I can’t believe what I’m reading.
According to some of the posters, schools should only be geared toward what works for most students and since most students are not capable of a tough curriculum (a “fringe” idea) families should not expect the public school system to serve their bright students and they should figure out how to shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars to educate their kids before college. Because the public school system doesn’t belong to everyone, it belongs to only the lowest common denominator. This is absurd. There’s no point reasoning with unreasonable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At least based on test scores--which is a lot more objective measure than BASIS hate rages on this forum--BASIS DC crushes Latin and DCI.

In fact, kids at Latin barely move up in English and actually go down in math. And at DCI, kids don't progress in either English or math.

At least at BASIS DC kids get better in both English and math.

Let's encourage BASIS to open more schools in DC. Even though they have only been around a dozen years in DC, based on the data, they have a demonstrated track record of success. You can't say that for other charters.

Middle school PARCC scores 4+

Latin

ELA 68.24
Math 52.49

DCI

ELA 54.01
Math 38.68

BASIS DC

ELA 72.00
Math 62.40

High school PARCC scores 4+

Latin

ELA 70.71
Math 30.47

DCI

ELA 41.87
Math 20.74

BASIS DC

ELA 92.06
Math 66.12

Wow--that is eye opening!

They also washout kids who might lower their scores. If Latin and DCI also booted everyone who lowered their averages, their scores would be comparable.

This doesn't mean BASIS is good or bad, the test scores are clear, for the students who stay there, they score high. But comparing those three sets of numbers side-by-side... that's a sleight-of-hand.

BASIS doesn't boot anyone. If you fail the grade, you have opportunities to test again over the summer, or retake the grade next year. That's not booting people.

I didn't say they booted anyone. They wash them out... Call it what you want, there's massive attrition, and it leaves a relatively homogenous population of kids in terms of test scores. The other schools don't lose that many kids and have lower-performing cohorts — perhaps some that left BASIS, under one circumstance or another—that lower the averages.

Look, if each school has 100 kids, and the top 20 perform very well, the bottom 20 perform very poorly and the middle 60 perform average (and given the lottery application system it is likely that all of these schools will have something like that breakdown in their freshman classes) and two schools maintain all 100 kids through the four years, their test scores are always going to be lower than the school that loses the bottom 20 and most of the middle 60.

As I understand the BASIS parent argument, eff that poor performing cohort and even the average kids, my kid who is the top 20 (hopefully) gets a great education! And that might be true! I mean, the test scores suggest the kids who remain at BASIS at the very least have some rather high ability!

But those test scores are not apples-to-apples. Find some other metric—and there probably are some—that show BASIS is better.

But the point I'm making is that BASIS doesn't set itself up to lose the bottom 20. The students that don't pass retake the test, or retake the grade. That means it is possible for a student that was formerly in the bottom 20 to move to the middle or be at the top. Sometimes it is better to retake the grade and than just be pushed along as the bottom student year after year.

Maybe not via the tests but all the basis parents even gabble about how it’s selective and “not every kid can meet the challenge like mine can”. Winnowing is a feature. And it kicks a lot of kids to the curb instead of trying to teach. The high scores aren’t a measure of a great curriculum, it’s what happens when you cut the losers out of the bell curve.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

New poster here. There is something more intense about the culture than the workload. It is the high stakes all or nothing end of year testing at the end of the school year for pre-teens that stokes the fear or failure culture.

The end of year tests are very generously curved, and the baseline for passing is pretty low. They also spend a lot of time at the end of the year reviewing for the tests. Almost everyone's grade increases after the comp exams. The kids who fail usually were struggling all year.

I can see why it would be too intense for kids with anxiety or other issues, but for most kids, it really shouldn't be a big deal. It's honestly not dissimilar to final exams and other high stakes testing that we all had 30 years ago. The main difference is that kids these days are much more fragile.

Given the attrition it clearly is problematic for most kids.

The attrition isn't due to comps, it is the rigor and workload throughout the year. Very few kids fail comps and the vast majority of those that do were struggling throughout the year.

So... bad curriculum, but kinda nice comp tests? Okay, still seems like a place my kid shouldn't go.

The curriculum is fine for bright, motivated kids. It’s far superior than regular publics, which ignore advanced kids and teach to the bottom. If your kid is not bright and motivated, the curriculum is a bad fit. Fortunately, almost every DC public would be a good fit.

Sounds like a great idea for a private school.

Why should people have to pay for private school just to get an appropriate education for their bright kids? There would be little demand for a school like Basis if regular schools had some degree of tracking and gifted programming. Why, in your worldview, is "remedial instruction for all" a good thing, but "advanced instruction for those who want and need it" a bad thing?

It’s the job of the public school system to provide the best education for the most students. If charter schools that can prove they do a good job for ALL students and are open to everyone can be meshed into the system they should, but it’s not the taxpayers job to pay extra for your precious little Poooky to get a fringe education. You want a fringe education, go private. The BASIS money would be much better used improving dcps as a whole or spending on a charter that works for everyone, like Walls.

And before you say “dcps would just waste the money!” I would say you’re not wrong, but then the answer is reforming it, not sending your little creep to a special school because you think he’s a high achiever.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At least based on test scores--which is a lot more objective measure than BASIS hate rages on this forum--BASIS DC crushes Latin and DCI.

In fact, kids at Latin barely move up in English and actually go down in math. And at DCI, kids don't progress in either English or math.

At least at BASIS DC kids get better in both English and math.

Let's encourage BASIS to open more schools in DC. Even though they have only been around a dozen years in DC, based on the data, they have a demonstrated track record of success. You can't say that for other charters.

Middle school PARCC scores 4+

Latin

ELA 68.24
Math 52.49

DCI

ELA 54.01
Math 38.68

BASIS DC

ELA 72.00
Math 62.40

High school PARCC scores 4+

Latin

ELA 70.71
Math 30.47

DCI

ELA 41.87
Math 20.74

BASIS DC

ELA 92.06
Math 66.12

Wow--that is eye opening!

They also washout kids who might lower their scores. If Latin and DCI also booted everyone who lowered their averages, their scores would be comparable.

This doesn't mean BASIS is good or bad, the test scores are clear, for the students who stay there, they score high. But comparing those three sets of numbers side-by-side... that's a sleight-of-hand.

BASIS doesn't boot anyone. If you fail the grade, you have opportunities to test again over the summer, or retake the grade next year. That's not booting people.

I didn't say they booted anyone. They wash them out... Call it what you want, there's massive attrition, and it leaves a relatively homogenous population of kids in terms of test scores. The other schools don't lose that many kids and have lower-performing cohorts — perhaps some that left BASIS, under one circumstance or another—that lower the averages.

Look, if each school has 100 kids, and the top 20 perform very well, the bottom 20 perform very poorly and the middle 60 perform average (and given the lottery application system it is likely that all of these schools will have something like that breakdown in their freshman classes) and two schools maintain all 100 kids through the four years, their test scores are always going to be lower than the school that loses the bottom 20 and most of the middle 60.

As I understand the BASIS parent argument, eff that poor performing cohort and even the average kids, my kid who is the top 20 (hopefully) gets a great education! And that might be true! I mean, the test scores suggest the kids who remain at BASIS at the very least have some rather high ability!

But those test scores are not apples-to-apples. Find some other metric—and there probably are some—that show BASIS is better.

But the point I'm making is that BASIS doesn't set itself up to lose the bottom 20. The students that don't pass retake the test, or retake the grade. That means it is possible for a student that was formerly in the bottom 20 to move to the middle or be at the top. Sometimes it is better to retake the grade and than just be pushed along as the bottom student year after year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

New poster here. There is something more intense about the culture than the workload. It is the high stakes all or nothing end of year testing at the end of the school year for pre-teens that stokes the fear or failure culture.

The end of year tests are very generously curved, and the baseline for passing is pretty low. They also spend a lot of time at the end of the year reviewing for the tests. Almost everyone's grade increases after the comp exams. The kids who fail usually were struggling all year.

I can see why it would be too intense for kids with anxiety or other issues, but for most kids, it really shouldn't be a big deal. It's honestly not dissimilar to final exams and other high stakes testing that we all had 30 years ago. The main difference is that kids these days are much more fragile.

Given the attrition it clearly is problematic for most kids.

The attrition isn't due to comps, it is the rigor and workload throughout the year. Very few kids fail comps and the vast majority of those that do were struggling throughout the year.

So... bad curriculum, but kinda nice comp tests? Okay, still seems like a place my kid shouldn't go.

The curriculum is fine for bright, motivated kids. It’s far superior than regular publics, which ignore advanced kids and teach to the bottom. If your kid is not bright and motivated, the curriculum is a bad fit. Fortunately, almost every DC public would be a good fit.

Sounds like a great idea for a private school.

Why should people have to pay for private school just to get an appropriate education for their bright kids? There would be little demand for a school like Basis if regular schools had some degree of tracking and gifted programming. Why, in your worldview, is "remedial instruction for all" a good thing, but "advanced instruction for those who want and need it" a bad thing?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

New poster here. There is something more intense about the culture than the workload. It is the high stakes all or nothing end of year testing at the end of the school year for pre-teens that stokes the fear or failure culture.

The end of year tests are very generously curved, and the baseline for passing is pretty low. They also spend a lot of time at the end of the year reviewing for the tests. Almost everyone's grade increases after the comp exams. The kids who fail usually were struggling all year.

I can see why it would be too intense for kids with anxiety or other issues, but for most kids, it really shouldn't be a big deal. It's honestly not dissimilar to final exams and other high stakes testing that we all had 30 years ago. The main difference is that kids these days are much more fragile.

Given the attrition it clearly is problematic for most kids.

The attrition isn't due to comps, it is the rigor and workload throughout the year. Very few kids fail comps and the vast majority of those that do were struggling throughout the year.

So... bad curriculum, but kinda nice comp tests? Okay, still seems like a place my kid shouldn't go.

The curriculum is fine for bright, motivated kids. It’s far superior than regular publics, which ignore advanced kids and teach to the bottom. If your kid is not bright and motivated, the curriculum is a bad fit. Fortunately, almost every DC public would be a good fit.

Sounds like a great idea for a private school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

New poster here. There is something more intense about the culture than the workload. It is the high stakes all or nothing end of year testing at the end of the school year for pre-teens that stokes the fear or failure culture.

The end of year tests are very generously curved, and the baseline for passing is pretty low. They also spend a lot of time at the end of the year reviewing for the tests. Almost everyone's grade increases after the comp exams. The kids who fail usually were struggling all year.

I can see why it would be too intense for kids with anxiety or other issues, but for most kids, it really shouldn't be a big deal. It's honestly not dissimilar to final exams and other high stakes testing that we all had 30 years ago. The main difference is that kids these days are much more fragile.

Given the attrition it clearly is problematic for most kids.

The attrition isn't due to comps, it is the rigor and workload throughout the year. Very few kids fail comps and the vast majority of those that do were struggling throughout the year.

So... bad curriculum, but kinda nice comp tests? Okay, still seems like a place my kid shouldn't go.

Yes, please stay away.

-Parent entering lottery

I mean, if you don't get in, it'll probably save you a lot of heartbreak. Statistically, your kid is NOT going to do well there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

New poster here. There is something more intense about the culture than the workload. It is the high stakes all or nothing end of year testing at the end of the school year for pre-teens that stokes the fear or failure culture.

The end of year tests are very generously curved, and the baseline for passing is pretty low. They also spend a lot of time at the end of the year reviewing for the tests. Almost everyone's grade increases after the comp exams. The kids who fail usually were struggling all year.

I can see why it would be too intense for kids with anxiety or other issues, but for most kids, it really shouldn't be a big deal. It's honestly not dissimilar to final exams and other high stakes testing that we all had 30 years ago. The main difference is that kids these days are much more fragile.

Given the attrition it clearly is problematic for most kids.

The attrition isn't due to comps, it is the rigor and workload throughout the year. Very few kids fail comps and the vast majority of those that do were struggling throughout the year.

So... bad curriculum, but kinda nice comp tests? Okay, still seems like a place my kid shouldn't go.

The curriculum is fine for bright, motivated kids. It’s far superior than regular publics, which ignore advanced kids and teach to the bottom. If your kid is not bright and motivated, the curriculum is a bad fit. Fortunately, almost every DC public would be a good fit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

New poster here. There is something more intense about the culture than the workload. It is the high stakes all or nothing end of year testing at the end of the school year for pre-teens that stokes the fear or failure culture.

The end of year tests are very generously curved, and the baseline for passing is pretty low. They also spend a lot of time at the end of the year reviewing for the tests. Almost everyone's grade increases after the comp exams. The kids who fail usually were struggling all year.

I can see why it would be too intense for kids with anxiety or other issues, but for most kids, it really shouldn't be a big deal. It's honestly not dissimilar to final exams and other high stakes testing that we all had 30 years ago. The main difference is that kids these days are much more fragile.

Given the attrition it clearly is problematic for most kids.

The attrition isn't due to comps, it is the rigor and workload throughout the year. Very few kids fail comps and the vast majority of those that do were struggling throughout the year.

So... bad curriculum, but kinda nice comp tests? Okay, still seems like a place my kid shouldn't go.

Yes, please stay away.

-Parent entering lottery

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

New poster here. There is something more intense about the culture than the workload. It is the high stakes all or nothing end of year testing at the end of the school year for pre-teens that stokes the fear or failure culture.

The end of year tests are very generously curved, and the baseline for passing is pretty low. They also spend a lot of time at the end of the year reviewing for the tests. Almost everyone's grade increases after the comp exams. The kids who fail usually were struggling all year.

I can see why it would be too intense for kids with anxiety or other issues, but for most kids, it really shouldn't be a big deal. It's honestly not dissimilar to final exams and other high stakes testing that we all had 30 years ago. The main difference is that kids these days are much more fragile.

Given the attrition it clearly is problematic for most kids.

The attrition isn't due to comps, it is the rigor and workload throughout the year. Very few kids fail comps and the vast majority of those that do were struggling throughout the year.

So... bad curriculum, but kinda nice comp tests? Okay, still seems like a place my kid shouldn't go.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

New poster here. There is something more intense about the culture than the workload. It is the high stakes all or nothing end of year testing at the end of the school year for pre-teens that stokes the fear or failure culture.

The end of year tests are very generously curved, and the baseline for passing is pretty low. They also spend a lot of time at the end of the year reviewing for the tests. Almost everyone's grade increases after the comp exams. The kids who fail usually were struggling all year.

I can see why it would be too intense for kids with anxiety or other issues, but for most kids, it really shouldn't be a big deal. It's honestly not dissimilar to final exams and other high stakes testing that we all had 30 years ago. The main difference is that kids these days are much more fragile.

Given the attrition it clearly is problematic for most kids.

The attrition isn't due to comps, it is the rigor and workload throughout the year. Very few kids fail comps and the vast majority of those that do were struggling throughout the year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

New poster here. There is something more intense about the culture than the workload. It is the high stakes all or nothing end of year testing at the end of the school year for pre-teens that stokes the fear or failure culture.

The end of year tests are very generously curved, and the baseline for passing is pretty low. They also spend a lot of time at the end of the year reviewing for the tests. Almost everyone's grade increases after the comp exams. The kids who fail usually were struggling all year.

I can see why it would be too intense for kids with anxiety or other issues, but for most kids, it really shouldn't be a big deal. It's honestly not dissimilar to final exams and other high stakes testing that we all had 30 years ago. The main difference is that kids these days are much more fragile.

+1

This kind of testing is the norm in the rest of the world.

Lack of rigor and comprehensive testing is one reason the US is far behind many other developed countries in math, science, and reading.

If you don’t like the Basis system, don’t send your kid.

This. Basis is definitely too intense for families that expect As to be handed out just for showing up to class and putting in a tiny amount of work. It's amazing to me how asking kids to do 1-2 hours of homework per night, holding kids accountable for their work, and not inflating grades is seen as child abuse to some.

The tone of the post above is indicative of the parts of the BASIS culture that is harmful. The culture and people are not a monolith of course. There are a variety of people and attitudes. Yet there is an undercurrent of this attitude that is too common to be ignored, that people who raise questions or ask for some balance in the culture, teaching supports that match the pressure on children, etc get this kind of response.

As if people who are asking for adequate teaching support for kids who are doing hours of homework every night and on weekends but who might need help filling learning gaps from the curriculum when BAD TEACHERS ARE FIRED/ LEAVE SUDDENLY MULTIPLE TIMES LEAVING HUGE GAPS OF TEACHING multiple times over a few years of a kid's education journey in ADVANCED MATH AND SCIENCE TOPICS are asking "As to be handed out just for showing up to class and putting in a tiny amount of work". B.S. The vast majority of kids and parents I have seen are working really hard, and should have a school that provides adequate teaching support in place when the institution fails students by not adequately filling in the gaps of learning from failed teachers, while still robotically maintaining the same learning outcomes/ standards for the final exams.

BASIS promises an excellent top ate curriculum and education. If kids work hard and have the smarts they should be able to succeed. For smart kids and parents who hold up their end of the bargain and work hard, BASIS should hold up their end of the bargain for most kids, without putting the weight of the institutions' failures on the shoulders of pre-teens and young teens.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

New poster here. There is something more intense about the culture than the workload. It is the high stakes all or nothing end of year testing at the end of the school year for pre-teens that stokes the fear or failure culture.

The end of year tests are very generously curved, and the baseline for passing is pretty low. They also spend a lot of time at the end of the year reviewing for the tests. Almost everyone's grade increases after the comp exams. The kids who fail usually were struggling all year.

I can see why it would be too intense for kids with anxiety or other issues, but for most kids, it really shouldn't be a big deal. It's honestly not dissimilar to final exams and other high stakes testing that we all had 30 years ago. The main difference is that kids these days are much more fragile.

+1

This kind of testing is the norm in the rest of the world.

Lack of rigor and comprehensive testing is one reason the US is far behind many other developed countries in math, science, and reading.

If you don’t like the Basis system, don’t send your kid.

This. Basis is definitely too intense for families that expect As to be handed out just for showing up to class and putting in a tiny amount of work. It's amazing to me how asking kids to do 1-2 hours of homework per night, holding kids accountable for their work, and not inflating grades is seen as child abuse to some.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

New poster here. There is something more intense about the culture than the workload. It is the high stakes all or nothing end of year testing at the end of the school year for pre-teens that stokes the fear or failure culture.

The end of year tests are very generously curved, and the baseline for passing is pretty low. They also spend a lot of time at the end of the year reviewing for the tests. Almost everyone's grade increases after the comp exams. The kids who fail usually were struggling all year.

I can see why it would be too intense for kids with anxiety or other issues, but for most kids, it really shouldn't be a big deal. It's honestly not dissimilar to final exams and other high stakes testing that we all had 30 years ago. The main difference is that kids these days are much more fragile.

+1

This kind of testing is the norm in the rest of the world.

Lack of rigor and comprehensive testing is one reason the US is far behind many other developed countries in math, science, and reading.

If you don’t like the Basis system, don’t send your kid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much anyone can go to college. For some families, particularly at DCI, which has lots of first gen families, going to college at all is a big deal. But clearly some families are aiming much higher. BASIS develops the kind of work ethic and executive functioning skills that students aiming high in college admissions can rely on to be competitive.

Or it burns kids out and makes them feel like failures and prevents them from having ongoing successful academic careers.

One close friend of the family had to send her daughter to legit therapy because the girl sobbed every night because she said she was a failure because she couldn't keep up with her all AP class schedule as a 15yo. Of course she couldn't, those are classes that are meant for college students. HS students being able to do any of them is a privilege and a real accomplishment—it should never be forced on anyone. Took months of therapy and private school tuition to get her feeling like she could go to college. Eff BASIS—seriously.

Oh good grief. Basis doesn't jump up that much in difficulty between 9th grade classes and 10th grade AP classes. The kids who struggle in 10th grade APs are the ones who were also struggling in previous grades. The parents and kid just buried their heads in the sand and hoped that the school would magically turn into a good fit. If it took months of therapy to get over Basis, then there were like a hundred red flags flying in the previous few years.

AP classes aren't even college difficulty level anymore. They're regular classes for bright kids, and tons of kids across the country take a lot of APs with no issue. With the exception of math advancement, Basis courses are no harder and workloads are no greater than what I had in honors classes 30 years ago. Grades are no harsher than what I saw in those classes 30 years ago. The only difference is that most high schools these days have watered down the rigor and puffed up the grades enormously in the last 30 years, while Basis is similar to what we all had when completing high school. It's not some grand experiment or education for the few. It's more or less comparable to a solid, old-school education with minimal technology, note taking by hand, exams, and expectations.

New poster here. There is something more intense about the culture than the workload. It is the high stakes all or nothing end of year testing at the end of the school year for pre-teens that stokes the fear or failure culture.

The end of year tests are very generously curved, and the baseline for passing is pretty low. They also spend a lot of time at the end of the year reviewing for the tests. Almost everyone's grade increases after the comp exams. The kids who fail usually were struggling all year.

I can see why it would be too intense for kids with anxiety or other issues, but for most kids, it really shouldn't be a big deal. It's honestly not dissimilar to final exams and other high stakes testing that we all had 30 years ago. The main difference is that kids these days are much more fragile.

Given the attrition it clearly is problematic for most kids.

No. Kids leave the school for many reasons.