Charter School Impact on Public & Private School Enrollments

[Anonymous]

Why? Probably HADES although we're not too happy that Deerfield is now coed. Will apply/visit all and decide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why? Probably HADES although we're not too happy that Deerfield is now coed. Will apply/visit all and decide.

I think you'll find that all of these schools are now coed once you visit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why? Probably HADES although we're not too happy that Deerfield is now coed. Will apply/visit all and decide.

I think you'll find that all of these schools are now coed once you visit.

Those other schools have been coed since I was a kid and I'm as old as dirt Would have been nice to have an all boys' boarding school as an option. Yes, I know STA boards but we will be out of DC by then and prefer New England for boarding or NYC for non-boarding.

[Anonymous]

I heard that there are two kids at BASIS now who attended Sidwell last year. Don't know how to confirm it since I don't know the family. Any Sidwell parents care to share whether they lost two to BASIS?

Anyway, if true, I guess this piece of information pretty mush settles the issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I heard that there are two kids at BASIS now who attended Sidwell last year. Don't know how to confirm it since I don't know the family. Any Sidwell parents care to share whether they lost two to BASIS?

Anyway, if true, I guess this piece of information pretty mush settles the issue.

The only way this could happen:

1. Kids were expelled from Sidwell.
2. They have a parent who works for Basis.
3. Family can no longer afford Sidwell or another private school.

While it's possible that parents will choose a charter over private school for early elementary and/or the charter provides something unique like Yu Ying, I can't image a parent choosing Basis over Sidwell. So I doubt the rumor that it's happened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I heard that there are two kids at BASIS now who attended Sidwell last year. Don't know how to confirm it since I don't know the family. Any Sidwell parents care to share whether they lost two to BASIS?

Anyway, if true, I guess this piece of information pretty mush settles the issue.

The only way this could happen:

1. Kids were expelled from Sidwell.
2. They have a parent who works for Basis.
3. Family can no longer afford Sidwell or another private school.

While it's possible that parents will choose a charter over private school for early elementary and/or the charter provides something unique like Yu Ying, I can't image a parent choosing Basis over Sidwell. So I doubt the rumor that it's happened.

Here are other options:

4. They felt that the accelerated curriculum at BASIS would better prepare their children for college.
5. They felt that their children would be better served by a school with more AA kids.

Do your children attend Sidwell? Do you have any real information?

I could certainly confirm that the rumor is true by asking around at BASIS, but I would never be able to prove it to your satisfaction without revealing the identities of the children. So, it is a moot point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

4. They felt that the accelerated curriculum at BASIS would better prepare their children for college.

Than the curriculum, prestige and name recognition of Sidwell?!? 8)

[Anonymous]

Here are other options:

4. They felt that the accelerated curriculum at BASIS would better prepare their children for college.
5. They felt that their children would be better served by a school with more AA kids.

Better served by a school with more AA kids? Such B.S. - the AA kids at Sidwell test in; at Basis, they waltz in. Some can hardly read but still get two years to "catch up" despite the fact that there's no real hope that they will (they were a tad behind the Sidwell crowd in preschool and are now miles behind). My Basis 5th grader can be relied on to attest to these simple truths.

We'd be at Sidwell, or St. A, GDS, Maret etc. in a minute if we could afford it and we're guess what, AA. We look forward to 7th grade, when the kids who can't handle the curriculum should be gone (not that they should be there now).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

4. They felt that the accelerated curriculum at BASIS would better prepare their children for college.

Than the curriculum, prestige and name recognition of Sidwell?!? 8)

Clearly, Sidwell wins on prestige and name recognition. As for curriculum, it's not clear.

The BASIS curriculum and course sequences are available here:

https://www.basisdc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=90&Itemid=386

Are the Sidwell curriculum and course sequences available for comparison?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Here are other options:

4. They felt that the accelerated curriculum at BASIS would better prepare their children for college.
5. They felt that their children would be better served by a school with more AA kids.

Better served by a school with more AA kids? Such B.S. - the AA kids at Sidwell test in; at Basis, they waltz in. Some can hardly read but still get two years to "catch up" despite the fact that there's no real hope that they will (they were a tad behind the Sidwell crowd in preschool and are now miles behind). My Basis 5th grader can be relied on to attest to these simple truths.

We'd be at Sidwell, or St. A, GDS, Maret etc. in a minute if we could afford it and we're guess what, AA. We look forward to 7th grade, when the kids who can't handle the curriculum should be gone (not that they should be there now).

How many AA kids test into Sidwell? What percentage of Sidwell kids are AA? How do the outcomes of AA kids at Sidwell compare to those of non-AA kids.

As you note, by 7th grade BASIS kids who cannot handle the curriculum will be gone, leaving behind a potentially large cohort of bright hardworking AA kids. Wouldn't you rather have your kids surrounded by many such AA kids rather than have them be among the select few at Sidwell?

[Anonymous]

^^Good question but I'd still MUCH rather have them at Sidwell, where per capita spending is several times what Basis has to spend, meaning facilities are roughly three times as good and classes are a lot smaller. No comparison. Basis can't even offer outdoor recess on its grounds.

[Anonymous]

DS is at Basis, whose older sister went to a private in DC. It's not the money - he is not feeling ripped off at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^Good question but I'd still MUCH rather have them at Sidwell, where per capita spending is several times what Basis has to spend, meaning facilities are roughly three times as good and classes are a lot smaller. No comparison. Basis can't even offer outdoor recess on its grounds.

This is a real concern for a lot of families. All of the good private schools have real sports programs, and an interest in educating the whole child. In addition to the health benefits, there are values such a teamwork and sportsmanship that are learned and practiced on the playing fields. I can't imagine wanting to send a child to a school that has no focus on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^Good question but I'd still MUCH rather have them at Sidwell, where per capita spending is several times what Basis has to spend, meaning facilities are roughly three times as good and classes are a lot smaller. No comparison. Basis can't even offer outdoor recess on its grounds.

This is a real concern for a lot of families. All of the good private schools have real sports programs, and an interest in educating the whole child. In addition to the health benefits, there are values such a teamwork and sportsmanship that are learned and practiced on the playing fields. I can't imagine wanting to send a child to a school that has no focus on that.

DC offers several sports leagues that are not school-based, e.g., soccer, baseball, basketball, football.

BASIS offers Soccer, Running, Girls on the Run, Yoga, Flag Football and Tennis Clinic as electives after school. BASIS has PE during the school day as well

For those kids who are not interested in sports, BASIS offers Science Bowl, Debate Team, Robotics Team, which also foster teamwork and good sportsmanship.

[Anonymous]

I played in several competitive school sports all the way through college (at an NCAA Big Ten school), until damage to my knees and body finally took its toll.

Looking back, sports, while enjoyable and great for building some good friendships, did far less for me, and had far less of a lasting impact toward advancing my career than academics did.