I am confused between Stuart Hobson Middle School vs. Deal Middle School

[Anonymous]

I have a nephew who left BASIS after 8th grade and a niece--they are siblings--who left Deal after 7th. Both have gone on to HS in Fairfax, one at TJ. When I asked my sibling what, in her experience, was the main difference between the DC public middle schools the family had experienced and Fairfax I found her answer interesting, "flexibility and respect for individual preferences."

BASIS wouldn't permit my nephew to study Chinese, which the family speaks at home, at an advanced level. He took beginning Chinese at BASIS to avoid being forced to study a new language, and wasn't permitted to take AP Chinese exam at BASIS in the 8th grade. My sibling registered him to take the AP at Sidwell, where he scored a 5. Fairfax lets him take college-level Chinese at a local community college (for free). Meanwhile, my niece wasn't permitted to take algebra in 6th grade at Deal, although she was ready for it, so my sibling signed her up for algebra with Stanford Pre-Collegiate studies on-line. Deal forced her to repeat algebra in 7th grade ("for scheduling purposes") and the rest of her middle school course work wasn't sufficiently challenging.

The family had enough and bailed for Fairfax. They've kept their NW house and plan to return post HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bully for you. No idea what your point is. Asian representation in DC public schools is around 1.5%. Not for this Asian family after elementary. When my kid did a shadow day at BASIS he couldn’t find an Asian admin or teacher.

Not sure what your point is either.

DC is only 4.5% Asian overall and that probably includes a lot of childless young people.

BASIS DC is 7% Asian.

Fairfax County is 21% Asian and TJ is around 70% Asian.

Enjoy the burbs!

We're staying put, thanks, with a scholarship from a private. Enjoy BASIS. That should work well as long as your kid isn't interested in pursuing advanced languages, competitive sports, music, drama, art, singing, scientific research, you name it with classmates.

Actually, my kid at BASIS does all that.

Nonsense. We were at BASIS so we know that advanced languages are not taught there, not one course past AP level. The facilities for the arts are hopeless, so there's no serious arts instruction. Competitive sports, not really. BASIS doesn't have the labs or money for independent scientific research, but a few kids do some senior year outside the school. BASIS just doesn't knock it out of the park for any extra-curriculars, not compared to DC privates or the top suburban programs. No way.

Nonsense. Your kid washed out and you are just bitter.

[Anonymous]

Only parents whose kid washed out of BASIS would ever post critically on DCUM. True for a decade now. In fact, it's a bald-faced lie that BASIS doesn't teach languages beyond AP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a nephew who left BASIS after 8th grade and a niece--they are siblings--who left Deal after 7th. Both have gone on to HS in Fairfax, one at TJ. When I asked my sibling what, in her experience, was the main difference between the DC public middle schools the family had experienced and Fairfax I found her answer interesting, "flexibility and respect for individual preferences."

BASIS wouldn't permit my nephew to study Chinese, which the family speaks at home, at an advanced level. He took beginning Chinese at BASIS to avoid being forced to study a new language, and wasn't permitted to take AP Chinese exam at BASIS in the 8th grade. My sibling registered him to take the AP at Sidwell, where he scored a 5. Fairfax lets him take college-level Chinese at a local community college (for free). Meanwhile, my niece wasn't permitted to take algebra in 6th grade at Deal, although she was ready for it, so my sibling signed her up for algebra with Stanford Pre-Collegiate studies on-line. Deal forced her to repeat algebra in 7th grade ("for scheduling purposes") and the rest of her middle school course work wasn't sufficiently challenging.

The family had enough and bailed for Fairfax. They've kept their NW house and plan to return post HS.

It sounds like your sister had very specific needs for her kids. I'm glad she was able to find something that worked for her and her kids. I think that's what most families in DC do - schools are not one-size-fits-all. What works for some won't work for all. Just because those schools didn't work for her kids, doesn't mean it doesn't work for others.

[Anonymous]

BASIS and Deal are city leaders in the one-size-fits-all MS game. More flexibility and choice of enrichment for families, accompanied by equal or greater rigor, would improve both schools. But in the eyes of the ed powers that be, neither program needs nor warrants improvement. Therein lies the reason DC doesn't run great public schools. The city supports a handful of good public middle and high schools, that's it. The arrangement enables privates and the burbs to continue to cream off many of DC's most promising 5th-12th grade students of all races. While you may find the arrangement adequate, inspiring even, some of us don't for our tax dollars. New Yorkers like me tend to be particularly unimpressed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a nephew who left BASIS after 8th grade and a niece--they are siblings--who left Deal after 7th. Both have gone on to HS in Fairfax, one at TJ. When I asked my sibling what, in her experience, was the main difference between the DC public middle schools the family had experienced and Fairfax I found her answer interesting, "flexibility and respect for individual preferences."

BASIS wouldn't permit my nephew to study Chinese, which the family speaks at home, at an advanced level. He took beginning Chinese at BASIS to avoid being forced to study a new language, and wasn't permitted to take AP Chinese exam at BASIS in the 8th grade. My sibling registered him to take the AP at Sidwell, where he scored a 5. Fairfax lets him take college-level Chinese at a local community college (for free). Meanwhile, my niece wasn't permitted to take algebra in 6th grade at Deal, although she was ready for it, so my sibling signed her up for algebra with Stanford Pre-Collegiate studies on-line. Deal forced her to repeat algebra in 7th grade ("for scheduling purposes") and the rest of her middle school course work wasn't sufficiently challenging.

The family had enough and bailed for Fairfax. They've kept their NW house and plan to return post HS.

It sounds like your sister had very specific needs for her kids. I'm glad she was able to find something that worked for her and her kids. I think that's what most families in DC do - schools are not one-size-fits-all. What works for some won't work for all. Just because those schools didn't work for her kids, doesn't mean it doesn't work for others.

I don't get the "need" part.

A parent was aiming high for her family academically in a manner that would have been normal in a better PS system. She asked only for a little flexibility and respect for individual learning preferences, exceptional ability and academic accomplishment.

She was summarily shot down and found an alternative path.

In short, this what happens in a school system without GT ed, test-in MS programs or serious test-in HS programs. Mediocrity rules outside math and science at BASIS and maybe Wilson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only parents whose kid washed out of BASIS would ever post critically on DCUM. True for a decade now. In fact, it's a bald-faced lie that BASIS doesn't teach languages beyond AP.

BASIS would be a mid-tier school in Fairfax or Bethesda. "Good for DC" isn't actually that good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only parents whose kid washed out of BASIS would ever post critically on DCUM. True for a decade now. In fact, it's a bald-faced lie that BASIS doesn't teach languages beyond AP.

BASIS would be a mid-tier school in Fairfax or Bethesda. "Good for DC" isn't actually that good.

BASIS parent: Yes, you're probably right on the first point, though I don't know enough to say definitively. But mid-tier Fairfax and Bethesda schools are already excellent schools, in the top tier nationally. I am confident that Basis will prepare my children for any post high school trajectory they are interested in and willing to work for. That doesn't mean getting into a specific college, but getting into a good college for which they are well prepared, so that they can learn whatever they want.

[Anonymous]

Yes, but only if you do the legwork and pay for them to develop their talents outside what’s tested on the dozen AP tests BASIS prep students for. That’s about all the school is good for.

[Anonymous]

+100. No argument there.

[Anonymous]

I'll never understand why people on this forum hate on BASIS so much - it feels very defensive and a way to validate their non-BASIS decisions. Move on already folks.

[Anonymous]

i dont get the argument that parents of kids “who washed put of Basis” wouldnt have something valid to say re the school (even if its just one set and far short of all viewpoints)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll never understand why people on this forum hate on BASIS so much - it feels very defensive and a way to validate their non-BASIS decisions. Move on already folks.

I can explain it as someone who does not hate BASIS:

It's an expression of frustration that there are so few good MS options in DC, and that one of the best options is a school that is not a good fit for plenty of kids. I think BASIS is a good school that is not for everyone. And specifically, it's not for every bright, academic child. Plus it's a total crapshoot whether you can get in. So parents with bright, academic kids who don't like BASIS hate on BASIS because they are tired of being told "have you looked at BASIS?" Yes, they have. And (1) it's not for everyone, and (2) even if you like it, your odds of getting a spot are not great.

The scarcity of good MS options in DC breeds frustration and resentment. People take that out on BASIS. Is it unfair? Yes, BASIS is a good school for the right kid and it's good it exists for those kids. But I also understand the frustration because I share it, and I tend to have empathy for the people who want to pick apart BASIS because I know what it's like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a nephew who left BASIS after 8th grade and a niece--they are siblings--who left Deal after 7th. Both have gone on to HS in Fairfax, one at TJ. When I asked my sibling what, in her experience, was the main difference between the DC public middle schools the family had experienced and Fairfax I found her answer interesting, "flexibility and respect for individual preferences."

BASIS wouldn't permit my nephew to study Chinese, which the family speaks at home, at an advanced level. He took beginning Chinese at BASIS to avoid being forced to study a new language, and wasn't permitted to take AP Chinese exam at BASIS in the 8th grade. My sibling registered him to take the AP at Sidwell, where he scored a 5. Fairfax lets him take college-level Chinese at a local community college (for free). Meanwhile, my niece wasn't permitted to take algebra in 6th grade at Deal, although she was ready for it, so my sibling signed her up for algebra with Stanford Pre-Collegiate studies on-line. Deal forced her to repeat algebra in 7th grade ("for scheduling purposes") and the rest of her middle school course work wasn't sufficiently challenging.

The family had enough and bailed for Fairfax. They've kept their NW house and plan to return post HS.

BASIS is up front about what they are and are not, offer and don't. So, to summarize, your sister/brother sent their kid to a school that doesn't offer advanced level Chinese or languages before 8th grade and were shocked to learn that the school didn't have special rules or offerings for them?

Tell me you are entitled without telling me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll never understand why people on this forum hate on BASIS so much - it feels very defensive and a way to validate their non-BASIS decisions. Move on already folks.

Sounds like you're the one who needs to move on where moving on is concerned. If your family loves the school, ignore the critics already.