Correct. No school can do that without a proper due process and parental involvement. It takes a long time for the process to play out in its course. I am not aware any schools that have been successful in doing so. However, some parents who went through the process eventually got so sick and dissatisfied with the schools they had to take their kids elsewhere.

Anonymous wrote:Capital City is safe because those students who misbehave are transferred directly to their local DCPS schools.

The middle Class educated parents may or may not drive to the new location for the lower elementary grades, because there are several good DCPS elementary schools to choose from. Middle schooling in the city is much more of an issue in general.

For the middle school level, parents have to realize that not having textbooks is proving to be a problem. Teachers, who are not curriculum writers have to create expeditions and a lot of times they are just copying from books and the internet without looking at the quality of the article or who it is written for. Differentiation and collaboration in this school means getting in groups where the stronger kids give the answers to those who do not understand.

BASIS DC is opening up next year for grades 5-8 and will add a grade up every year.
You may go on this forum and attend one of their meetings this week.

ummmmm......not without parental consent and due process they're not. Like any public or public charter school, it is illegal to expel kids unless they've had multiple suspensions or drugs, weapons, super-violence. If the child has, or is suspected of having a disability, a manifestation determination must be held. If this hearing says the infraction is related to the disability, then a process must be followed before an alternative placement is found. So, no. No school gets to "transfer kids directly to the local DCPS schools"

Anonymous wrote: While Inspired Teachers are experimenting with expeditions until they are adequately formulated, average students are falling so far behind that even repeating a grade won't be enough to make up for lost years.

If a school isn't serving your child's needs then you should remove your child from the school. If I saw my child falling behind one or two grades, they would be out of there. But your statement reads, "average students," which implies that your belief is ALL average students fall behind in expenditionary programs-- and that is just not the case. Many thrive there, often because the material is introduced in creative ways that make the learning fun. It engages even those children who might otherwise daydream the school day away.

If your child needs drill and kill to grasp material, or if they need a very structured environment, then Cap City, Inspired Teaching, et al, are not the schools for you and your family. But to boldly dismiss these models as not being good for the "average" child is misinformed.

While Inspired Teachers are experimenting with expeditions until they are adequately formulated, average students are falling so far behind that even repeating a grade won't be enough to make up for lost years.

I'm a cap city parent and love it. Our teachers are trained by Inspired Teaching, so there's a lot in common, but Cap City's more established. I like our pre-k teachers a lot.

Re sock puppeting: As a parent whose child attends another charter that gets a LOT of airtime on this board, I'd be thrilled if Basis were to become the exciting new trainwreck in town, and give us a break...

Not a CapCity parent but do have children enrolled in another expeditionary school model. I think the expeditionary model is difficult for a lot of parents to reconcile with because it is sooooo different than the way most of us learned. It can very easily seem as though the kids aren't doing enough or learning fast enough (and that may be true if the teacher is inadequate, but that could be anywhere). However, expeditionary learning builds on concepts not rote memorization. It's like laying a foundation which can't be seen if you're standing on ground level, but eventually it rises and the learning is grounded in a real understanding of the material.

I read a post where a parent was complaining that the kids were doing an advertising campaign of some sort and the parent thought that was ridiculous and a waste of time. I thought it was fantastic because the kids were excercising critical thinking. I taught on the college level and I had so many students that had trouble with a simple assignment like an ad campaign, all because they were never required to think on their own. They loved it if I gave them a multiple choice test, but God forbid I ask them to actually THINK or worse, CREATE something from scratch. But that is expeditionary learning and the kids really enjoy the process of learning.

Now, it may not immediately translate into high standardized test scores because of the lack of drill and kill, but it builds character and confidence in their abilities.

I went to Catholic school growing up--back when the nuns could beat you. I learned but it wasn't fun . I've had to change my paradigm about learning since enrolling my kids in an expeditionary model. At first I thought the school should be more strict, give more homework, etc. etc. I mean, that's how I learned, right? But it's a new day and there's more than one way to get to a goal. I've learned to be patient and appreciate the fact that my kids are both learning and enjoying school. I didn't have that option back in the day .

I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this sort of thing any more, but I still get surprised. The poster of the message at 11/16/2011 16:03 is the same poster of the message above at 11/15/2011 15:53. The poster also posted the message on the first page of this thread at 11/14/2011 13:35. I am also quite confident that the same poster posted the message on the first page at 11/12/2011 16:40 and the post on this page at 11/16/2011 01:54.

Perhaps this poster has had a bad experience at Capital City. Perhaps the fact that the poster is a BASIS booster (hereafter known as a "BB" since I think we will be seeing a lot of them) has nothing to do with the messages. But, it is quite strange that the poster has posted so many seemingly independent criticisms of Cap City. It suggests some sort of an agenda.

PP I am sorry that you had that experience. I have not experienced that at all. Sure, some teachers are better than others, but I think that happens everywhere.

To the poster who stated that my son was more than 1 year behind in reading -- yes he is. My son has an IEP, however, he attended Cap City summer school last year and was able to bring up his reading level 1 year (he was 2 years behind) and his teachers continue to work with him. The teachers have been incredibly supportive and really want him to succeed.

We were really impressed by the website and went to one of the open houses; had big hopes when our kids got accepted -- but so far we have been completely disenchanted. Teachers have no problem blaming children and get really defensive when parents want to know details of instruction and how things are being conducted in the classroom.

From what I have seen so far, the school focuses on expeditions and portfolios rather than actual learning.

Not a good choice if you want a structured environment.

I actually know a number of Cap City parents of upper school kids who have stayed -- some because they have siblings in the lower school, but also some who want that "small town" safe school for their tweens/teens. I know some kids who transferred in, in 6th grade, and the parents seem happy. I also know people in the special ed world who say that the school's special ed team is excellent and that kids are really supported.

My only concern would be for the transition to the new building and the rapid growth that will come due to the expansion. After so much flux with building DCPS and charter schools as they are educating kids (building and flying the airplane) I am ready for something that's been around longer.

p.s. which is why I would not in a million years try Basis.

Cap City parents I know stay for elementary, and leave for Deal if they can in middle.

And, yes, I am a Cap City parent. Sue me.

Why bashing? People are just expressing their experiences with Cap City and giving options for those who may be interested.

Anonymous wrote:
BASIS DC is opening up next year for grades 5-8 and will add a grade up every year.
You may go on this forum and attend one of their meetings this week.

Wow! Is this the way that BASIS DC is going to promote itself? By bashing alternatives. Maybe you guys can get a track record in DC that consists of something more than forum posts before start trashing other schools?

And, yes, I am a Cap City parent. Sue me.

Capital City is safe because those students who misbehave are transferred directly to their local DCPS schools.

The middle Class educated parents may or may not drive to the new location for the lower elementary grades, because there are several good DCPS elementary schools to choose from. Middle schooling in the city is much more of an issue in general.

For the middle school level, parents have to realize that not having textbooks is proving to be a problem. Teachers, who are not curriculum writers have to create expeditions and a lot of times they are just copying from books and the internet without looking at the quality of the article or who it is written for. Differentiation and collaboration in this school means getting in groups where the stronger kids give the answers to those who do not understand.

BASIS DC is opening up next year for grades 5-8 and will add a grade up every year.
You may go on this forum and attend one of their meetings this week.