Basis Charter School - Experience and Insight Requested
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Anonymous
| It costs x dollars per kid to educate them in DC. Basis gets that x dollars per kid. So why are some folks on this thread up in arms about their tax dollars going to basis? If not basis - money (same rate) will go to some other dcps or charter school. The fact that some kids wash out of basis because it is too hard/challenging is irrelevant. X dollars times number of kids remains the same. |
Anonymous
NP, we looked at Basis last year and decided no, did not list them in lottery. Our child tests in 98-99% in math. DS is heading to DCI in the fall. They offer tracking and advance math for Calculus in 10th in addition to advance languages great facilities, and tons is sport and extracurriculars. And actual science labs. So if you have a math kid, there are other, more balanced options. |
Anonymous
well, there's not an unlimited pot of money, so presumably someone is going to ask where the money for double walls comes from... basis' budget seems a good source. BASIS allowing test-in would solve most of my problems, but here's the catch -- the BASIS model wouldn't work and the investors wouldn't go for it. Do the math -- there's 700 students at basis, and basis can charge DCPS x amount to educate each. Older kids cost more to educate than younger kids, especially if you're doing elaborate AP courses. At the moment, BASIS has 446 kids in the middle school--so the bulk of the student body skews towards the cheaper to educate end. The most expensive to educate (grades 11 & 12) have just 49 and 63. If you kept the same enrollment, just distributed it evenly across all grades (had fewer middle schoolers and backfilled the high school) you'd end up with a much more expensive student body to educate. If you expanded the school to make all grades the same size as the incoming 5th grade class, you'd have a very large, very expensive to educate student body. Instead, as it is, BASIS can charge DCPS for 700 students, have large grade sizes in younger grades where it's more profitable, have small grade sizes where it's expensive, and get rid of the kids who struggle and keep the kids who would probably be very successful no matter the school they went to, and using the good scores and college acceptances of those few who make it through, keep enrollment at the lower level strong. And this isn't a secret, this is how the BASIS model works around the country. |
Anonymous
so, one the one hand we rage about how DCPS spends that X per student and fails to educate a large percentage of them, and then we turn around and say, "yeah but basis spends x per student and fails to educate a large percentage of them, and that's fine!" Eliminate the bottom 60 percent at any DCPS and you'll see most have actually quite impressive scores and college acceptances. There are even some other schools which would exceed BASIS' numbers if they could cut the bottom 60 percent out of the results. |
Anonymous
75% of DCI kids are BELOW grade level in math. Buena suerte. |
Anonymous
yeah, but if you want to compare apples to apples with BASIS, cut out those 75 percent, and judge the school by the remaining 25 percent who are at or above grade level. |
Anonymous
Sure because DCI has a diverse group of kids and abilities and offers lots of electives and flexibility in the curriculum. Plus the highest performing math kids won’t be with the below grade level. They have enough critical mass of kids to offer multiple levels of math. That’s how the majority of middle and high schools work in this country. |
Anonymous
In the middle school, absolutely. BASIS hires too many teachers right out of grad school with little in the way of classroom management skills. These teachers often use BASIS as training to well-paid suburban jobs. Too many of the kids aren't right for the curriculum and the cramped building--there's no outdoor space or gym--makes some of the younger kids stir crazy, particularly boys. |
Anonymous
And your evidence for a preponderance of kids who leave "washing out" is? Data? Please tell us where these undesirables ended up so we can verify. -BASIS parent of 6 years whose children ultimately left because they were: *burned out on studying what amounted to the same science content year after year *fed up with language classes that were far too easy for them *tired of their favorite high school teachers quitting to chase better-paid jobs *weary of running around town in search of serious extra-curriculars, tired of not being able to do after-school activities with classmates *fed up with the hyper competitive environment, even though they could, and did, compete in most areas *eager to part ways with a building offering little in the way of natural light |
Anonymous
This sounds bad... I knew there was extremely high turnover, but didn't realize there was a lot of behavior issues. |
Anonymous
how many principals did BASIS have while you were there? |
Anonymous
My 5th grader has never mentioned any behavior problems. |
Anonymous
The behavior issues and inability for teachers to discipline at all are the reason my kid left. I escalated to "leadership" and they were useless. And no she didn't "wash out" she had straight A's, distinguished honor roll and is killing it in HS now. |
Anonymous
I'm sorry to hear that! I haven't heard anything about that this year, from my kid or from other parents or on the WhatsApps (where people complain very easily!) Maybe it's gotten better. |
Anonymous
A few years ago, theft was pretty common. A friend's daughter had her airtagged bookbag (and laptop) stolen. Went home with her classmate to PG county. Of course the police refused to follow the airtag, but the school also refused to take action. |