BASIS to Banneker

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because BASIS is offers far more serious HS academics than any other DC public school other than the fast track at J-R and Walls for humanities subjects. I don't care for their AP cram school approach and didn't take the 5th grade spot we got, but there's no denying that their math and science middle and high school prep is head and shoulders above that offered at any other DC public school. There's also no denying that some of the black families EotP who would have gone with Banneker or a DCPS middle school like Stuart Hobson in the past now head to BASIS. Banneker doesn't seem to be getting any students into MIT, Cal Tech, Princeton engineering. BASIS does.
Banneker's mediocre STEM prep has lost its sheen with BASIS in town.

Umm..Banneker is a Humanities school just like Walls so I don't know where STEM prep comes in. I majored in math and Basis is not it. It's just kill and drill with no depth. I was very disappointed when we toured and didn't even bother. Sure it may be better than other DCPS MS in Math but nothing to write home about. Just go with a math tutor for the win.The majority of the kids that have gone to the good eng schools have followed that model.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because BASIS is offers far more serious HS academics than any other DC public school other than the fast track at J-R and Walls for humanities subjects. I don't care for their AP cram school approach and didn't take the 5th grade spot we got, but there's no denying that their math and science middle and high school prep is head and shoulders above that offered at any other DC public school. There's also no denying that some of the black families EotP who would have gone with Banneker or a DCPS middle school like Stuart Hobson in the past now head to BASIS. Banneker doesn't seem to be getting any students into MIT, Cal Tech, Princeton engineering. BASIS does.
Banneker's mediocre STEM prep has lost its sheen with BASIS in town.

The question wasn’t “which school offers more AP STEM courses.” The answer to that is obviously Basis. The question was, “how has Basis ‘shaken up’ the DCPS application high school landscape.” And the answer is, it hasn’t. Since Basis opened, neither Banneker nor Walls has changed its curriculum. Walls has dropped the entrance exam. And enrollment (especially non-Black enrollment) is way up at Banneker.

Basis is an escape hatch for a small number of families who want something very particular, figure that out by the time their kid is in 4th grade, and happen to get lucky in the lottery. It has not been a catalyst for systemic change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Please remember in your analysis that non white does not equal poor. A non-white UMC student may not feel as comfortable at Banneker as a non-white middle or lower-middle class student. I am black UMC. I would consider sending my kid to Basis but not Banneker.

Uh, I know quite a few black UMC kids at Banneker. The school population is 27% at-risk and also high-achieving. I think it is a real misunderstanding of the school (and a disservice to your kid!) to think that a black UMC kid might not feel comfortable.

Any urban kid might not feel comfortable in any school where more than 80% of students belong to a single race. The lack of racial diversity at Banneker in a real drag. If DCPS wants Banneker to diversify, system leaders could make that happen. DCPS could start by making sure that more photos of white and Asian students appear on the Banneker web site and marketing materials. Banneker could also ditch some of the rules that tend to turn off UMC parents. The school could focus on raising Banneker's comparatively weak standardized test scores, offering more serious STEM and language classes and expanding and strengthening EC offerings.

You're kidding! There aren't enough excellent majority-white spaces--we need to make an excellent majority-Black space more diverse???

Agree! As the parent of a white freshman at Banneker, there is no need to change marketing materials! What’s wrong with seeing Black students? It is odd to me that this is seen as a negative. I don’t care that there aren’t more white students nor does my kid. What rules do UMC parents object to? More serious classes?! You clearly know nothing about Banneker.

Easy one. Banneker could be a better school if it attracted a more diverse student body, was more welcoming to non-blacks. You're v. unusual. Banneker isn't fantastic academically across the board and doesn't offer many competitive ECs. There's plenty of room for improvement. I know a good deal about Banneker since I've volunteered there on and off for years. I'm not white. I attended a NYC test-in GT elementary school, middle school and magnet high school before going to an Ivy on a Pell Grant. DC doesn't support a single real magnet high school on a par with those in NYC, Boston, Chicago, cities in Texas etc. which is a shame.

I’m going to reject the idea that Banneker is unwelcoming to non-Black students. I think you completely dismiss the long held anger/animosity regarding school integration among whites. The vestiges are still with us. You are also comparing DC to large state school systems, which is completely unrealistic. Can DCPS improve some things? Sure. We like Banneker. Great teachers and nice kids.

You post often on Banneker threads. I’m always appalled that you come on here to tear down the school and its students. I really hope my kid has no interactions with you. You seem like an a**.

Agreed as I recognize this poster as well.

Banneker receives more applicants than spots. It doesn't need to anything to attract additional applicants. Its Title 1 status is new and intentional. It's both prudent and beneficial to our city's youth. The school is also centrally located and on the best campus in the DCPS system.

Actaully, Banneker is barely half full now. So they have plenty of space but are trying to grow gradually. There is pressure to fill the school. It's not SWW pressure but it's ramping up.

It's been a Title 1 school for years so not sure where the "new" comes from. With the new location, it will be interesting to see how long it last.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That seems odd. Why don’t more BASIS kids choose Banneker?

Why would they?

Exactly.

Especially if they are not black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please remember in your analysis that non white does not equal poor. A non-white UMC student may not feel as comfortable at Banneker as a non-white middle or lower-middle class student. I am black UMC. I would consider sending my kid to Basis but not Banneker.

Uh, I know quite a few black UMC kids at Banneker. The school population is 27% at-risk and also high-achieving. I think it is a real misunderstanding of the school (and a disservice to your kid!) to think that a black UMC kid might not feel comfortable.

Any urban kid might not feel comfortable in any school where more than 80% of students belong to a single race. The lack of racial diversity at Banneker in a real drag. If DCPS wants Banneker to diversify, system leaders could make that happen. DCPS could start by making sure that more photos of white and Asian students appear on the Banneker web site and marketing materials. Banneker could also ditch some of the rules that tend to turn off UMC parents. The school could focus on raising Banneker's comparatively weak standardized test scores, offering more serious STEM and language classes and expanding and strengthening EC offerings.

You're kidding! There aren't enough excellent majority-white spaces--we need to make an excellent majority-Black space more diverse???

Agree! As the parent of a white freshman at Banneker, there is no need to change marketing materials! What’s wrong with seeing Black students? It is odd to me that this is seen as a negative. I don’t care that there aren’t more white students nor does my kid. What rules do UMC parents object to? More serious classes?! You clearly know nothing about Banneker.

Easy one. Banneker could be a better school if it attracted a more diverse student body, was more welcoming to non-blacks. You're v. unusual. Banneker isn't fantastic academically across the board and doesn't offer many competitive ECs. There's plenty of room for improvement. I know a good deal about Banneker since I've volunteered there on and off for years. I'm not white. I attended a NYC test-in GT elementary school, middle school and magnet high school before going to an Ivy on a Pell Grant. DC doesn't support a single real magnet high school on a par with those in NYC, Boston, Chicago, cities in Texas etc. which is a shame.

I’m going to reject the idea that Banneker is unwelcoming to non-Black students. I think you completely dismiss the long held anger/animosity regarding school integration among whites. The vestiges are still with us. You are also comparing DC to large state school systems, which is completely unrealistic. Can DCPS improve some things? Sure. We like Banneker. Great teachers and nice kids.

You post often on Banneker threads. I’m always appalled that you come on here to tear down the school and its students. I really hope my kid has no interactions with you. You seem like an a**.

Agreed as I recognize this poster as well.

Banneker receives more applicants than spots. It doesn't need to anything to attract additional applicants. Its Title 1 status is new and intentional. It's both prudent and beneficial to our city's youth. The school is also centrally located and on the best campus in the DCPS system.

Actaully, Banneker is barely half full now. So they have plenty of space but are trying to grow gradually. There is pressure to fill the school. It's not SWW pressure but it's ramping up.

It's been a Title 1 school for years so not sure where the "new" comes from. With the new location, it will be interesting to see how long it last.

Banneker enrollment is 671 this year; building capacity is 800. They are still growing toward that target, but they’re well over halfway there. (You sometimes hear about the school “doubling in size” because ten years ago, Banneker enrollment was 400.)

Banneker had indeed been Title I for a long time, but last year they did not qualify. They’re back to Title I this year, probably because they adjusted their admissions process to ensure that more qualifying students were admitted. Given that recent history and the commitment it implies, I would expect the school to run at the edge of Title I for the foreseeable future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please remember in your analysis that non white does not equal poor. A non-white UMC student may not feel as comfortable at Banneker as a non-white middle or lower-middle class student. I am black UMC. I would consider sending my kid to Basis but not Banneker.

Uh, I know quite a few black UMC kids at Banneker. The school population is 27% at-risk and also high-achieving. I think it is a real misunderstanding of the school (and a disservice to your kid!) to think that a black UMC kid might not feel comfortable.

Any urban kid might not feel comfortable in any school where more than 80% of students belong to a single race. The lack of racial diversity at Banneker in a real drag. If DCPS wants Banneker to diversify, system leaders could make that happen. DCPS could start by making sure that more photos of white and Asian students appear on the Banneker web site and marketing materials. Banneker could also ditch some of the rules that tend to turn off UMC parents. The school could focus on raising Banneker's comparatively weak standardized test scores, offering more serious STEM and language classes and expanding and strengthening EC offerings.

You're kidding! There aren't enough excellent majority-white spaces--we need to make an excellent majority-Black space more diverse???

Agree! As the parent of a white freshman at Banneker, there is no need to change marketing materials! What’s wrong with seeing Black students? It is odd to me that this is seen as a negative. I don’t care that there aren’t more white students nor does my kid. What rules do UMC parents object to? More serious classes?! You clearly know nothing about Banneker.

Easy one. Banneker could be a better school if it attracted a more diverse student body, was more welcoming to non-blacks. You're v. unusual. Banneker isn't fantastic academically across the board and doesn't offer many competitive ECs. There's plenty of room for improvement. I know a good deal about Banneker since I've volunteered there on and off for years. I'm not white. I attended a NYC test-in GT elementary school, middle school and magnet high school before going to an Ivy on a Pell Grant. DC doesn't support a single real magnet high school on a par with those in NYC, Boston, Chicago, cities in Texas etc. which is a shame.

I’m going to reject the idea that Banneker is unwelcoming to non-Black students. I think you completely dismiss the long held anger/animosity regarding school integration among whites. The vestiges are still with us. You are also comparing DC to large state school systems, which is completely unrealistic. Can DCPS improve some things? Sure. We like Banneker. Great teachers and nice kids.

You post often on Banneker threads. I’m always appalled that you come on here to tear down the school and its students. I really hope my kid has no interactions with you. You seem like an a**.

Agreed as I recognize this poster as well.

Banneker receives more applicants than spots. It doesn't need to anything to attract additional applicants. Its Title 1 status is new and intentional. It's both prudent and beneficial to our city's youth. The school is also centrally located and on the best campus in the DCPS system.

Actaully, Banneker is barely half full now. So they have plenty of space but are trying to grow gradually. There is pressure to fill the school. It's not SWW pressure but it's ramping up.

It's been a Title 1 school for years so not sure where the "new" comes from. With the new location, it will be interesting to see how long it last.

Banneker enrollment is 671 this year; building capacity is 800. They are still growing toward that target, but they’re well over halfway there. (You sometimes hear about the school “doubling in size” because ten years ago, Banneker enrollment was 400.)

Banneker had indeed been Title I for a long time, but last year they did not qualify. They’re back to Title I this year, probably because they adjusted their admissions process to ensure that more qualifying students were admitted. Given that recent history and the commitment it implies, I would expect the school to run at the edge of Title I for the foreseeable future.

I really hope they are not doing that. That would be awful and disingenuous. I kinda felt they were doing this after a few kids that were extremely qualified even get a interview.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because BASIS is offers far more serious HS academics than any other DC public school other than the fast track at J-R and Walls for humanities subjects. I don't care for their AP cram school approach and didn't take the 5th grade spot we got, but there's no denying that their math and science middle and high school prep is head and shoulders above that offered at any other DC public school. There's also no denying that some of the black families EotP who would have gone with Banneker or a DCPS middle school like Stuart Hobson in the past now head to BASIS. Banneker doesn't seem to be getting any students into MIT, Cal Tech, Princeton engineering. BASIS does.
Banneker's mediocre STEM prep has lost its sheen with BASIS in town.

Umm..Banneker is a Humanities school just like Walls so I don't know where STEM prep comes in. I majored in math and Basis is not it. It's just kill and drill with no depth. I was very disappointed when we toured and didn't even bother. Sure it may be better than other DCPS MS in Math but nothing to write home about. Just go with a math tutor for the win.The majority of the kids that have gone to the good eng schools have followed that model.

Oh, you went to an open house and are now an expert on the math program at BASIS?

We actually have kids taking math at BASIS. What they are doing is far more advanced than what we were doing at the same age. No question in our mind that it offers the most advanced math curriculum among DC publics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because BASIS is offers far more serious HS academics than any other DC public school other than the fast track at J-R and Walls for humanities subjects. I don't care for their AP cram school approach and didn't take the 5th grade spot we got, but there's no denying that their math and science middle and high school prep is head and shoulders above that offered at any other DC public school. There's also no denying that some of the black families EotP who would have gone with Banneker or a DCPS middle school like Stuart Hobson in the past now head to BASIS. Banneker doesn't seem to be getting any students into MIT, Cal Tech, Princeton engineering. BASIS does.
Banneker's mediocre STEM prep has lost its sheen with BASIS in town.

Umm..Banneker is a Humanities school just like Walls so I don't know where STEM prep comes in. I majored in math and Basis is not it. It's just kill and drill with no depth. I was very disappointed when we toured and didn't even bother. Sure it may be better than other DCPS MS in Math but nothing to write home about. Just go with a math tutor for the win.The majority of the kids that have gone to the good eng schools have followed that model.

Oh, you went to an open house and are now an expert on the math program at BASIS?

We actually have kids taking math at BASIS. What they are doing is far more advanced than what we were doing at the same age. No question in our mind that it offers the most advanced math curriculum among DC publics.

No, I'm a math major that works in STEM so I know what it takes and what BS looks like! Good for you if you like it but we passed.

[Anonymous]

Last year, at Banneker, the average math SAT score was 555. It was 652 at Walls (it is higher at Basis DC).

The average score around the US is around 521 and in DC it was 484. For Blacks nationally, the average score was 452.

So, Banneker scores significantly higher than Black students nationally and all of DC, and somewhat higher than the average score for all students nationally (not surprising since it is an application school).

However, the score is still way lower than Walls/Basis DC. Walls is an application school and Basis DC is 100% lottery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because BASIS is offers far more serious HS academics than any other DC public school other than the fast track at J-R and Walls for humanities subjects. I don't care for their AP cram school approach and didn't take the 5th grade spot we got, but there's no denying that their math and science middle and high school prep is head and shoulders above that offered at any other DC public school. There's also no denying that some of the black families EotP who would have gone with Banneker or a DCPS middle school like Stuart Hobson in the past now head to BASIS. Banneker doesn't seem to be getting any students into MIT, Cal Tech, Princeton engineering. BASIS does.
Banneker's mediocre STEM prep has lost its sheen with BASIS in town.

Umm..Banneker is a Humanities school just like Walls so I don't know where STEM prep comes in. I majored in math and Basis is not it. It's just kill and drill with no depth. I was very disappointed when we toured and didn't even bother. Sure it may be better than other DCPS MS in Math but nothing to write home about. Just go with a math tutor for the win.The majority of the kids that have gone to the good eng schools have followed that model.

Oh, you went to an open house and are now an expert on the math program at BASIS?

We actually have kids taking math at BASIS. What they are doing is far more advanced than what we were doing at the same age. No question in our mind that it offers the most advanced math curriculum among DC publics.

Great. Enjoy Banneker!

No, I'm a math major that works in STEM so I know what it takes and what BS looks like! Good for you if you like it but we passed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because BASIS is offers far more serious HS academics than any other DC public school other than the fast track at J-R and Walls for humanities subjects. I don't care for their AP cram school approach and didn't take the 5th grade spot we got, but there's no denying that their math and science middle and high school prep is head and shoulders above that offered at any other DC public school. There's also no denying that some of the black families EotP who would have gone with Banneker or a DCPS middle school like Stuart Hobson in the past now head to BASIS. Banneker doesn't seem to be getting any students into MIT, Cal Tech, Princeton engineering. BASIS does.
Banneker's mediocre STEM prep has lost its sheen with BASIS in town.

Umm..Banneker is a Humanities school just like Walls so I don't know where STEM prep comes in. I majored in math and Basis is not it. It's just kill and drill with no depth. I was very disappointed when we toured and didn't even bother. Sure it may be better than other DCPS MS in Math but nothing to write home about. Just go with a math tutor for the win.The majority of the kids that have gone to the good eng schools have followed that model.

Oh, you went to an open house and are now an expert on the math program at BASIS?

We actually have kids taking math at BASIS. What they are doing is far more advanced than what we were doing at the same age. No question in our mind that it offers the most advanced math curriculum among DC publics.

No, I'm a math major that works in STEM so I know what it takes and what BS looks like! Good for you if you like it but we passed.

Great. Enjoy Banneker!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please remember in your analysis that non white does not equal poor. A non-white UMC student may not feel as comfortable at Banneker as a non-white middle or lower-middle class student. I am black UMC. I would consider sending my kid to Basis but not Banneker.

Uh, I know quite a few black UMC kids at Banneker. The school population is 27% at-risk and also high-achieving. I think it is a real misunderstanding of the school (and a disservice to your kid!) to think that a black UMC kid might not feel comfortable.

Any urban kid might not feel comfortable in any school where more than 80% of students belong to a single race. The lack of racial diversity at Banneker in a real drag. If DCPS wants Banneker to diversify, system leaders could make that happen. DCPS could start by making sure that more photos of white and Asian students appear on the Banneker web site and marketing materials. Banneker could also ditch some of the rules that tend to turn off UMC parents. The school could focus on raising Banneker's comparatively weak standardized test scores, offering more serious STEM and language classes and expanding and strengthening EC offerings.

You're kidding! There aren't enough excellent majority-white spaces--we need to make an excellent majority-Black space more diverse???

Agree! As the parent of a white freshman at Banneker, there is no need to change marketing materials! What’s wrong with seeing Black students? It is odd to me that this is seen as a negative. I don’t care that there aren’t more white students nor does my kid. What rules do UMC parents object to? More serious classes?! You clearly know nothing about Banneker.

Easy one. Banneker could be a better school if it attracted a more diverse student body, was more welcoming to non-blacks. You're v. unusual. Banneker isn't fantastic academically across the board and doesn't offer many competitive ECs. There's plenty of room for improvement. I know a good deal about Banneker since I've volunteered there on and off for years. I'm not white. I attended a NYC test-in GT elementary school, middle school and magnet high school before going to an Ivy on a Pell Grant. DC doesn't support a single real magnet high school on a par with those in NYC, Boston, Chicago, cities in Texas etc. which is a shame.

I’m going to reject the idea that Banneker is unwelcoming to non-Black students. I think you completely dismiss the long held anger/animosity regarding school integration among whites. The vestiges are still with us. You are also comparing DC to large state school systems, which is completely unrealistic. Can DCPS improve some things? Sure. We like Banneker. Great teachers and nice kids.

You post often on Banneker threads. I’m always appalled that you come on here to tear down the school and its students. I really hope my kid has no interactions with you. You seem like an a**.

Agreed as I recognize this poster as well.

Banneker receives more applicants than spots. It doesn't need to anything to attract additional applicants. Its Title 1 status is new and intentional. It's both prudent and beneficial to our city's youth. The school is also centrally located and on the best campus in the DCPS system.

Actaully, Banneker is barely half full now. So they have plenty of space but are trying to grow gradually. There is pressure to fill the school. It's not SWW pressure but it's ramping up.

It's been a Title 1 school for years so not sure where the "new" comes from. With the new location, it will be interesting to see how long it last.

Banneker enrollment is 671 this year; building capacity is 800. They are still growing toward that target, but they’re well over halfway there. (You sometimes hear about the school “doubling in size” because ten years ago, Banneker enrollment was 400.)

Banneker had indeed been Title I for a long time, but last year they did not qualify. They’re back to Title I this year, probably because they adjusted their admissions process to ensure that more qualifying students were admitted. Given that recent history and the commitment it implies, I would expect the school to run at the edge of Title I for the foreseeable future.

I really hope they are not doing that. That would be awful and disingenuous. I kinda felt they were doing this after a few kids that were extremely qualified even get a interview.

Banneker does not include a required or suggested minimum GPA in this year's selection criteria (in contrast to Walls, Bard, McKinley, and Phelps). It's an interesting decision/choice, though they still ask for (and will presumably review) student transcripts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because BASIS is offers far more serious HS academics than any other DC public school other than the fast track at J-R and Walls for humanities subjects. I don't care for their AP cram school approach and didn't take the 5th grade spot we got, but there's no denying that their math and science middle and high school prep is head and shoulders above that offered at any other DC public school. There's also no denying that some of the black families EotP who would have gone with Banneker or a DCPS middle school like Stuart Hobson in the past now head to BASIS. Banneker doesn't seem to be getting any students into MIT, Cal Tech, Princeton engineering. BASIS does.
Banneker's mediocre STEM prep has lost its sheen with BASIS in town.

Umm..Banneker is a Humanities school just like Walls so I don't know where STEM prep comes in. I majored in math and Basis is not it. It's just kill and drill with no depth. I was very disappointed when we toured and didn't even bother. Sure it may be better than other DCPS MS in Math but nothing to write home about. Just go with a math tutor for the win.The majority of the kids that have gone to the good eng schools have followed that model.

NP. No horse here. But WTF does that even mean? You toured a school so you are an expert in what it does?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because BASIS is offers far more serious HS academics than any other DC public school other than the fast track at J-R and Walls for humanities subjects. I don't care for their AP cram school approach and didn't take the 5th grade spot we got, but there's no denying that their math and science middle and high school prep is head and shoulders above that offered at any other DC public school. There's also no denying that some of the black families EotP who would have gone with Banneker or a DCPS middle school like Stuart Hobson in the past now head to BASIS. Banneker doesn't seem to be getting any students into MIT, Cal Tech, Princeton engineering. BASIS does.
Banneker's mediocre STEM prep has lost its sheen with BASIS in town.

Umm..Banneker is a Humanities school just like Walls so I don't know where STEM prep comes in. I majored in math and Basis is not it. It's just kill and drill with no depth. I was very disappointed when we toured and didn't even bother. Sure it may be better than other DCPS MS in Math but nothing to write home about. Just go with a math tutor for the win.The majority of the kids that have gone to the good eng schools have followed that model.

Oh, you went to an open house and are now an expert on the math program at BASIS?

We actually have kids taking math at BASIS. What they are doing is far more advanced than what we were doing at the same age. No question in our mind that it offers the most advanced math curriculum among DC publics.

I’d argue many of those kids have a surface understanding of the math but not a deep conceptual understanding. I’ve taught many kids who left Basis after middle school. Some are great at math, some are okay and most were accelerated too quickly and the gaps really showed. Flame away but I have a relatively large sample size for my observations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because BASIS is offers far more serious HS academics than any other DC public school other than the fast track at J-R and Walls for humanities subjects. I don't care for their AP cram school approach and didn't take the 5th grade spot we got, but there's no denying that their math and science middle and high school prep is head and shoulders above that offered at any other DC public school. There's also no denying that some of the black families EotP who would have gone with Banneker or a DCPS middle school like Stuart Hobson in the past now head to BASIS. Banneker doesn't seem to be getting any students into MIT, Cal Tech, Princeton engineering. BASIS does.
Banneker's mediocre STEM prep has lost its sheen with BASIS in town.

Umm..Banneker is a Humanities school just like Walls so I don't know where STEM prep comes in. I majored in math and Basis is not it. It's just kill and drill with no depth. I was very disappointed when we toured and didn't even bother. Sure it may be better than other DCPS MS in Math but nothing to write home about. Just go with a math tutor for the win.The majority of the kids that have gone to the good eng schools have followed that model.

Oh, you went to an open house and are now an expert on the math program at BASIS?

We actually have kids taking math at BASIS. What they are doing is far more advanced than what we were doing at the same age. No question in our mind that it offers the most advanced math curriculum among DC publics.

I’d argue many of those kids have a surface understanding of the math but not a deep conceptual understanding. I’ve taught many kids who left Basis after middle school. Some are great at math, some are okay and most were accelerated too quickly and the gaps really showed. Flame away but I have a relatively large sample size for my observations.

It seems very likely that both of these are true -- that a lot of kids who leave after middle school were accelerated too fast and that some kids, particularly kids who it works for and who stay, are legitimately getting taught much more advanced math than they would get elsewhere. It's too bad that there isn't a way for kids who would benefit from that acceleration to be guaranteed a way of accessing it in DC.