Reply to “Basis DC: Want the Peer Group, But Not the Boot Camp?”

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Here are five of the best reasons to send your kids to BASIS DC:

1) [b]Exceptional Academic Rigor[/b]
BASIS DC is known for its challenging curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking, problem-solving, and deep subject mastery, starting at an early age. Students often perform several grade levels above national standards.

2) [b]Top College Placement[/b]
Graduates from BASIS schools, including BASIS DC, are highly sought after by top universities. The school has a strong track record of sending students to elite colleges like Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, and more.

3) [b]Talented, Passionate Teachers[/b]
BASIS hires subject experts—many with advanced degrees—to teach, rather than relying only on traditional certification. Their passion and deep knowledge inspire students to love learning.

4) [b]Strong STEM Focus with Balanced Humanities[/b]
While BASIS DC offers outstanding STEM programs, it also maintains a strong foundation in literature, history, and the arts, giving students a well-rounded education.

5) [b]Global Reputation and Community[/b]
As part of the larger BASIS Charter Schools network, BASIS DC students benefit from a global reputation for excellence, access to international opportunities, and a community of motivated, high-achieving peers.

[/quote]

LOL.  Thanks BASIS AI! Ok, here's the truth:

* BASIS does have strong academics, in comparison to DC schools, which are mostly a mess.  
* BASIS has a lot of weak teachers and very high teacher turnover.  Hiring "subject matter experts" means that their teachers often have zero teaching experience or credentials, and that is a big problem.  There have been explosive teacher flameouts every year - mid-year firings, teachers losing their shit, etc.  Yes, there are some strong teachers, but they tend to be in the high school.  Often, the good teachers switch to admin positions to get out of teaching. 
* BASIS college entry isn't that impressive.  It's on par with other decent schools.  
* "Well balanced humanities" is a joke.  Language does not start until 8th.  They barely teach kids how to write.  Their STEM is very good - lots of science.  But the education is not well rounded. 
[/quote]

Parents can see the college matches this year for themselves at Instagrams @bdc.2025. I think it's silly how impressive it is -- more than 10 percent of the kids landed at Ivies, and many others at schools like McGill, the Naval academy, etc, that are just as selective. Plus Berkeley, Wesleyan... Go look for yourself.

Language instruction is late, yes. Don't send your kid that if that is your priority. However, they kids seem to do fine on their language APs when the time comes, so they are learning.

They realized writing instruction was lacking, so next year they are adding a writing class to 6th and 7th grade (there already is one in 5th). Taking out linguistics. Give them some credit for adapting![/quote]

I don't know if this adaptability is a plus or not. It seems like every graduating class has had a different sequence of classes. [/quote]

The adaptability is a plus... recognizing that writing was weak and then adding more writing classes seems like an objectively good thing, and a sign that the school can self-critique.

There have been other improvements over the years -- sports participation, for example, has gotten bigger and better every year. Behavior issues seem to have gotten better every year. I think self-selection of students has gotten better as the DC parent community understands the school. They have added more "fun," like a 3-day nature trip for all 5th graders.

This also means that there are some parents with experience at BASIS in the past that is now outdated. And that some of their critiques were true at the time, but might not be true any longer. 
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