Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There is no such thing as a poorly funded school in Washington DC.

Just bring back tracking. Neighborhood schools should be able to accommodate kids who want to go to Harvard and kids who want to be plumbers.

Probably a lot of BASIS kids would stay at their local schools if they offered an honors track.

Ironically, Basis doesn’t track. Gives all access to advanced material. The equity folks should love it but still complain.

BASIS *is* the track. Instead of tracking within schools, we have tracking by schools. High performing kids se select themselves out of their neighborhood schools and go to BASIS.

Yes - but no one is turned away on the front end.

So kids that do want the rigor and don't lotto well are SOL. On the other hand, kids that Lotto well, but can't handle the rigor get pushed out when they fail. The worst of both worlds. There should obviously be an admissions process.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There is no such thing as a poorly funded school in Washington DC.

Just bring back tracking. Neighborhood schools should be able to accommodate kids who want to go to Harvard and kids who want to be plumbers.

Probably a lot of BASIS kids would stay at their local schools if they offered an honors track.

Ironically, Basis doesn’t track. Gives all access to advanced material. The equity folks should love it but still complain.

BASIS *is* the track. Instead of tracking within schools, we have tracking by schools. High performing kids self select themselves out of their neighborhood schools and go to BASIS.

Yes - but no one is turned away on the front end.

Right, they're turned away when they fail the comps. Way better.

No they aren’t- they are welcome to retest over summer or repeat the grade.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There is no such thing as a poorly funded school in Washington DC.

Just bring back tracking. Neighborhood schools should be able to accommodate kids who want to go to Harvard and kids who want to be plumbers.

Probably a lot of BASIS kids would stay at their local schools if they offered an honors track.

Ironically, Basis doesn’t track. Gives all access to advanced material. The equity folks should love it but still complain.

BASIS *is* the track. Instead of tracking within schools, we have tracking by schools. High performing kids self select themselves out of their neighborhood schools and go to BASIS.

Yes - but no one is turned away on the front end.

Right, they're turned away when they fail the comps. Way better.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BASIS DC only draws so much controversy because the broader middle school landscape in DC—especially for academically advanced or middle-class families—is so limited.

If there were more truly rigorous, well-run, publicly accessible middle schools—BASIS wouldn’t be such a lightning rod. It would just be one option among many. But in the current ecosystem, it becomes symbolic—and that’s what fuels the friction.

⸻

Why BASIS Bears the Weight of the System’s Gaps

1. Because Latin, Deal, and BASIS Are the Only Widely Accepted Middle School “Launchpads”
• Deal is only accessible to families in the Wilson High School boundary zone—or by lottery (and it’s already massive)
• Latin is lottery-based and selective in tone, if not in admissions
• BASIS offers open lottery access and high rigor—but is often cast as “elitist” or “out of step” with the rest of the charter sector

If there were five more schools offering algebra in 5th or 6th, science labs, and strong writing instruction, BASIS wouldn’t stand out. But as it is, it becomes both an opportunity and a target.

⸻

2. Because Some Families Feel Trapped Between Too Easy and Too Intense
• Many schools “meet students where they are”—but don’t challenge those who are ahead
• BASIS doesn’t differentiate internally—it accelerates everyone
• Families who want some challenge but not full-throttle rigor often feel like they’re left with nothing that fits

That frustration gets aimed at BASIS—but the real problem is lack of middle-tier academically ambitious options.

⸻

3. Because System-Level Policy Doesn’t Incentivize True Academic Differentiation
• Most DCPS and charter middle schools are built around grade-level pacing
• “Acceleration” often means offering Algebra I in 8th—not 6th
• There’s little structural room for schools that push rigor without being framed as inequitable

So BASIS becomes the exception—and in a system built for uniformity, exceptions get judged, not studied.

⸻

BASIS Is Filling a Gap That Shouldn’t Exist

BASIS is not perfect or universally suited, but

“It shouldn’t be so controversial for a public school to offer academic depth, early acceleration, and high standards—because that shouldn’t be rare.”

And if DC offered a richer ecosystem of rigorous public middle schools?
BASIS could just be BASIS. Not a symbol. Not a battleground.

True enough.

According to USN&W, 11 of the top 100 public high schools in the United States are BASIS charter schools.

Yet you don't hear the same kind of vitriol and hate about the BASIS network from parents in, say, Phoenix, as you do from the DCUM public schools crowd.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There is no such thing as a poorly funded school in Washington DC.

Just bring back tracking. Neighborhood schools should be able to accommodate kids who want to go to Harvard and kids who want to be plumbers.

Probably a lot of BASIS kids would stay at their local schools if they offered an honors track.

Ironically, Basis doesn’t track. Gives all access to advanced material. The equity folks should love it but still complain.

BASIS *is* the track. Instead of tracking within schools, we have tracking by schools. High performing kids self select themselves out of their neighborhood schools and go to BASIS.

Yes - but no one is turned away on the front end.

So kids that do want the rigor and don't lotto well are SOL. On the other hand, kids that Lotto well, but can't handle the rigor get pushed out when they fail. The worst of both worlds. There should obviously be an admissions process.

The school does try very hard to let prospective parents know exactly what to expect and who would thrive there, so that some self-selection occurs.

The problem is that there are so many DCPS middle schools that are not adequate for moderately advanced kids, that parents are desperate for an option and go with BASIS even when it's not quite appropriate.

Untrue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There is no such thing as a poorly funded school in Washington DC.

Just bring back tracking. Neighborhood schools should be able to accommodate kids who want to go to Harvard and kids who want to be plumbers.

Probably a lot of BASIS kids would stay at their local schools if they offered an honors track.

Ironically, Basis doesn’t track. Gives all access to advanced material. The equity folks should love it but still complain.

BASIS *is* the track. Instead of tracking within schools, we have tracking by schools. High performing kids self select themselves out of their neighborhood schools and go to BASIS.

Yes - but no one is turned away on the front end.

So kids that do want the rigor and don't lotto well are SOL. On the other hand, kids that Lotto well, but can't handle the rigor get pushed out when they fail. The worst of both worlds. There should obviously be an admissions process.

The school does try very hard to let prospective parents know exactly what to expect and who would thrive there, so that some self-selection occurs.

The problem is that there are so many DCPS middle schools that are not adequate for moderately advanced kids, that parents are desperate for an option and go with BASIS even when it's not quite appropriate.

Anonymous wrote:BASIS DC only draws so much controversy because the broader middle school landscape in DC—especially for academically advanced or middle-class families—is so limited.

If there were more truly rigorous, well-run, publicly accessible middle schools—BASIS wouldn’t be such a lightning rod. It would just be one option among many. But in the current ecosystem, it becomes symbolic—and that’s what fuels the friction.

⸻

Why BASIS Bears the Weight of the System’s Gaps

1. Because Latin, Deal, and BASIS Are the Only Widely Accepted Middle School “Launchpads”
• Deal is only accessible to families in the Wilson High School boundary zone—or by lottery (and it’s already massive)
• Latin is lottery-based and selective in tone, if not in admissions
• BASIS offers open lottery access and high rigor—but is often cast as “elitist” or “out of step” with the rest of the charter sector

If there were five more schools offering algebra in 5th or 6th, science labs, and strong writing instruction, BASIS wouldn’t stand out. But as it is, it becomes both an opportunity and a target.

⸻

2. Because Some Families Feel Trapped Between Too Easy and Too Intense
• Many schools “meet students where they are”—but don’t challenge those who are ahead
• BASIS doesn’t differentiate internally—it accelerates everyone
• Families who want some challenge but not full-throttle rigor often feel like they’re left with nothing that fits

That frustration gets aimed at BASIS—but the real problem is lack of middle-tier academically ambitious options.

⸻

3. Because System-Level Policy Doesn’t Incentivize True Academic Differentiation
• Most DCPS and charter middle schools are built around grade-level pacing
• “Acceleration” often means offering Algebra I in 8th—not 6th
• There’s little structural room for schools that push rigor without being framed as inequitable

So BASIS becomes the exception—and in a system built for uniformity, exceptions get judged, not studied.

⸻

BASIS Is Filling a Gap That Shouldn’t Exist

BASIS is not perfect or universally suited, but

“It shouldn’t be so controversial for a public school to offer academic depth, early acceleration, and high standards—because that shouldn’t be rare.”

And if DC offered a richer ecosystem of rigorous public middle schools?
BASIS could just be BASIS. Not a symbol. Not a battleground.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There is no such thing as a poorly funded school in Washington DC.

Just bring back tracking. Neighborhood schools should be able to accommodate kids who want to go to Harvard and kids who want to be plumbers.

Probably a lot of BASIS kids would stay at their local schools if they offered an honors track.

Ironically, Basis doesn’t track. Gives all access to advanced material. The equity folks should love it but still complain.

BASIS *is* the track. Instead of tracking within schools, we have tracking by schools. High performing kids self select themselves out of their neighborhood schools and go to BASIS.

Yes - but no one is turned away on the front end.

So kids that do want the rigor and don't lotto well are SOL. On the other hand, kids that Lotto well, but can't handle the rigor get pushed out when they fail. The worst of both worlds. There should obviously be an admissions process.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There is no such thing as a poorly funded school in Washington DC.

Just bring back tracking. Neighborhood schools should be able to accommodate kids who want to go to Harvard and kids who want to be plumbers.

Probably a lot of BASIS kids would stay at their local schools if they offered an honors track.

Ironically, Basis doesn’t track. Gives all access to advanced material. The equity folks should love it but still complain.

BASIS *is* the track. Instead of tracking within schools, we have tracking by schools. High performing kids self select themselves out of their neighborhood schools and go to BASIS.

Yes - but no one is turned away on the front end.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There is no such thing as a poorly funded school in Washington DC.

Just bring back tracking. Neighborhood schools should be able to accommodate kids who want to go to Harvard and kids who want to be plumbers.

Probably a lot of BASIS kids would stay at their local schools if they offered an honors track.

Ironically, Basis doesn’t track. Gives all access to advanced material. The equity folks should love it but still complain.

BASIS *is* the track. Instead of tracking within schools, we have tracking by schools. High performing kids self select themselves out of their neighborhood schools and go to BASIS.

Yes - but no one is turned away on the front end.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There is no such thing as a poorly funded school in Washington DC.

Just bring back tracking. Neighborhood schools should be able to accommodate kids who want to go to Harvard and kids who want to be plumbers.

Probably a lot of BASIS kids would stay at their local schools if they offered an honors track.

Ironically, Basis doesn’t track. Gives all access to advanced material. The equity folks should love it but still complain.

BASIS *is* the track. Instead of tracking within schools, we have tracking by schools. High performing kids self select themselves out of their neighborhood schools and go to BASIS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid was one of a miniscule number of white kids at their middle school. Differentiation is not simply segregation, and people both for it and against it should think carefully.

Banneker and Walls show you can have coexisting differentiation and segregation. Both differentiate for students with high CAPEs and low populations of at-risk students, yet parents obviously self-segregate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I don’t want schools to work. I want “equity” at all costs even though I (reluctantly) send my own kids to private schools for “fit.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There is no such thing as a poorly funded school in Washington DC.

Just bring back tracking. Neighborhood schools should be able to accommodate kids who want to go to Harvard and kids who want to be plumbers.

Probably a lot of BASIS kids would stay at their local schools if they offered an honors track.

Ironically, Basis doesn’t track. Gives all access to advanced material. The equity folks should love it but still complain.