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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]No horse in this race at all. However the most passionate parents I have met in person tend to be the Basis haters. [/quote]

This thread is almost entirely BASIS haters. They go on and on and on about all the things they hate about BASIS, and then every once in awhile, someone corrects something silly they say and that person gets labeled a BASIS booster. There's an unmistakable jealousness among the BASIS haters. They may or may not want their kids to actually go there, because the downsides are real, but they are extremely jealous of BASIS's pretty incredible record of getting kids into great schools. [/quote]

I haven't followed this thread closely but have posted a few times. You are missing what the "hate" is towards, even though it's right in the OP.

People don't hate BASIS. They hate that their middle school options in DC are so limited that BASIS is one of the few acceptable options, even though the BASIS approach to education is not really what they want for their kids.

If DC had lots of great MS options, if many of the IB MSs had decent test scores and offered tracking in math AND ELA, if there were a variety of charter MSs offering decent quality education with various approaches, I don't think anyone would care about BASIS. Parents who wanted that kind of testing-forward approach would send their kids there, and parents who didn't would send their kids to one of the many other schools in the city where you could still get a good education. [b]Many kids, including many smart kids, do NOT thrive in a BASIS style education system. Parents want options for these kids.[/b]

But when people vocalize this, they are immediately jumped on: what's wrong with BASIS, BASIS is working great for my kid, you obviously don't know what quality education is because BASIS is offering it and you don't care.

It's not BASIS hate, it's resentment that [b]BASIS is one of the few options available to families who want a more rigorous academic experience for their kids, and that the options they would prefer more (Latin, Deal) are harder to get into or don't exist at all.[/b][/quote]

I think what sometimes gets lost in these discussions is why BASIS appeals to some families in ways that schools like Deal or Latin may not—even when those families recognize that Latin or Deal might be more well-rounded or accommodating in certain respects. I actually think, had I been a kid, I might have preferred Latin’s vibe. And I completely get the appeal. But I want to speak honestly about why BASIS, for us, has been the right fit during these middle school years—even if we’re not necessarily viewing it as the forever plan.

Some families are incredibly adept at navigating flexible, accommodating school environments where expectations are fluid and where engaged parents can step in and advocate for individualized tweaks—extra time, special seating, leadership roles, and so on. And they’re good at it because they’ve been doing it their whole lives. At our former charter, we saw how certain families, often with high social capital and a certain Central Casting profile, got more from the system—more access, more grace, more visibility.

For our family, that didn’t feel like a fair fight. And while we’re comfortable advocating when necessary, we’ve also seen how quickly one can be labeled “difficult” if you don’t come from the expected mold.

At BASIS, there’s a certain stiff-arming of parents—and ironically, that’s been a relief. The cadence of tests and quizzes provides a kind of clarity. Weekly grades, constant feedback, and a rigid academic structure give our child the opportunity to consistently demonstrate that they’re not only engaged, but performing well. That they are not deficient.

Because let’s be honest: the achievement gap in this city is real. And when your child bears more than a passing resemblance to those most frequently left behind by that gap—when they are statistically expected to struggle, regardless of what they’re capable of—you learn very quickly how rare it is to find a school that doesn’t subtly affirm those expectations. That doesn’t delay or flatten the signal that your child is thriving.

At BASIS, the bluntness of the system works in our favor. The feedback is constant. The assessments are objective. And when the grades are in the 90s week after week, it’s hard for a teacher—or anyone else—to overlook that. That’s not something we’ve found as readily in environments that pride themselves on flexibility or “whole child” approaches, but often leave families like ours in the position of having to prove again and again that our kids are not exceptions to a grim statistical trend.

And yes, I’ve heard people say, “Well, not all smart kids thrive at BASIS.” I’m sure that’s true. But it’s often said as if the school is failing them, when in many cases, it just means those students have specific deficits—executive function, stamina, etc.—that need addressing. Those don’t magically disappear at Latin or Deal. They may just get papered over. At BASIS, the structure exposes them. That’s not cruelty—it’s transparency. And for families like ours, transparency is a gift.

So no, BASIS isn’t perfect. And no, it’s not right for every child. But it should absolutely exist as an option. And for families whose kids are often underestimated by default, it offers something precious: a system that doesn’t rely on teacher perception, parent polish, or social currency to affirm that your child is capable.[/quote]

And a complementary perspective: I have a child at Basis who is capable but not very interest in academics. At most DC schools they could probably skate by and get half-decent grades doing very little work and without learning much. At Basis, they aren't a standout, but even being a middle-of-the pack student requires a reasonable amount of focus and results in a reasonable amount of learning.[/quote]

This is very true. [/quote]

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