Reply to BASIS: PCSB staff recommends conditional continuance due to SWD

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]But is it discrimination against other SN to advertise that BASIS could be a very good fit for kids with SN that make them pretty rigid?  [/quote]

If they're advertising in a way that suggests they will only support specific disabilities or profiles, then yes, that would be extremely problematic.  You see private schools and camps advertise in that way and it's clearly meant to exclude kids with higher support/perceived higher support needs, as well as, frankly, kids with autism who are "too" autistic.

Remember just because Basis is a charter does not mean they are exempt from supporting kids with SN of all levels.  They can't just pick and chose.  The Charter Board pointed out that Basis has basically no higher-needs kids.  [/quote]

The SN boosters here are missing the point altogether in their zeal and assumptions.

The point is that Basis would likely make a great fit for any student who does well with structure, clear expectations, focus on individual work, lots of emphasis on organization and concrete curriculums. Many kids with HFA would fit the bill.

Emphasising those strengths and talking about how this kind of learning can benefit some students would be a way to message that out to families with all types of kids, including HFA or others and might encourage kids who otherwise wouldn't think to apply. [/quote]

"SN Booster"? Really?  Forgive me for having "zeal and assumptions" as I attempt to ensure my child with disabilities gets an education.

As much as you want Basis to be exempt from special education laws, it is not. It would be great if Basis established and funded an HFA program and advertised it.  That doesn't allow it to screen for certain disabilities and levels of disabilities.  Clearly Basis has a serious issue retaining and serving kids with disabilities.  Falling back on "oh the few we have do well" does not fix that problem.  [/quote]

Do you feel a school focused on AP test prep would benefit your SN child? If so, apply. I have a non SN child, and because of the above would skip Basis for our family. Different strokes for differenr folks.[/quote]

Sure, it could benefit him if it had the right supports in place.  That's the whole point of special education.  My SN kid likes tests.  But he also needs social skills support, some support with organization, a behavioral plan ... [/quote]

So he has something like Aspbergers, executive functioning challenges and needs an IEP? I would imagine most any school  in Basis tier can support him well (not solve,.since it's not a problem to be solved, but support). Does this otherwise describe him (from Basis website): "BASIS DC students are hungry for challenge, curious about the world around them, and unafraid of the extra effort required to meet and exceed the high standards of BASIS Curriculum Schools". If so, why not contact the school instead of going off a bunch of heresay?[/quote]

It's not "hearsay." It's the informed opinion of multiple therapists/medical professionals who talk to a lot of families on the  Hill, which is a main source of Basis students.  I'll go to the open houses, but the informed opinions plus the Charter Board's actions absolutely give me pause.  If Basis responses in a legitimate and transparent way and staffs up their special ed team, maybe.  As it stands now, I can't even find the name of the special ed coordinator on their website.  [/quote]

Basis isn’t a good fit for some kids.  A kid that isn’t into academics and wants to play big-league varsity football won’t do well at Basis.  He can get all the support he wants but it will be a slog for him and his parents

The same is true for SPED kids.  As you can see from the comments, some SPED kids do great at Basis.  Many of these are HFA or ADHD but there is a variety of disabilities there.  Other SPED kids won’t do well.  But that is not because they are disabled but because they would do better in a less rigorous school.

Sure, Basis (like other schools) can and should do a better job on SPED issues.  But the “violations” laid out in the 10-year report are pretty minor, along the lines of not requiring teachers to do a webinar about how to recognize SPED.

Basis could provide all the services it can to put a SPED kid on par with a non-SPED kid but that doesn’t change the rigor of the Basis curriculum, the amount of work kids have to do and the level of that work, the pre-comps and comps, and the lack of social promotion (i.e., moving kids to the next grade level even though they fail a course).  All kids, SPED and non-SPED, would have it easier at another school.  IDEA just levels the playing field; it doesn’t transform your kid into something he or she is not.

Given your many posts here about your kid and your negative views about Basis, it might make sense to consider another school.  Just something to think about.

As the old expression has it: be careful what you wish for.

Good luck with your choice.[/quote]

Nailed it!  Thank you.[/quote]

right nailed it … the charter is at risk just due to some mere technicalities. meanwhile you have Basis boosters on this thread openlu saying kids with disabilities should “go elsewhere” and that federal disability law should not apply to Basis. You guys are not doing Basis ANY favors here. [/quote]

No, the charter is not at risk; if you think that you are in la-la land.  No one is saying kids with disabilities should go elsewhere.  There are plenty of such kids at Basis and many are going very well.  No one is saying that federal disability law shouldn't apply at Basis.

And remember there is a lottery to get into the school, and many do not get in.  There is a good chance your kid won't even be admitted, and you can just send your kid to your in-bounds school or another charter.

I really think that you are just a troll.  Stop spreading misinformation.  I feel sorry for your kid and certainly hope that he/she doesn't go to Basis.  With your negative attitude, illogic, exaggerations, combative attitude, and inflammatory rhetoric, you and likely he/she would be miserable there.  Stop wasting everyone's time on this forum and send a letter to the school/PCSB with all your complaints. [/quote]

The one in la-la land is you if you think that the conditional renewal is just a technicality.  And yes, people are saying on this thread that children with IEPs shouldn't go to BASIS, BASIS shouldn't be held accountable for compliance with disability law, etc. etc.  This isn't misinformation.  [/quote]

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