Now that spot can go to a kid for whom the pros outweigh the cons, like us a few years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. Agree with above. We're not taking our 5th grade spot after talking to admins, who didn't impress us.

We're staying at our charter immersion elementary for 5th grade, come what may, even though our kid is among the best in his cohort at math.

Nothing at BASIS seems worth it to us. We ran through the list. The awful building. The unserious extra curriculars. The ban on language instruction until 8th grade (with only beginning language courses offered in 8th for no good reason). The high teacher turnover. The superficial sounding forced math acceleration.

It's about whether you have better options. We didn't, and that's on DCPS, not BASIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Agree with above. We're not taking our 5th grade spot after talking to admins, who didn't impress us.

We're staying at our charter immersion elementary for 5th grade, come what may, even though our kid is among the best in his cohort at math.

Nothing at BASIS seems worth it to us. We ran through the list. The awful building. The unserious extra curriculars. The ban on language instruction until 8th grade (with only beginning language courses offered in 8th for no good reason). The high teacher turnover. The superficial sounding forced math acceleration.

It's about whether you have better options. We didn't, and that's on DCPS, not BASIS.

It's also about priorities... Seems like this family really prioritizes language, in which case definitely don't go to BASIS. We prioritize math and science instruction, and the BASIS curriculum is the best of all the publics for that.

[Anonymous]

DP- It really is about priorities! Not a BASIS parent here, but we would have taken the spot had we had a chance last year. We did not have a luck in the lottery. And we are not in Ward 3 to access the other top middle schools in the district. My strongly oriented STEM child is really uninspired where he is now. It is not just basic math but also basic science curriculum in the district.
Outside ward 3 middle schools and BASIS, can you name a solid strong public MS in math and science?

[Anonymous]

Right - all of Basis’ deficiencies are really reflection of the overall lack of solid middle school options in DC. But it really is the best available option for many families, especially as a middle school way station before high school elsewhere. And there is good evidence that private high schools respect the caliber of students coming out of Basis.

And if you’re at an immersion you like (good!), but you have the DCI option that many other families don’t + the serious investment in language study that you don’t want to go to waste, whereas most families are coming from schools with only so-so language instruction and aren’t losing much with the delay to 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

Can't we agree that different kids need different things?
Some want the languages, some want theater, some want all the math, some want the nerdy friend group others the ultimate frisbee?

BASIS parent here too. My eldest loves it and will most likely stay through 12th, my second does not want to go and we see it is not the right fit, so even with sibling preference, we may forgo it and try for IT or another MS holdover option, and an application HS such as Duke Ellington or Walls. We come from a high performing Cap Hill ES.

[Anonymous]

Yes, why don't we agree that different kids and families need different things. Let's also agree that different kids and families need some of the same things in a public school, or at least could really use them.

Strong language instruction starting sooner than 8th grade sounds to me like a bona fide need in 21st century America. What else? How about appropriate math acceleration for all students, a decent facility/physical plant, strong ECs and enrichment, serious academics for four years of high school and a well-trained, stable and experienced faculty (preferably one that parents don't need to help pay) and good leadership.

Good luck finding any of that at BASIS DC for your tax dollars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, why don't we agree that different kids and families need different things. Let's also agree that different kids and families need some of the same things in a public school, or at least could really use them.

Strong language instruction starting sooner than 8th grade sounds to me like a bona fide need in 21st century America. What else? How about appropriate math acceleration for all students, a decent facility/physical plant, strong ECs and enrichment, serious academics for four years of high school and a well-trained, stable and experienced faculty (preferably one that parents don't need to help pay) and good leadership.

Good luck finding any of that at BASIS DC for your tax dollars.

As several of the sensible comments above noted, the question is not whether a specific school is perfect, but whether it's the best fit for a child among the available options. Is there another option that you chose that better meets your requirements? If so, where?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. Agree with above. We're not taking our 5th grade spot after talking to admins, who didn't impress us.

We're staying at our charter immersion elementary for 5th grade, come what may, even though our kid is among the best in his cohort at math.

Nothing at BASIS seems worth it to us. We ran through the list. The awful building. The unserious extra curriculars. The ban on language instruction until 8th grade (with only beginning language courses offered in 8th for no good reason). The high teacher turnover. The superficial sounding forced math acceleration.

Great!!!

Now someone who has an academically advanced kid who really wants to go to Basis can take the spot!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, why don't we agree that different kids and families need different things. Let's also agree that different kids and families need some of the same things in a public school, or at least could really use them.

Strong language instruction starting sooner than 8th grade sounds to me like a bona fide need in 21st century America. What else? How about appropriate math acceleration for all students, a decent facility/physical plant, strong ECs and enrichment, serious academics for four years of high school and a well-trained, stable and experienced faculty (preferably one that parents don't need to help pay) and good leadership.

Good luck finding any of that at BASIS DC for your tax dollars.

LOL.

Good luck finding that anywhere in DC!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, why don't we agree that different kids and families need different things. Let's also agree that different kids and families need some of the same things in a public school, or at least could really use them.

Strong language instruction starting sooner than 8th grade sounds to me like a bona fide need in 21st century America. What else? How about appropriate math acceleration for all students, a decent facility/physical plant, strong ECs and enrichment, serious academics for four years of high school and a well-trained, stable and experienced faculty (preferably one that parents don't need to help pay) and good leadership.

Good luck finding any of that at BASIS DC for your tax dollars.

LOL.

Good luck finding that anywhere in DC!

+1. This BASIS-bashing posts are so tiresome.

Feel free to post the public school in DC that you think is so much better so we can judge that school by the same ridiculous standards that you apply to BASIS.

[Anonymous]

As a former parent of a student who went 5-12 at BASIS, I would like to push back on senior year being a waste. I found it a joy - time to focus on research/interests through the senior project and internship, on writing college essays and being able to visit the campuses, more time with friends and family before leaving home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a former parent of a student who went 5-12 at BASIS, I would like to push back on senior year being a waste. I found it a joy - time to focus on research/interests through the senior project and internship, on writing college essays and being able to visit the campuses, more time with friends and family before leaving home.

My son is already looking forward to 12th grade, and I think it's great, with the elements of a gap year (where these 18 year olds need to take some responsibility for their own time and interests). Some kids will do the minimum for the research project and some will do an excellent job, and I like that it's up to them.

I'll also push back on "fitting 4 years of high school into 3 years" because it feels more like starting high school in 8th grade instead of 9th, so your high school is 8-11. The coursework in 8th is high school level (with the option for APs, precalc) and the kids get high school privileges (leaving campus for lunch).

[Anonymous]

So give kids a choice! If BASIS seniors want to continue to take a bunch of AP classes senior year, let them do that. If kids don't want to take the over the top college admissions class, let them opt out. Many BASIS seniors spin their wheels senior year.

BASIS isn't strong on giving families decision-making ability, which sucks.