Basis DC feedback sought

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So screwed up. BASIS and Walls can't align the curriculum to a greater extent?

Why would they?

BASIS is its own LEA and believes in its approach; SWW's policies are DCPS' policies, and they don't just apply to BASIS students but to anyone coming from outside DCPS.

This is only an irritant for about a dozen students a year.

[Anonymous]

Yes, but some of the very strongest HS students are impacted.

The poor alignment of the curricula of two of the highest-performing public HS programs in the city is emerging as an impediment to elite college admissions (particularly the dozen programs admitting in the single digits). Do think that Boston and NYC actively trip up some of their brightest and hardest working public school students like this? DC isn't supposed to have two separate public schools systems.

Petty and pathetic situation created by the part of insular, power hungry, myopic and unresponsive system leaders and admins on both sides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So from reading these trends, one can assume that the advantage of BASIS over other middle schools is the fact that there is accelerated math for most/all and that AP's start in middle school.
I am also reading that these same students with 3 or 4 years of accelerated math are not necessarily doing well in placement tests. Those students who have already taken the AP history test in middle school are getting upset because their AP is not being recognized by DCPS schools. If a student wants to go to Wall for a totally different experience, I do not understand why retaking a class is causing such a huge problem. Shouldn't they just cruise through the course if they received "5"s on the exam?

I am willing to bet that most students at SWW or anywhere for that matter would not necessarily cruise through a "placement" test 4 months to 4 years after the successful completion of a class. And this does not mean that the same student cannot go on and successfully complete the next logical class.

There is no reason SWW and DCPS cannot be flexible in this area since they already offer other math classes and other AP humanities classes.

[Anonymous]

Op, even if they do not cruise, the student should not have difficulty in the subject and do it well with minimal effort. if someone had taken 3 years of partial Geometry and been successful or passed an exam with a "5" but has forgotten within a few months maths, then there is not much merit in the grades received.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but some of the very strongest HS students are impacted.

The poor alignment of the curricula of two of the highest-performing public HS programs in the city is emerging as an impediment to elite college admissions (particularly the dozen programs admitting in the single digits). Do think that Boston and NYC actively trip up some of their brightest and hardest working public school students like this? DC isn't supposed to have two separate public schools systems.

Petty and pathetic situation created by the part of insular, power hungry, myopic and unresponsive system leaders and admins on both sides.

No. The whole point of charters in DC was to create separate school system. Charters are free to innovate, to manage their own curriculum and operate wholly independently. The only requirement is that all schools in the city cover the common core grade standards.

If students want to hop back and forth between charter and DCPS they are welcome to. But they risk both gaps and redundancies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, even if they do not cruise, the student should not have difficulty in the subject and do it well with minimal effort. if someone had taken 3 years of partial Geometry and been successful or passed an exam with a "5" but has forgotten within a few months maths, then there is not much merit in the grades received.

It is not partial Geometry per Saxon math's own website. Saxon math covers a whole year's worth of geometry and explains the rational for integrating geometry with algebra and pre-calculus.

As for not having difficulty repeating a class that a student has successfully passed that is asinine and educational malpractice. Students should be challenged and not allowed to coast in order to grow.

I find it hard to believe that SWW does not have another AP history or humanities course offered at the same time as their AP World History course for these kids to take. I also find it hard to believe that SWW does not offer several levels of math courses at the same time as well. This is just DCPS central office being stupid and petty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So screwed up. BASIS and Walls can't align the curriculum to a greater extent?

Why would they?

BASIS is its own LEA and believes in its approach; SWW's policies are DCPS' policies, and they don't just apply to BASIS students but to anyone coming from outside DCPS.

This is only an irritant for about a dozen students a year.

Given how many people have fled to charters and privates, I think you significantly underestimate how many are irritated with DCPS policies. DCPS doesn't see any need to compete - which is why it's lost nearly half of DC's families.

[Anonymous]

+100. Exactly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So screwed up. BASIS and Walls can't align the curriculum to a greater extent?

Why would they?

BASIS is its own LEA and believes in its approach; SWW's policies are DCPS' policies, and they don't just apply to BASIS students but to anyone coming from outside DCPS.

This is only an irritant for about a dozen students a year.

Given how many people have fled to charters and privates, I think you significantly underestimate how many are irritated with DCPS policies. DCPS doesn't see any need to compete - which is why it's lost nearly half of DC's families.

+1 It would have tipped at least a few more BASIS families to try SWW rather than stay or go private.

[Anonymous]

I worked for DCPS once upon a time and when it came time to choose for my own child, the stack of paperwork handed over with that poor customer service sarcastic smile made me RUN. There are some good DCPS schools that are high functioning in spite of the central system. As to overall education in this city, thank God for choice and charters and independent schools. At least DCPS can't ride quite as rough shod as they used to, with the competition.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to all of you for these very informative posts.

I have noticed that the basis dc parcc scores show 50-70 percent proficiency. Does the significant number of learners that are behind e.g. one third to one half undermine the school's goal to advance students beyond grade level? The scores improve somewhat year by year perhaps reflecting the departures of students who are not able to keep up. Do people see the significant number of students who are behind as an issue for the others? Are there separate classes for all subjects to differentiate?

Also, from your posts it seems frequent for children to leave after middle school and not stay for high school at basis. Can anyone comment on the reasons for this?

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Thanks to all of you for these very informative posts.

I have noticed that the basis dc parcc scores show 50-70 percent proficiency. Does the significant number of learners that are behind e.g. one third to one half undermine the school's goal to advance students beyond grade level? The scores improve somewhat year by year perhaps reflecting the departures of students who are not able to keep up. Do people see the significant number of students who are behind as an issue for the others? Are there separate classes for all subjects to differentiate?

Also, from your posts it seems frequent for children to leave after middle school and not stay for high school at basis. Can anyone comment on the reasons for this?

Thank you!

Lots of questions in a short post!

Re PARCC: if you are willing to include the 3s (students close to proficient) you'll see that most students are very close to grade level. This hasn't really been an issue for my kids

Differentiation: math is the only subject that is tracked. The entire curriculum is aimed at the advanced level -- students who struggle get additional supports outside of class, but the burden is on them to seek out help. Lack of social promotion is real -- some kids every year repeat a grade at BASIS, and some decide to leave. The pressure around the end of year comprehensive exams is real for all, even if only ~10-15 of students are at real risk of failing 1 or more class.

Middle to high school: lots of students come to BASIS from DCPS solely because their neighborhood doesn't have a strong public middle school. There are proven, city-wide DCPS options for high school (application schools) that promise a larger student body, more extracurriculars, and better facilities. A number of students each year head to private high school and others are IB for Wilson and always planned to go there. A few more kids have stayed each year (class of 2017 was 15-16 students; class of 2018 will be ~15-16 students; class of 2019 will be ~50; class of 2020 will be about ~60).

My older DC stayed at Basis for high school. My current 8th grader hopes to go to an application high school, assuming that he gets in.

[Anonymous]

Differentiation: math is the only subject that is tracked. The entire curriculum is aimed at the advanced level -- students who struggle get additional supports outside of class, but the burden is on them to seek out help. Lack of social promotion is real -- some kids every year repeat a grade at BASIS, and some decide to leave. The pressure around the end of year comprehensive exams is real for all, even if only ~10-15 of students are at real risk of failing 1 or more class.

Middle to high school: lots of students come to BASIS from DCPS solely because their neighborhood doesn't have a strong public middle school. There are proven, city-wide DCPS options for high school (application schools) that promise a larger student body, more extracurriculars, and better facilities. A number of students each year head to private high school and others are IB for Wilson and always planned to go there. A few more kids have stayed each year (class of 2017 was 15-16 students; class of 2018 will be ~15-16 students; class of 2019 will be ~50; class of 2020 will be about ~60).

My older DC stayed at Basis for high school. My current 8th grader hopes to go to an application high school, assuming that he gets in.

WOW! You seem to know quite a bit for a parent. You must be one of the insiders we hear about since so much is undercovers in the school. Another parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


Differentiation: math is the only subject that is tracked. The entire curriculum is aimed at the advanced level -- students who struggle get additional supports outside of class, but the burden is on them to seek out help. Lack of social promotion is real -- some kids every year repeat a grade at BASIS, and some decide to leave. The pressure around the end of year comprehensive exams is real for all, even if only ~10-15 of students are at real risk of failing 1 or more class.

Middle to high school: lots of students come to BASIS from DCPS solely because their neighborhood doesn't have a strong public middle school. There are proven, city-wide DCPS options for high school (application schools) that promise a larger student body, more extracurriculars, and better facilities. A number of students each year head to private high school and others are IB for Wilson and always planned to go there. A few more kids have stayed each year (class of 2017 was 15-16 students; class of 2018 will be ~15-16 students; class of 2019 will be ~50; class of 2020 will be about ~60).

My older DC stayed at Basis for high school. My current 8th grader hopes to go to an application high school, assuming that he gets in.

WOW! You seem to know quite a bit for a parent. You must be one of the insiders we hear about since so much is undercovers in the school. Another parent.

Not an "insider" just a long-timer. The high school class sizes is readily apparent if you glance at the yearbook or directory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Thanks to all of you for these very informative posts.

I have noticed that the basis dc parcc scores show 50-70 percent proficiency. Does the significant number of learners that are behind e.g. one third to one half undermine the school's goal to advance students beyond grade level? The scores improve somewhat year by year perhaps reflecting the departures of students who are not able to keep up. Do people see the significant number of students who are behind as an issue for the others? Are there separate classes for all subjects to differentiate?

Also, from your posts it seems frequent for children to leave after middle school and not stay for high school at basis. Can anyone comment on the reasons for this?

Thank you!

OP - FYI 6 November/December dates have been posted for prospective parent school tours. Click on a date to register http://www.basised.com/washington-dc/our-school/school-tours/