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

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I don't oppose BASIS expanding, but I do oppose it expanding at that location. They should locate somewhere where there aren't already a wide variety of options for ES. This location will hurt Capitol Hill schools the most.

I think it will hurt JOW the most, but also all of the other Hill ES that are good schools. Not BASIS's or PCSB's problem. If DCPS wants to offer rigor in MS and HS and end eliminate social promotion then we can talk about how this is duplicative of DCPS. Till that happens, what BASIS offers is not remotely similar.

The other thing the Hill parents seem to to understand is that CH is easily accessible from all over the city, including those underserved communities that you all pretend to care so much about. Metro bus and rail lines converge there.

Actually too much school density is the PCSB’s problem. This location is within 1/2 a mile of at least JOW, L-T, 2R, CHML and Wheatley. That’s absurd and should not be allowed.

And about a mile to Miner, Maury, Langley, Harmony, Walker-Jones, KIPP Grow, Friendship Armstrong, and MV P. About two miles gets you ITS, Lee, Thomson, Seaton, Cleveland, and Garrison, DC Prep Edgewood, Hope Tolson, and KIPP Webb. Precisely how many elementary schools does this area need?

Again, it is NOT targeting this area.

Then why is there an ANC meeting about the building?

This area is fine on elementary schools and if BASIS wants to cast itself as God's gift to low-income kids it can go EOTR.

Because that is where one of the proposed buildings is located and if they want to do work on it they want to get the ANC to support it? How or why is that a difficult concept for you? The point is that the fact that the building is at 300 Eye does not mean they are "targeting" kids from that neighborhood. Anymore than being in Chinatown means they are targeting kids in Chinatown.

I have also never heard BASIS even pretend they are targeting low income kids. That's a straw man.

Why on earth would BASIS want a not-big-enough office building with no green space, which is not close to their current building, and not in an under-served area? What appeals to them about this location, besides being sort of near-ish to Union Station and on a bus line. It's not like there's no other building that's on a bus line.

[Anonymous]

I think the Basis franchise is highly strategic and is most likely targeting that particular area. Basis likes areas with relatively high-income/education levels where there is a perception that the neighborhood public schools are “bad.” The immediate area in NoMa is high-density residential. It is close to both Capitol Hill and Shaw.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't oppose BASIS expanding, but I do oppose it expanding at that location. They should locate somewhere where there aren't already a wide variety of options for ES. This location will hurt Capitol Hill schools the most.

I think it will hurt JOW the most, but also all of the other Hill ES that are good schools. Not BASIS's or PCSB's problem. If DCPS wants to offer rigor in MS and HS and end eliminate social promotion then we can talk about how this is duplicative of DCPS. Till that happens, what BASIS offers is not remotely similar.

The other thing the Hill parents seem to to understand is that CH is easily accessible from all over the city, including those underserved communities that you all pretend to care so much about. Metro bus and rail lines converge there.

Metro lines converge where? The closest metro to that location is Union Station and it’s the red line only… which basically doesn’t go to any disadvantaged neighborhoods in the city. It’s probably about a 10 minute walk. The closest silver/blue/orange line is Capitol South, which would be a good 20+ minute walk. And you have to go West of Union Station to transfer from other lines, so it’s actually a pain in the ass metro commute from anywhere East, which is of course the area Basis keeps claiming they’re targeting.

No, it isn't. NoMa rail is. Your belief that "Metro" refers only to rail tells us a great deal about your world view and faux concern for the poors. North Cap is a major N/S metro bus route. As is Florida Ave and H street. BASIS has also never said they are targeting people in any one area. Why do people like you feel the need to illustrate your ignorance so publicly ?

Actually, it's technically equidistant from NOMA and Union Station, but if you come out the back of Union Station, it's a shorter commute from there than NOMA. Either way, 10 minutes is generous. Obviously I was talking about the rail lines -- I've never heard anyone call the bus the "metro" and the PP said rail and bus lines converge. I was questioning the notion that rail lines converge on the Hill. They actually don't at all. I live right near the proposed location and while there are some nearby bus routes, commuting far that way is awful during morning rush hour. The fact of the matter is that BASIS wants a location that is accessible to the Hill while pretending that's not what they're looking for and it's just that they couldn't possibly find anywhere else. Eye roll.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I am a BASIS parent and I plan to voice my non-support for this plan at DCPCSB. You just need to take a stroll through any of the Mundo Verde or Two Rivers threads to see how a successful charter can fall apart when it expands. No thank you.

Three things:

1. One of these things is not like the other two (duplication of existing grades vs adding new grades)
2. BASIS operates K-4 at all other campuses. Unlike TR and MV, this is not an experiment or matter of first impression
3. I call BS on your thin purported concerns. You don't want to have to choose between BASIS and LT or Brent. You like having both at your disposal. Nothing wrong with it, but at least be honest with yourself and us

Here’s an apples to apples: Cap Hill Montessori. Expanded to include a middle school. Almost immediately went downhill.

I wouldn’t have to choose between BASIS and my IB elementary school. The school has already stated that all students with sibling preference will get in. I just think it’ll be bad for the middle school, and we need to stop taking functioning programs and ruining them by allowing them to expand.

[Anonymous]

Maybe if a school is closed, BASIS could get a building. The 24-25 review cycle looks to be bloody.

[Anonymous]

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quote=Anonymous]

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??? No one even knows where this school will be located.

Everyone knows where this school will be located. Every split basis campus does things the same way.

So where exactly will this not yet approved school be? Since you know, please share.

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The school has said it will be close to the current campus. They implied it will be close enough to share facilities.

Yes, exactly. In my PP I was assuming that the new campus would be near the existing campus. That's what BASIS said and that's what it's like at every BASIS split campus. Someone responded objecting that I had no idea where the new school would be located (from the perspective of saying where commuting would be convenient from, not like the exact street address).

But where? There’s no buildings around there with outdoor space. The nearby daycares play on the sidewalk. Is that what BASIS is planning?

Many of the mega office buildings downtown have large courtyard in the middle and large rooftop patios.

So is the distance between 300 I street ne and the current campus what it’s like at every BASIS split campus?

Nope. Looks like they’ve sold current parents a laundry list of lies. All different people? Ha. Current students could use the facilities? Ha.

Agreed. They told current parents at the townhall that the elementary school would be located in the same neighborhood as the existing school, not a different quadrant.

No, they didn't. They said they would like to, but that no decisions had been made. They said they had identified several possibilities but that nothing was final. Or even close. The meeting was recorded so we can prove that you need to work on your listening skills. Stop stirring up garbage.

Link?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the Basis franchise is highly strategic and is most likely targeting that particular area. Basis likes areas with relatively high-income/education levels where there is a perception that the neighborhood public schools are “bad.” The immediate area in NoMa is high-density residential. It is close to both Capitol Hill and Shaw.

This. The BASIS model depends on having majority high-income kids, because it doesn't perform well enough with low-income kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the Basis franchise is highly strategic and is most likely targeting that particular area. Basis likes areas with relatively high-income/education levels where there is a perception that the neighborhood public schools are “bad.” The immediate area in NoMa is high-density residential. It is close to both Capitol Hill and Shaw.

This. The BASIS model depends on having majority high-income kids, because it doesn't perform well enough with low-income kids.

I was thinking this too. They want to populate the ES with Cap Hill kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the Basis franchise is highly strategic and is most likely targeting that particular area. Basis likes areas with relatively high-income/education levels where there is a perception that the neighborhood public schools are “bad.” The immediate area in NoMa is high-density residential. It is close to both Capitol Hill and Shaw.

This. The BASIS model depends on having majority high-income kids, because it doesn't perform well enough with low-income kids.

I was thinking this too. They want to populate the ES with Cap Hill kids.

It’s a decent strategy if they don’t want their middle/high school to crash and burn. Unfortunately I’m not sure how many Cap Hill parents are going to opt for a BASIS model. Cap Hill parents tend to want no homework crunchy granola elementary schools and rigorous middle high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the Basis franchise is highly strategic and is most likely targeting that particular area. Basis likes areas with relatively high-income/education levels where there is a perception that the neighborhood public schools are “bad.” The immediate area in NoMa is high-density residential. It is close to both Capitol Hill and Shaw.

This. The BASIS model depends on having majority high-income kids, because it doesn't perform well enough with low-income kids.

I was thinking this too. They want to populate the ES with Cap Hill kids.

It’s a decent strategy if they don’t want their middle/high school to crash and burn. Unfortunately I’m not sure how many Cap Hill parents are going to opt for a BASIS model. Cap Hill parents tend to want no homework crunchy granola elementary schools and rigorous middle high schools.

Your comment doesn't exist in a vacuum. What you've described is a world where parents can choose Brent for ES and then decamp for BASIS in 5th. The possible expansion eliminates that as a viable choice. That's the point. That's what is driving so many NIMBY folks who think nice things are there for them and them only. The question is what parents will do when the decision matrix requires more rigor in ES to guarantee rigor in MS and HS.

There is also no evidence to support the idea that parents don't want rigor in ES. The existence of KIPP tells us that many parents want discipline and structure. It is no surprise that people on DCUM don't understand that universe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the Basis franchise is highly strategic and is most likely targeting that particular area. Basis likes areas with relatively high-income/education levels where there is a perception that the neighborhood public schools are “bad.” The immediate area in NoMa is high-density residential. It is close to both Capitol Hill and Shaw.

This. The BASIS model depends on having majority high-income kids, because it doesn't perform well enough with low-income kids.

I was thinking this too. They want to populate the ES with Cap Hill kids.

It’s a decent strategy if they don’t want their middle/high school to crash and burn. Unfortunately I’m not sure how many Cap Hill parents are going to opt for a BASIS model. Cap Hill parents tend to want no homework crunchy granola elementary schools and rigorous middle high schools.

Your comment doesn't exist in a vacuum. What you've described is a world where parents can choose Brent for ES and then decamp for BASIS in 5th. The possible expansion eliminates that as a viable choice. That's the point. That's what is driving so many NIMBY folks who think nice things are there for them and them only. The question is what parents will do when the decision matrix requires more rigor in ES to guarantee rigor in MS and HS.

There is also no evidence to support the idea that parents don't want rigor in ES. The existence of KIPP tells us that many parents want discipline and structure. It is no surprise that people on DCUM don't understand that universe.

Please explain, then, why we need BASIS when we already have KIPP and DC Prep in the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the Basis franchise is highly strategic and is most likely targeting that particular area. Basis likes areas with relatively high-income/education levels where there is a perception that the neighborhood public schools are “bad.” The immediate area in NoMa is high-density residential. It is close to both Capitol Hill and Shaw.

This. The BASIS model depends on having majority high-income kids, because it doesn't perform well enough with low-income kids.

I was thinking this too. They want to populate the ES with Cap Hill kids.

It’s a decent strategy if they don’t want their middle/high school to crash and burn. Unfortunately I’m not sure how many Cap Hill parents are going to opt for a BASIS model. Cap Hill parents tend to want no homework crunchy granola elementary schools and rigorous middle high schools.

Your comment doesn't exist in a vacuum. What you've described is a world where parents can choose Brent for ES and then decamp for BASIS in 5th. The possible expansion eliminates that as a viable choice. That's the point. That's what is driving so many NIMBY folks who think nice things are there for them and them only. The question is what parents will do when the decision matrix requires more rigor in ES to guarantee rigor in MS and HS.

There is also no evidence to support the idea that parents don't want rigor in ES. The existence of KIPP tells us that many parents want discipline and structure. It is no surprise that people on DCUM don't understand that universe.

Yes but the parents who seek out KIPP for elementary are not the parents sending their kids to Capital Hill elementaries. So BASIS wants to fill the elementary school with the same population as KIPP? Doubt it.

[Anonymous]

BASIS fans, please explain:

1) Why did BASIS withdraw its 2016 expansion application?

2) Should BASIS locate in an area where KIPP and DC Prep have open seats? What sets BASIS apart from KIPP and DC Prep?

3) Should BASIS locate in an area where there is a lot of capacity at DCPS and charter schools of adequate or high performance?

4) When the PCSB commented that "There is a small amount of room for growth, and it should be considered strategically", did the PCSB mean that the best choice is to open a new school within two miles of at least 10 other elementary schools, and within 3 miles of at least 10 well-performing elementary schools?

[Anonymous]

Would love to see BASIS be allowed to open w/ the condition that there's no feed to the MS and see how many people actually want BASIS-style education for their K-4th graders. I bet they'd fill, but with a totally different population than their MS.

Saying that people will go to BASIS K for the MS feed does *not* mean there's demand for BASIS K; it means there's demand for BASIS MS. We already have BASIS MS, so the question is why an ES in an area already saturated by serviceable to very good ESes serves DC's interests. The fact that every other BASIS has K-4 does not answer this question at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't oppose BASIS expanding, but I do oppose it expanding at that location. They should locate somewhere where there aren't already a wide variety of options for ES. This location will hurt Capitol Hill schools the most.

I think it will hurt JOW the most, but also all of the other Hill ES that are good schools. Not BASIS's or PCSB's problem. If DCPS wants to offer rigor in MS and HS and end eliminate social promotion then we can talk about how this is duplicative of DCPS. Till that happens, what BASIS offers is not remotely similar.

The other thing the Hill parents seem to to understand is that CH is easily accessible from all over the city, including those underserved communities that you all pretend to care so much about. Metro bus and rail lines converge there.

Metro lines converge where? The closest metro to that location is Union Station and it’s the red line only… which basically doesn’t go to any disadvantaged neighborhoods in the city. It’s probably about a 10 minute walk. The closest silver/blue/orange line is Capitol South, which would be a good 20+ minute walk. And you have to go West of Union Station to transfer from other lines, so it’s actually a pain in the ass metro commute from anywhere East, which is of course the area Basis keeps claiming they’re targeting.

No, it isn't. NoMa rail is. Your belief that "Metro" refers only to rail tells us a great deal about your world view and faux concern for the poors. North Cap is a major N/S metro bus route. As is Florida Ave and H street. BASIS has also never said they are targeting people in any one area. Why do people like you feel the need to illustrate your ignorance so publicly ?

The average commute to ES in DC is under two miles, it's not like MS and HS where students are commuting on their own routinely. OF COURSE if they put an ES in NOMA/just north of Cap Hill it will fill with people from those areas. Most charters ESes have about 50% of their population from within 1 mile of their building and that's even when they have a specific raison d'etre... It's not like everyone who wants Mandarin happens to live near YY; it's that YY is a lot more attractive if you live there. To pretend that where you put your school building doesn't affect your student population is embarrassing and it's certainly not a philosophy the PCSB ascribes to given their focus on asking schools where they plan to locate.