Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 12:54     Subject: Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.
Anonymous wrote:I don’t think DC public schools should do anything in regards to privileged UMC types. Basis is just ridiculous in concept (and should not exist), but so is the idea of “differentiation” at any other school, which is just segregation by another name. OP is clearly a segregationist, but no worse than the rest of you who can’t stand to see your kids educated next to the poors. Shameful.


If you want public schools to work, then you need to attract the UMC not turn them off. That means we need options for parents that want both academic rigor and don’t mind sharing space with poors.

It would also help if we applied sales tax to private school tuition and better funded schools.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 12:48     Subject: Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.
The issue for me is given the obvious success of basis and latin, then why doesn’t DCPS try to steal the curriculum and compete.

I would prefer to stay public, but really like the way Basis does not do social promotion.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 12:33     Subject: Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.
Hardy and DCI are also well-accepted as DC public middle schools go. They have a few flaws but no more than Deal, Latins, Basis.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 11:31     Subject: Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So the core of what OP sees is an artifact of class differences in DC.

DC income distribution is U-shaped and it's directly related to educational trajectories. We have no middle class, by national standards.

High-income DC parents are almost strictly advanced degree holders. Our low-income parents have low educational attainment. Studies have shown that these flows directly into a child's educational attainment.

So the result is a system that can't be targeted broadly. We either have students who are almost immediately behind and students who are already ahead and the difference only accelerates across the grades.

So what is DC to do at a certain stage, probably around middle school? Differentiate.

If they don't, I can see a need for a BASIS. I would prefer differentiation within DCPS middle schools in order to promote integration.

My child did this, not at Deal, and has now gone onto one of the selective high schools. It was doable because there was more than one level of math and other specific courses available and sufficient students willing to do the work.

If the educated end of the DC population sends its kids to middle schools that aren't Deal, the differentiation can happen.

If they don't, DCPS will of course focus its staff on the needs of the low educational attainment population. The differences that can be made in their lives based on educational success can be huge.

If DCPS won't differentiate, though, go ahead and send your kids to BASIS. It makes sense to have your kids made a natural educational progression.


There's no "if" here. DCPS currently offers Algebra I and Geometry at many middle schools. Not just Deal and Hardy. Look in the OSSE CAPE stats if you want to know which ones. I recently persuaded our charter middle to offer Geometry and the main argument was that it's increasingly common in DCPS, on the Hill and elsewhere.


Math is one thing. Geometry helps (though it is not offered at our feeder, Francis, which was a factor for us.) but the other subjects matter, too -- BASIS has real science education (as you can see in both the curriculum and the science PARCC scores compared to DCPS schools), earth science, history, writing, etc. The curriculum is much, much fuller than DCPS across all subjects, except language.

I'm not a BASIS "booster" and I think it's a very weird and flawed school, and some kids get deeply stressed there (although my kid likes it.) But DCPS needs to wake up and start offering a much stronger middle school curriculum.


Ok, I'm just saying PP's views of DCPS math differentiation seemed not very up to date.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 11:29     Subject: Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So the core of what OP sees is an artifact of class differences in DC.

DC income distribution is U-shaped and it's directly related to educational trajectories. We have no middle class, by national standards.

High-income DC parents are almost strictly advanced degree holders. Our low-income parents have low educational attainment. Studies have shown that these flows directly into a child's educational attainment.

So the result is a system that can't be targeted broadly. We either have students who are almost immediately behind and students who are already ahead and the difference only accelerates across the grades.

So what is DC to do at a certain stage, probably around middle school? Differentiate.

If they don't, I can see a need for a BASIS. I would prefer differentiation within DCPS middle schools in order to promote integration.

My child did this, not at Deal, and has now gone onto one of the selective high schools. It was doable because there was more than one level of math and other specific courses available and sufficient students willing to do the work.

If the educated end of the DC population sends its kids to middle schools that aren't Deal, the differentiation can happen.

If they don't, DCPS will of course focus its staff on the needs of the low educational attainment population. The differences that can be made in their lives based on educational success can be huge.

If DCPS won't differentiate, though, go ahead and send your kids to BASIS. It makes sense to have your kids made a natural educational progression.


There's no "if" here. DCPS currently offers Algebra I and Geometry at many middle schools. Not just Deal and Hardy. Look in the OSSE CAPE stats if you want to know which ones. I recently persuaded our charter middle to offer Geometry and the main argument was that it's increasingly common in DCPS, on the Hill and elsewhere.


Math is one thing. Geometry helps (though it is not offered at our feeder, Francis, which was a factor for us.) but the other subjects matter, too -- BASIS has real science education (as you can see in both the curriculum and the science PARCC scores compared to DCPS schools), earth science, history, writing, etc. The curriculum is much, much fuller than DCPS across all subjects, except language.

I'm not a BASIS "booster" and I think it's a very weird and flawed school, and some kids get deeply stressed there (although my kid likes it.) But DCPS needs to wake up and start offering a much stronger middle school curriculum.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 11:14     Subject: Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.
Anonymous wrote:So the core of what OP sees is an artifact of class differences in DC.

DC income distribution is U-shaped and it's directly related to educational trajectories. We have no middle class, by national standards.

High-income DC parents are almost strictly advanced degree holders. Our low-income parents have low educational attainment. Studies have shown that these flows directly into a child's educational attainment.

So the result is a system that can't be targeted broadly. We either have students who are almost immediately behind and students who are already ahead and the difference only accelerates across the grades.

So what is DC to do at a certain stage, probably around middle school? Differentiate.

If they don't, I can see a need for a BASIS. I would prefer differentiation within DCPS middle schools in order to promote integration.

My child did this, not at Deal, and has now gone onto one of the selective high schools. It was doable because there was more than one level of math and other specific courses available and sufficient students willing to do the work.

If the educated end of the DC population sends its kids to middle schools that aren't Deal, the differentiation can happen.

If they don't, DCPS will of course focus its staff on the needs of the low educational attainment population. The differences that can be made in their lives based on educational success can be huge.

If DCPS won't differentiate, though, go ahead and send your kids to BASIS. It makes sense to have your kids made a natural educational progression.


There's no "if" here. DCPS currently offers Algebra I and Geometry at many middle schools. Not just Deal and Hardy. Look in the OSSE CAPE stats if you want to know which ones. I recently persuaded our charter middle to offer Geometry and the main argument was that it's increasingly common in DCPS, on the Hill and elsewhere.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 11:06     Subject: Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.
I don’t think DC public schools should do anything in regards to privileged UMC types. Basis is just ridiculous in concept (and should not exist), but so is the idea of “differentiation” at any other school, which is just segregation by another name. OP is clearly a segregationist, but no worse than the rest of you who can’t stand to see your kids educated next to the poors. Shameful.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 10:59     Subject: Re:Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.
JFC. I don’t hate Basis but OP’s post is exactly why I understand why some people do.

Lots of inaccuracies and Basis boosting when there are many flaws about the school.

Some Basis parents have no insight. It isn’t always about you (as OP obviously makes it about her)

Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 10:58     Subject: Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.
Anonymous wrote:So the core of what OP sees is an artifact of class differences in DC.

DC income distribution is U-shaped and it's directly related to educational trajectories. We have no middle class, by national standards.

High-income DC parents are almost strictly advanced degree holders. Our low-income parents have low educational attainment. Studies have shown that these flows directly into a child's educational attainment.

So the result is a system that can't be targeted broadly. We either have students who are almost immediately behind and students who are already ahead and the difference only accelerates across the grades.

So what is DC to do at a certain stage, probably around middle school? Differentiate.

If they don't, I can see a need for a BASIS. I would prefer differentiation within DCPS middle schools in order to promote integration.

My child did this, not at Deal, and has now gone onto one of the selective high schools. It was doable because there was more than one level of math and other specific courses available and sufficient students willing to do the work.

If the educated end of the DC population sends its kids to middle schools that aren't Deal, the differentiation can happen.

If they don't, DCPS will of course focus its staff on the needs of the low educational attainment population. The differences that can be made in their lives based on educational success can be huge.

If DCPS won't differentiate, though, go ahead and send your kids to BASIS. It makes sense to have your kids made a natural educational progression.


This is especially true if you view BASIS as a 2-4 year pit stop on way to private for a more well-rounded experience. There is potential to learn a lot early, with whatever lack in depth mitigated by revisiting in later middle and high school. Based on attrition/exit patterns, this seems to be common “use” of Basis, if not practically available to everyone (or one that BasisDC can openly advertise).
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 10:53     Subject: Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.
Anonymous wrote:So the core of what OP sees is an artifact of class differences in DC.

DC income distribution is U-shaped and it's directly related to educational trajectories. We have no middle class, by national standards.

High-income DC parents are almost strictly advanced degree holders. Our low-income parents have low educational attainment. Studies have shown that these flows directly into a child's educational attainment.

So the result is a system that can't be targeted broadly. We either have students who are almost immediately behind and students who are already ahead and the difference only accelerates across the grades.

So what is DC to do at a certain stage, probably around middle school? Differentiate.

If they don't, I can see a need for a BASIS. I would prefer differentiation within DCPS middle schools in order to promote integration.

My child did this, not at Deal, and has now gone onto one of the selective high schools. It was doable because there was more than one level of math and other specific courses available and sufficient students willing to do the work.

If the educated end of the DC population sends its kids to middle schools that aren't Deal, the differentiation can happen.

If they don't, DCPS will of course focus its staff on the needs of the low educational attainment population. The differences that can be made in their lives based on educational success can be huge.

If DCPS won't differentiate, though, go ahead and send your kids to BASIS. It makes sense to have your kids made a natural educational progression.


👏 Well said.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 10:49     Subject: Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.
So the core of what OP sees is an artifact of class differences in DC.

DC income distribution is U-shaped and it's directly related to educational trajectories. We have no middle class, by national standards.

High-income DC parents are almost strictly advanced degree holders. Our low-income parents have low educational attainment. Studies have shown that these flows directly into a child's educational attainment.

So the result is a system that can't be targeted broadly. We either have students who are almost immediately behind and students who are already ahead and the difference only accelerates across the grades.

So what is DC to do at a certain stage, probably around middle school? Differentiate.

If they don't, I can see a need for a BASIS. I would prefer differentiation within DCPS middle schools in order to promote integration.

My child did this, not at Deal, and has now gone onto one of the selective high schools. It was doable because there was more than one level of math and other specific courses available and sufficient students willing to do the work.

If the educated end of the DC population sends its kids to middle schools that aren't Deal, the differentiation can happen.

If they don't, DCPS will of course focus its staff on the needs of the low educational attainment population. The differences that can be made in their lives based on educational success can be huge.

If DCPS won't differentiate, though, go ahead and send your kids to BASIS. It makes sense to have your kids made a natural educational progression.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 10:24     Subject: Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:no 5th or 6th grader needs to be taking Algebra. Just no need. Let your 10 year old be 10.


None should be compelled to. Unnecessary. But those that are ready should have the option, preferably at school.


DP: No, no 10 year old should be taking Algebra. It is completely unnecessary.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 10:21     Subject: Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.
Whatever, the gap does exist and will always exist. BASIS fills it without offering the kids a rich or happy experience. Good enough for our ed leaders. Only a new major could change this calculus. Move on, OP.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 10:15     Subject: Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:1. Because Latin, Deal, and BASIS Are the Only Widely Accepted Middle School “Launchpads”

This is your first mistake. Get off of DCUM and get into the real world, where you will realize this is not true.


+100. It's far easier to get into a school like Walls from Eliot-Hine than it is from BASIS, what exactly is BASIS middle school launching you into??


"Launching" is flawed. We chose BASIS over our neighborhood DCPS because I wanted my kid to actually be challenged for 4 years (5th through 8th), knowing that it would have been much easier to get As and go to Walls from an easy DCPS.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 10:13     Subject: Basis fills a gap that shouldn’t exist.
Not that simple, OP. In our experience, BASIS doesn't offer rigor as much as punishment. The building stinks. Too many of the MS students can't handle the curriculum so misbehave in class, a real drag for the good students. Many of the young teachers use the school as a training ground for better paid jobs in the burbs. The electives and high school ECs aren't attractive. Not only aren't kids who don't excel at math not celebrated, they're treated as though there's something's wrong with them. The curriculum encourages kids who come in with language skills to lose them. Push back against any of this for your tax dollars and you're a pest who didn't do their homework about BASIS. When you leave, you wish you'd done so earlier.