Anonymous wrote:I would choose private. My kid was cooped up inside all day, every day at BASIS. I expected them to take advantage of their proximity to the all the monuments/museums and green space that downtown has to offer, but it’s drill and kill all day, and lunch.

I don't understand how any smart family would choose a school with zero outdoor space for their child. I'd never say this to a family in person, obviously, but it's just nuts IMHO.

Which private?
I would pay for Sidwell, NCS/STA, and probably GDS. I wouldn't pay for the second tier schools over Basis.

+100. Being cooped up is a real issue for many BASIS MS students, particularly boys. It's not the fault of the current BASIS admins that the awful building was selected more than a decade back, or that BASIS HQ in Arizona doesn't permit double periods/excursions outside the building, but these problems are real.

11 and 12 year-olds spend far too much time sitting in darkened classrooms watching Power Point presentations of museum exhibits that are a short walk from the school, including slides of paintings at the American Art Museum and Portrait Gallery, a block away. A sense of wonder is largely absent in a BASIS education. You're not a troll if you mind and object.

I would choose private. My kid was cooped up inside all day, every day at BASIS. I expected them to take advantage of their proximity to the all the monuments/museums and green space that downtown has to offer, but it’s drill and kill all day, and lunch.

Our 5th grader is very happy at Basis and much more engaged than she was at our highly-regarded elementary school. The teachers have been great this year, despite the challenges of distance learning.

It depends on the private school, your income, distances, etc. If you make $1m a year, your kid got into Sidwell, you can afford $50k/year tuition, and the school is easy to get to/from home/work, then go with that. If money is tight and you are talking about a low-ranking private school far away from you in the burbs, then go with Basis.

Basis has both public and private schools and the curriculum is the same. So your kid gets the same education at Basis DC as he/she would get at, say, at Basis McLean. The difference is you are paying $32k a year for Basis McLean and $0 for Basis DC, but the facilities are better at the former and there is more hands-on instruction.

Based on test results (once kids have spent at least a few years at the school), Basis is the top school in DCPS and beats many of the privates.

We could afford private school but went with Basis for the reasons mentioned above. We are really happy so far.

There was a pretty long general thread on Basis just a few days ago:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/962597.page

^^such a kid would be very happy at Basis.

I can’t compare to Sidwell, GDS, Potomac, etc. But you could try Basis for 5th and consider private if it doesn’t work out.

Anonymous wrote:We’re a happy Basis family. For me, it would depend on the kid and the private.

For example, my non-sporty kid who’s into math, science and chess (and hates organized athletics) is better off at Basis.

My youngest child, though, is not gifted at math and excels in art, so we’ll explore privates for her.

What about a non-sporty kid who loves reading and creative writing and is also good at math and science?

We’re a happy Basis family. For me, it would depend on the kid and the private.

For example, my non-sporty kid who’s into math, science and chess (and hates organized athletics) is better off at Basis.

My youngest child, though, is not gifted at math and excels in art, so we’ll explore privates for her.

Anonymous wrote:Or don't pay money if you don't have to . . .

Right, but if you have the money to spend (and it wouldn’t be a stretch)...would you?

Or don't pay money if you don't have to . . .

If your child could be successful at BASIS, your child could be VERY successful and happy at a good private. Don’t gamble if you do not have to.

Search BASIS, PP, many recent threads. We bailed for a private.

School building could pass as a juvenile detention facility.

Joy of learning, creativity, inspiration, respect for individual choice and interests, hands-on learning, field trips largely absent.

Strong emphasis on multiple-choice quizzes and tests.

Many parents love the place and the science instruction if certainly extraordinary for MS, but not our scene.

My family is very fortunate in that we have the choice between sending our child to BASIS or paying for private school for middle and high school. I’ve been told our child is a good fit for the school, but I have concerns about the academic focus of the school. If you are a BASIS family, even if you are happy there, would you still make the choice to send your child to BASIS over private school if you had that choice? I don’t mean to enflame anyone, I just genuinely want to know what people would do if they had a choice. Thank you in advance.