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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It's not "a million" nor etched into stone.  They can add students, they can make it up next year, et cetera, et cetera.  [quote]

No they cannot. And I cannot believe that you are really that obtuse.

[/quote]And, just to point out....

They know what their numbers are, they know what their financials are, they know what their model is.  They've been doing this for 20 years, they've successfully started and run at least a half dozen schools, I believe that's far more than anyone here on this thread ever has or ever will, I tend to think they know a thing or two more about how all of this works than any of us here does.  This is what they do.  And accordingly, if they aren't concerned, then neither am I.

But of course, if anyone here is so brilliant and has such deeper insights into how schools can and should be run, then I wonder why that person isn't out there starting and running an even better school than BASIS.  Submit a charter document to the PCSB.[/quote]

Do you really think they are going to tell you they are concerned about their financial future?  That would be the final nail in the proverbial coffin, especially since the DC Charter Board is now concerned about everyone, and Basis continues to refuse to open their books.

[quote]1.) I don't think anyone on this message board knows for a fact that there are currently 25 open slots.  At this point for all we know, it could be 24 slots. Could be 1 slot, could be 0 slots and back to a wait list.  We've gone 11 pages now on speculation.  Not useful or helpful.[quote]

well then why do you think when it was brought up last time the HOS did not immediately say "oh we don't have 25 open slots any more, there is only one?" before he moved on to answer the other questions that person raised?"  And why have all these people here trying to table the 25 slots issue because it is "in the past" not done it by saying that the numbers are off, as opposed to saying don't dwell on the past, or it does not matter? And why has someone insisted that the number 25 open seats in the 6th grade was communicated to parents in writing on six separate occasions?  You are not making sense on this one.

[/quote]2.) If there are open slots, the revenue is [i]not[/i] gone for every year from 6th through 12th.  They don't backfill upper grades even with attrition - that's not their model, I think their charter factors that in as well.  They will plan and adjust within the charter scope to replenish their overall target numbers via 5th and 6th graders next year, just as they do with all of their other schools, and just as they have done for years.[quote]

You are cute, but one dumb bunny.  We cannot "backfill" those seats at all - and my assumption is that we could not have enlarged our 5th grade THIS year to compensate or we would have, ASAP.  Because those kids still wanted to come.  I seriously doubt that a single other Basis school has had this kind of debacle in its third year.

If we could have dodged and weaved to avoid a loss of $250k, and an ongoing loss of up to a million dollars by adding another 5th grade section, which is when most kids want to come, don't you think we would have?

I find it hard to believe that every Basis school budgets losing $250k because they cannot fill their 6th grade in their third year of operation.  I do not believe that usually happens, and you cannot fill those slots ever because you don't accept  students after 6th.  As someone else said, this seems like a financial debacle of such magnitude that someone should be fired.

"Replenishing" means to fill to the brim something that has been depleted.  You cannot "replenish" this sixth grade, ever.  That loss of $250k is ongoing, and nothing can [b]ever be done to replenish it[/b]

You can try not to make the same mistake in the future.

I am not sure the charter allows them to create another fifth grade section next year since obviously trying to fill the vacant sixth grade slots did not work this time.  I think if they want to change the number of 5th graders, they may have to ask the Charter Board

3.) As for financials, bear in mind, the same goes for virtually any other school in DC - none of them are particularly transparent.  Even the DCPS school budget sheets don't tell the whole story, they leave a lot of things out.  If you want complete transparency, great - lobby council for a bill that would mandate complete financial transparency for all DC schools, that's what should really happen, and that's something I would get behind as well.[b]

THAT is called the rules of the Charter Board.  Instead of rattling on about DCPS, look at any other charter school (besides Options and Amos schools), they reveal their finances, because one of the ways they are measured and ranked is their financial viability.  No bill required.  In terms of transparency, do yourself and every Basis parent a favor - look it up via the charter board.  Compare Basis financials to any other charter school - Any Single One - where they list their financials.  Options and Amos schools just got destroyed by the creation of a for profit company and what amounted to theft.  The Charter Board is looking very carefully at financials right now, and we basically don't list any.  The contrast is stark, the hubris is strong, and one of the two reasons given for the refusal of the Board to grant an expansion request was the refusal of Basis to open their books.

We don't say basic things like how many teachers we have, how much we pay them, who we have on staff.... We just say we forked over $2 million to the for profit management company, not for what.

Oh and it also shows that we are paying them rent for the building, with balloon payments and their dates.  IF you care, take a look.  If you just want to sound ignorant, keep prattling away...........

Right now, the Charter School Board does not like us very much.  And THAT is a problem.

If you want to take a cold hard look at the financials for every charter school, go ahead.

Guess what?  Basis hasn't offered any.  I kid you not.  Look at the Charter records for all the schools in 2013.  Basis DC has so little.  Good luck after Options and Amos expanding at all if you continue to refuse to open your books[/quote]

[/quote]And again, where there's frustration, then why not make an appointment with school officials to discuss concerns?  Does anyone really think that all this back and forth and navelgazing with some random group of strangers on an anonymous message board (none of which have any answers, and some of which are only here to troll) is really an appropriate or useful way to approach any of this?  The last 11 pages and all of the previous threads should make it pretty clear that DCUM is not a particularly good venue for getting accurate or authoritative information or for resolving frustrations. [/quote]

you are the person who always says this.  You make the appointment and come back and tell us the answers, because obviously some people are smart enough to realize that everyone should be concerned about this, and that only Craig B or Olga are going to provide answers about financial viability but they would not deign to talk to you.

Right now, the Charter School Board does not like us very much.  And THAT is a problem.

In addition to everything else you don't list in your financials, you don't list how much you had to pay in "compensatory services" for all your violations of IDEA and the ADA in your first arrogant, ignorant year.  And I bet it was a hefty sum.  Maybe not $250K.  But as others have noted, that loss is ongoing, and no dodging and weaving next year will cure it.  But it certainly should not recur............

If you want to take a cold hard look at the financials for every charter school, go ahead.

[/quote]

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