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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We're a DCPS 4th grade family EotP. I don't know all that much about BASIS DC, other than that a big cohort from our school's 4th grade dashes there for 5th every year. I'm told that a lot more of our school's 4th graders land at BASIS than return to our school for 5th.

Before stumbling across this thread, I didn't know that BASIS DC has cycled through half a dozen principals in 7 or 8 years!! Big red flag whatever the story is with this head.[/quote]

Call me crazy but it's an even bigger red flag that families will take on that level of instability for a BASIS education rather than stay in their EOTP school. What is it that families are getting at BASIS that makes them ok with such instaility? Or is what's happening in the classroom and in social interactions with peers so much more important than the impact of a constantly changing Head of School?
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I've posted above. Kid graduated last year. Our IB is Coolidge, my DC had some disabilities that required accommodations that SWW wouldn't grant even on the entrance exam (red flag), and didn't want to go to Banneker which had a predominantly female student body.

The HOS mattered to me as a parent. BUT my kid didn't really notice the HOS that much. Their day to day job was to manage and hire and fire teachers, implement the budget, deal with OSSE/PCSB and Arizona. The classes of 2018 and 19 generally LOVED the most recent one because they knew her as their Chemistry teacher, then college counselor (obviously not senior year but there is college advising each year at Basis.

The college counseling program at Basis is, IMO, on par with a private school, and a big reason we stuck around. Two full-time  counselors for a HS of about 200-225 students, and a caseload of just 20-30 seniors. Very personalized advice, help with finding a school that is affordable and meets your needs. [b]Finishing all, or virtually all, APs by the end of junior year was a blessing[/b] because it left time for college apps and the senior year courses were really interesting and gave a flavor of what college would be like. My kid did the optional capstone senior project, had a good internship experience and did some really interesting individual research. All those things don't change with the HOS - they are baked into the model.

The last head's changes are great, but TBH mostly affected the MS because the HS teachers were already pretty strong, and MS is where they really needed more SEL and heart, for lack of a better word. That stuff came a bit late for my DC but was promising for those who are still there. [/quote]

I've work in college admissions in this Metro area for years and  I don't encourage students to finish all AP work by the end of junior year.  I don't know of another secondary school program in this Metro area, public or private, no matter how high-powered that takes this tack. I don't see the early APs system as a selling point of the BASIS learning experience.

From what I've observed, the rush to finish APs a year early puts downward pressure on learning, retention of knowledge and enjoyment for most students, adding to the pressure cooker environment too many high-powered high schools have become.

Personalized college advice is very nice, but you can hire a college coach, avail of on-line and free local college clinics, or even advise your own student if you wish (after doing the requisite admissions research), rather than jeopardizing the learning by jamming in APs like mad before senior year.[/quote]

I'm the PP you responded to. Clearly what works for some doesn't work for others and thank goodness we have choices. I was sharing what was positive about my kids' experience for US.

FWIW BASIS kids take 1+ years of Chemistry, Bio and Physics (all stand alone classes) in middle school for example, and continue with that in the early years of high school. They have a pretty solid grounding before they are in those APs and it doesn't feel like cramming or even coming too early for my kid and most of their friends. I know of at least 6 (of 42) students who had time in senior year, when there was less homework, work part-time jobs to help pay for college.

All students at BASIS have to attempt 7 APs and they are spread out -- 1 in 9th, 2 in 10th, and 3 in 11th. Kids have to take them in each field: Calc AB, AP USGov, APUSH, either Bio/Chem/Physics, one AP English and AP Euro). My kid took additional APs as electives (psych, art history, enviro science) because they interested them more than other electives but not everyone did.

Paying a private college coach is well out of reach for most BASIS students, and having a counselor you are in class with every day for 2 trimesters of senior year and have known since 10th grade will, IMO, going to result in better support than a free clinic or online service. At least 30% of my DC's class were first-generation college students. My kid would have been fine without that much help, but others probably needed it.

Charters provide choice. If you don't want your kid to do all their APs in 9th-11th or be required to take Calculus or whatever, choose another school. But it definitely works for some.

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I don't even see what the big deal is about the BASIS AP requirement. I had the same requirement in my gifted program at my public high school 25 years ago. [/quote]

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