Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a few in 9th at NCS. I will say that they seem to be struggling in math-they are super accelerated but my daughter says they don't do well in the class because the NCS math classes go much deeper than the Basis kids are used to. Something to be aware of if you are trying to leave one system for another.

What? They are super-accelerated but didn’t go deep into math? What does that even mean?

The problem is complicated. All BASIS middle school students need to take algebra (as part of mixed math) no later than 7th grade. Problem is, maybe them half of them aren't really ready for algebra that early. They make do, but can struggle in trig and calc later on.

+1.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are at least two in 9th grade at Sidwell. I'm told that they struggle in humanities subjects as a general rule. Their weakest link is languages because they didn't do elementary school immersion and weren't allowed to study a modern language at BASIS until 7th or 8th grades. Sidwell starts serious language study in the upper elementary grades.

Makes no sense, perhaps anecdotal by choice. ES language immersion is not as common as you'd suggest, and where it exists, is extremely limited in scope. Also, it's a disjointed comparison as BASIS doesn't start at ES, it starts at MS. DS had quite a bit of language immersion at BASIS prior to 9th grade to include several years of Latin at BASIS in middle school and graduated from BASIS with 5 years of Mandarin Chinese, which is among the hardest languages to learn, and which, unlike common European languages like Spanish, French or German, is one of the least frequently taught in American schools due to its difficulty. As for humanities, DS is deeply steeped in classics, history and political science and could probably run circles around any Sidwell grad.

Mandarin instruction is no longer uncommon in American public schools, at least not in areas attracting sizeable Asian immigrant communities. Teaching modern languages in middle school has become standard in high-performing school systems nationwide. BASIS is behind the times on language instruction, but mainly attracts monolingual parents who don't mind. If you can afford to move on to a school offering a better-rounded education without difficulty, you leave.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a few in 9th at NCS. I will say that they seem to be struggling in math-they are super accelerated but my daughter says they don't do well in the class because the NCS math classes go much deeper than the Basis kids are used to. Something to be aware of if you are trying to leave one system for another.

What? They are super-accelerated but didn’t go deep into math? What does that even mean?

The problem is complicated. All BASIS middle school students need to take algebra (as part of mixed math) no later than 7th grade. Problem is, maybe them half of them aren't really ready for algebra that early. They make do, but can struggle in trig and calc later on.

Post above is misleading. BASIS doesn't impress where language instruction is concerned, other than if you're mired in relativism in the DC public schools context. Sidwell does shine, yes, particularly for Chinese.

What happens at BASIS is that 5th graders who rock in after having been in public immersion language programs for many years aren't permitted to continue with the modern languages they've been studying at BASIS in the 5th, 6th or 7th grades. And if they restart a language in 8th grade (the first year BASIS DC permits modern language study), they're treated like beginning students. Object and you're advised to hit the road for DCI. A few BASIS language teachers slip advanced students tougher work than the beginners they're in class with, but the practice isn't authorized by admins.

More than 80% of AP Chinese test takers in this country score 5s, the highest % of any AP exam by a long shot. At BASIS, it's common for juniors and seniors to score 3s and 4s on Chinese, because they're getting too little too late to ace this rather easy exam.

Anonymous wrote:There are at least two in 9th grade at Sidwell. I'm told that they struggle in humanities subjects as a general rule. Their weakest link is languages because they didn't do elementary school immersion and weren't allowed to study a modern language at BASIS until 7th or 8th grades. Sidwell starts serious language study in the upper elementary grades.

Makes no sense, perhaps anecdotal by choice. ES language immersion is not as common as you'd suggest, and where it exists, is extremely limited in scope. Also, it's a disjointed comparison as BASIS doesn't start at ES, it starts at MS. DS had quite a bit of language immersion at BASIS prior to 9th grade to include several years of Latin at BASIS in middle school and graduated from BASIS with 5 years of Mandarin Chinese, which is among the hardest languages to learn, and which, unlike common European languages like Spanish, French or German, is one of the least frequently taught in American schools due to its difficulty. As for humanities, DS is deeply steeped in classics, history and political science and could probably run circles around any Sidwell grad.

We did not make any switch. DS was in BASIS from 5th grade to graduation and ended up receiving a substantial scholarship to a prestigious university and all of the AP credits are helping to additionally reduce the cost and stress burden.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a few in 9th at NCS. I will say that they seem to be struggling in math-they are super accelerated but my daughter says they don't do well in the class because the NCS math classes go much deeper than the Basis kids are used to. Something to be aware of if you are trying to leave one system for another.

What? They are super-accelerated but didn’t go deep into math? What does that even mean?

It means they speed them thru subjects so they learn them superficially rather than more in depth and fundamental knowledge

Anonymous wrote:There are a few in 9th at NCS. I will say that they seem to be struggling in math-they are super accelerated but my daughter says they don't do well in the class because the NCS math classes go much deeper than the Basis kids are used to. Something to be aware of if you are trying to leave one system for another.

What? They are super-accelerated but didn’t go deep into math? What does that even mean?

Surprise, surprise on language study. BASIS leaders believe that students can’t walk and chew gum at the same time (study of a modern language from 5th to 7th grades would interfere with science and math challenge). BS policy that parents embrace for lack of a viable MS alternative.

There are at least two in 9th grade at Sidwell. I'm told that they struggle in humanities subjects as a general rule. Their weakest link is languages because they didn't do elementary school immersion and weren't allowed to study a modern language at BASIS until 7th or 8th grades. Sidwell starts serious language study in the upper elementary grades.

There are a few in 9th at NCS. I will say that they seem to be struggling in math-they are super accelerated but my daughter says they don't do well in the class because the NCS math classes go much deeper than the Basis kids are used to. Something to be aware of if you are trying to leave one system for another.

Anonymous wrote:What private schools do BASIS kids who make the switch to private for 9th usually end up?

Why do you ask? If you want out and have the money, apply to privates you like that have spots or move to the burbs (at least temporarily).

A few go to Big 3 and some Catholic. More and more have been staying.

Maybe post in the private school forum.

Not many make the switch but we know boys who moved on to Gonzaga, DeMantha and St. Anselms after 8th grade, and both boys and girls who moved on to St. Johns and Bishop Ireton. UMC public school families in DC public schools don't tend to have the dough for 30-45K privates e.g. Sidwell, GDS, Maret, St. Albans.

We know more BASIS families who left for MoCo and NoVa publics than DC privates. Some parents rent out DC houses for HS, planning to return as empty nesters. Divorced BASIS parents sharing custody sometimes leave for a MD or VA HS, with one living outside the District.

I've observed that families who leave generally have students who are serious about music, languages (want advanced International Baccalaureate) and/or sports vs. STEM. We know one family that moved to Arlington for 8th grade so the kid could take the TJ test. Kid was admitted.

What private schools do BASIS kids who make the switch to private for 9th usually end up?