Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give us a break, it's the rare BASIS junior who's taken a dozen AP courses and exams. Few BASIS seniors bother with more APs.

PP above obviously meant anywhere where many AP or IB Diploma classes are taught to a high standard to a high-achieving cohort.

Parent of graduating BASIS senior here. I’m loathe to enter this fray because the BASIS detractors are so emotional, but this statement just isn’t true. My kid took 12 AP exams (I guess one was a submission for 2D Art as a freshman) by the end of junior year. Several of their academic peers took 12+ AP exams by the end of junior year. No BASIS seniors take APs unless they failed to satisfy one of the AP graduation requirements for a BASIS diploma. BASIS students technically satisfy DC high school grad requirements by the end of junior year, so that is a feature, not a bug. Senior year is reserved for post AP capstone courses the first two trimesters, and an optional senior project consisting of an internship, research, and presentation. Detractors can feel free to harp on the charter management, lack of space, perceived weaknesses in curriculum, etc. but the college results this speak for themselves. BASIS is not for every kid, but if it does work for your family, the outcomes
will be there when it is time to apply to colleges.

Don't buy this take, folks. PP is whitewashing structural problems with their BS loathe to enter the fray. I say this as the parent of a student who left after 10th grade for a private where extra curriculars, community and liberal learning are celebrated as much as exam and college results. Senior year at BASIS is a largely wasted. The focus isn't on learning or enjoying the year, it's on pushy, time-wasting forced college counseling. The AP capstone courses mentioned are poorly thought through, taught and resourced and the optional senior project is lonely, supported minimally and dramatically under-funded. No, the college results don't speak for themselves, not across the board. Fewer BASIS DC grads crack blue chip colleges than you might think. More would if they could bring serious extra-curricular accomplishments and, frankly, more time to absorb subject content, to the table. They neither have the time nor support for them in a curriculum where four years of high school is needlessly jammed into three, enrichment is paltry, parents are marginalized, respect for individual backgrounds, learning styles and interests is weak, and intellectuality is seldom promoted.

If you can afford to leave for greener pastures, you do that. Hint: The BASIS wasn't founded by, and isn't run by, educators.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give us a break, it's the rare BASIS junior who's taken a dozen AP courses and exams. Few BASIS seniors bother with more APs.

PP above obviously meant anywhere where many AP or IB Diploma classes are taught to a high standard to a high-achieving cohort.

Parent of graduating BASIS senior here. I’m loathe to enter this fray because the BASIS detractors are so emotional, but this statement just isn’t true. My kid took 12 AP exams (I guess one was a submission for 2D Art as a freshman) by the end of junior year. Several of their academic peers took 12+ AP exams by the end of junior year. No BASIS seniors take APs unless they failed to satisfy one of the AP graduation requirements for a BASIS diploma. BASIS students technically satisfy DC high school grad requirements by the end of junior year, so that is a feature, not a bug. Senior year is reserved for post AP capstone courses the first two trimesters, and an optional senior project consisting of an internship, research, and presentation. Detractors can feel free to harp on the charter management, lack of space, perceived weaknesses in curriculum, etc. but the college results this speak for themselves. BASIS is not for every kid, but if it does work for your family, the outcomes
will be there when it is time to apply to colleges.

Don't buy this take, folks. PP is whitewashing structural problems with their BS loathe to enter the fray. I say this as the parent of a student who left after 10th grade for a private where extra curriculars, community and liberal learning are celebrated as much as exam and college results. Senior year at BASIS is a largely wasted. The focus isn't on learning or enjoying the year, it's on pushy, time-wasting forced college counseling. The AP capstone courses mentioned are poorly thought through, taught and resourced and the optional senior project is lonely, supported minimally and dramatically under-funded. No, the college results don't speak for themselves, not across the board. Fewer BASIS DC grads crack blue chip colleges than you might think. More would if they could bring serious extra-curricular accomplishments and, frankly, more time to absorb subject content, to the table. They neither have the time nor support for them in a curriculum where four years of high school is needlessly jammed into three, enrichment is paltry, parents are marginalized, respect for individual backgrounds, learning styles and interests is weak, and intellectuality is seldom promoted.

If you can afford to leave for greener pastures, you do that. Hint: The BASIS wasn't founded by, and isn't run by, educators.

Yawn. Bitter much?

Your kid washed out years ago and now you bash the school?

Per capita, Basis DC has the best college admissions results of any public school in DC.

You really can’t do better for an academically motivated kid in DC unless you want to pay $60,000/year at one of the Big 3 privates.

I really hate the way Basis boosters seem to feel the need to sneer at absolutely everyone else.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give us a break, it's the rare BASIS junior who's taken a dozen AP courses and exams. Few BASIS seniors bother with more APs.

PP above obviously meant anywhere where many AP or IB Diploma classes are taught to a high standard to a high-achieving cohort.

Parent of graduating BASIS senior here. I’m loathe to enter this fray because the BASIS detractors are so emotional, but this statement just isn’t true. My kid took 12 AP exams (I guess one was a submission for 2D Art as a freshman) by the end of junior year. Several of their academic peers took 12+ AP exams by the end of junior year. No BASIS seniors take APs unless they failed to satisfy one of the AP graduation requirements for a BASIS diploma. BASIS students technically satisfy DC high school grad requirements by the end of junior year, so that is a feature, not a bug. Senior year is reserved for post AP capstone courses the first two trimesters, and an optional senior project consisting of an internship, research, and presentation. Detractors can feel free to harp on the charter management, lack of space, perceived weaknesses in curriculum, etc. but the college results this speak for themselves. BASIS is not for every kid, but if it does work for your family, the outcomes
will be there when it is time to apply to colleges.

Don't buy this take, folks. PP is whitewashing structural problems with their BS loathe to enter the fray. I say this as the parent of a student who left after 10th grade for a private where extra curriculars, community and liberal learning are celebrated as much as exam and college results. Senior year at BASIS is a largely wasted. The focus isn't on learning or enjoying the year, it's on pushy, time-wasting forced college counseling. The AP capstone courses mentioned are poorly thought through, taught and resourced and the optional senior project is lonely, supported minimally and dramatically under-funded. No, the college results don't speak for themselves, not across the board. Fewer BASIS DC grads crack blue chip colleges than you might think. More would if they could bring serious extra-curricular accomplishments and, frankly, more time to absorb subject content, to the table. They neither have the time nor support for them in a curriculum where four years of high school is needlessly jammed into three, enrichment is paltry, parents are marginalized, respect for individual backgrounds, learning styles and interests is weak, and intellectuality is seldom promoted.

If you can afford to leave for greener pastures, you do that. Hint: The BASIS wasn't founded by, and isn't run by, educators.

Yawn. Bitter much?

Your kid washed out years ago and now you bash the school?

Per capita, Basis DC has the best college admissions results of any public school in DC.

You really can’t do better for an academically motivated kid in DC unless you want to pay $60,000/year at one of the Big 3 privates.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give us a break, it's the rare BASIS junior who's taken a dozen AP courses and exams. Few BASIS seniors bother with more APs.

PP above obviously meant anywhere where many AP or IB Diploma classes are taught to a high standard to a high-achieving cohort.

Parent of graduating BASIS senior here. I’m loathe to enter this fray because the BASIS detractors are so emotional, but this statement just isn’t true. My kid took 12 AP exams (I guess one was a submission for 2D Art as a freshman) by the end of junior year. Several of their academic peers took 12+ AP exams by the end of junior year. No BASIS seniors take APs unless they failed to satisfy one of the AP graduation requirements for a BASIS diploma. BASIS students technically satisfy DC high school grad requirements by the end of junior year, so that is a feature, not a bug. Senior year is reserved for post AP capstone courses the first two trimesters, and an optional senior project consisting of an internship, research, and presentation. Detractors can feel free to harp on the charter management, lack of space, perceived weaknesses in curriculum, etc. but the college results this speak for themselves. BASIS is not for every kid, but if it does work for your family, the outcomes
will be there when it is time to apply to colleges.

Don't buy this take, folks. PP is whitewashing structural problems with their BS loathe to enter the fray. I say this as the parent of a student who left after 10th grade for a private where extra curriculars, community and liberal learning are celebrated as much as exam and college results. Senior year at BASIS is a largely wasted. The focus isn't on learning or enjoying the year, it's on pushy, time-wasting forced college counseling. The AP capstone courses mentioned are poorly thought through, taught and resourced and the optional senior project is lonely, supported minimally and dramatically under-funded. No, the college results don't speak for themselves, not across the board. Fewer BASIS DC grads crack blue chip colleges than you might think. More would if they could bring serious extra-curricular accomplishments and, frankly, more time to absorb subject content, to the table. They neither have the time nor support for them in a curriculum where four years of high school is needlessly jammed into three, enrichment is paltry, parents are marginalized, respect for individual backgrounds, learning styles and interests is weak, and intellectuality is seldom promoted.

If you can afford to leave for greener pastures, you do that. Hint: The BASIS wasn't founded by, and isn't run by, educators.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give us a break, it's the rare BASIS junior who's taken a dozen AP courses and exams. Few BASIS seniors bother with more APs.

PP above obviously meant anywhere where many AP or IB Diploma classes are taught to a high standard to a high-achieving cohort.

Parent of graduating BASIS senior here. I’m loathe to enter this fray because the BASIS detractors are so emotional, but this statement just isn’t true. My kid took 12 AP exams (I guess one was a submission for 2D Art as a freshman) by the end of junior year. Several of their academic peers took 12+ AP exams by the end of junior year. No BASIS seniors take APs unless they failed to satisfy one of the AP graduation requirements for a BASIS diploma. BASIS students technically satisfy DC high school grad requirements by the end of junior year, so that is a feature, not a bug. Senior year is reserved for post AP capstone courses the first two trimesters, and an optional senior project consisting of an internship, research, and presentation. Detractors can feel free to harp on the charter management, lack of space, perceived weaknesses in curriculum, etc. but the college results this speak for themselves. BASIS is not for every kid, but if it does work for your family, the outcomes
will be there when it is time to apply to colleges.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give us a break, it's the rare BASIS junior who's taken a dozen AP courses and exams. Few BASIS seniors bother with more APs.

PP above obviously meant anywhere where many AP or IB Diploma classes are taught to a high standard to a high-achieving cohort.

Parent of graduating BASIS senior here. I’m loathe to enter this fray because the BASIS detractors are so emotional, but this statement just isn’t true. My kid took 12 AP exams (I guess one was a submission for 2D Art as a freshman) by the end of junior year. Several of their academic peers took 12+ AP exams by the end of junior year. No BASIS seniors take APs unless they failed to satisfy one of the AP graduation requirements for a BASIS diploma. BASIS students technically satisfy DC high school grad requirements by the end of junior year, so that is a feature, not a bug. Senior year is reserved for post AP capstone courses the first two trimesters, and an optional senior project consisting of an internship, research, and presentation. Detractors can feel free to harp on the charter management, lack of space, perceived weaknesses in curriculum, etc. but the college results this speak for themselves. BASIS is not for every kid, but if it does work for your family, the outcomes
will be there when it is time to apply to colleges.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give us a break, it's the rare BASIS junior who's taken a dozen AP courses and exams. Few BASIS seniors bother with more APs.

PP above obviously meant anywhere where many AP or IB Diploma classes are taught to a high standard to a high-achieving cohort.

Parent of graduating BASIS senior here. I’m loathe to enter this fray because the BASIS detractors are so emotional, but this statement just isn’t true. My kid took 12 AP exams (I guess one was a submission for 2D Art as a freshman) by the end of junior year. Several of their academic peers took 12+ AP exams by the end of junior year. No BASIS seniors take APs unless they failed to satisfy one of the AP graduation requirements for a BASIS diploma. BASIS students technically satisfy DC high school grad requirements by the end of junior year, so that is a feature, not a bug. Senior year is reserved for post AP capstone courses the first two trimesters, and an optional senior project consisting of an internship, research, and presentation. Detractors can feel free to harp on the charter management, lack of space, perceived weaknesses in curriculum, etc. but the college results this speak for themselves. BASIS is not for every kid, but if it does work for your family, the outcomes
will be there when it is time to apply to colleges.

Anonymous wrote:Give us a break, it's the rare BASIS junior who's taken a dozen AP courses and exams. Few BASIS seniors bother with more APs.

PP above obviously meant anywhere where many AP or IB Diploma classes are taught to a high standard to a high-achieving cohort.

Anonymous wrote:Want an "option available" if you're not happy with your DC public HS options and can't afford a private? Move a few miles to MoCo or Arlington for a high-performing neighborhood HS with fine AP choices, a stable faculty and possibly IB Diploma choices. You get more good facilities, electives and ECs than you know what to do with. I have yet to meet a DC family that regrets moving to MoCo or Arlington for HS and I've lived in Ward 6 for more than 30 years. Some of our oldest friends from DC are renting in VA for HS, planning to return to their DC homes afterwards. A couple of the families are doing this after exiting BASIS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give us a break, it's the rare BASIS junior who's taken a dozen AP courses and exams. Few BASIS seniors bother with more APs.

PP above obviously meant anywhere where many AP or IB Diploma classes are taught to a high standard to a high-achieving cohort.

But the point is that there are very few places like that in DC! JR (which you have to be in bounds for), Walls and Banneker (which you have to apply to, with no guarantee of admission), a couple of charters (again, no guarantee), and then privates (expensive and no guarantee). As I and many other Basis parents have said, it's not perfect, just that it's the best of the options available, and overall a pretty decent option for many kids.

Anonymous wrote:Give us a break, it's the rare BASIS junior who's taken a dozen AP courses and exams. Few BASIS seniors bother with more APs.

PP above obviously meant anywhere where many AP or IB Diploma classes are taught to a high standard to a high-achieving cohort.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have had a good experience at basis. Much of the loss is just people moving, as they focus on new starts in grade 5. They don’t generally add new students in later years. I am very thankful for the school.

They lose a lot after 8th.

About half that leave attend Walls, Banneker, or go elite private. That’s a great result overall. And the core that stays seems to do fantastic in terms of college admissions. From a parent perspective, these are the metrics that matter in the main, especially when compared to other DC middle schools (which are oddly off the hook).

It's just not a great result overall. No secret that many of the BASIS 8th graders leave in search of halfway decent school facilities, extra-curriculars and electives, much better. BASIS also loses students after 9th, 10th and even 11th grades to greener pastures, and not just because families move. Clued-in BASIS parents know that college admissions don't always go well for students with weak extra-curriculars, particularly if they're white and UMC students, no matter how many AP exams they may have aced.

It’s a great result if those who leave indeed find greener pastures (which most do) and those who stay get great college admissions (which they do). What’s the complaint?

The complaint is that BASIS is not in fact all that green a pasture. And the kids who stick it out and get into good colleges are not necessarily getting in because of anything about BASIS. They'd probably be fine at any number of schools.

Bingo!

Basis boots the kids who don’t get high scores and keeps the strong students and markets themselves as a place to turn your kid into a great student… but it’s not. Statistically, your kid won’t make it through - most kids leave - and if they’re one of the minority who is going to do well, they could do it anywhere and possibly be better off not going to a school run for profit and the benefit of shareholders in Phoenix. It’s a place for great students to do what they can do elsewhere, at a much lower cost to dc taxpayers.

Bitter much?

Too bad the facts contradict your lunatic ravings.

https://enrollbasis.com/2024-us-news-rankings/

+1. Bunch of Basis haters here who didn’t do their research and whose kids washed out. Pathetic.

Total BS. We did our research. Plenty. We lasted four years. Our eldest was in the top math group the entire time but made few friends and felt isolated socially. The leadership was more miserable, and the teaching more uneven, than we could have imagined. Our kids certainly didn't wash out academically. No, all three made 90s Club or better the entire time. They simply disliked BASIS. When the eldest refused to stay for high school we bailed for J-R and Deal for the younger sibs by moving to a small house we own in NW. Not great options but much happier ones. The dreary program should not expand.

This is it.

Basis lures hopeful parents in with promises of high achieving - but those kids who will high achieve there can do it anywhere - why not send them somewhere that makes them happy? Everyone else will wash out and be discouraged by the process … such a shame.

But hey - those shareholders want their money!!!

Do you really think that most smart, motivated kids who would take a dozen AP courses will "high achieve" at any neighborhood DCPS HS? Or even say, McKinley? Yes, they might do fine at Walls, JR, private schools, or some schools in MD or VA, but that's not "anywhere."

No one is taking 12 APs, but let’s say you are - the kid is extraordinary! It’s not the school that makes them.

Basis didn’t make that kid who they are and they don’t need basis to be great.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have had a good experience at basis. Much of the loss is just people moving, as they focus on new starts in grade 5. They don’t generally add new students in later years. I am very thankful for the school.

They lose a lot after 8th.

About half that leave attend Walls, Banneker, or go elite private. That’s a great result overall. And the core that stays seems to do fantastic in terms of college admissions. From a parent perspective, these are the metrics that matter in the main, especially when compared to other DC middle schools (which are oddly off the hook).

It's just not a great result overall. No secret that many of the BASIS 8th graders leave in search of halfway decent school facilities, extra-curriculars and electives, much better. BASIS also loses students after 9th, 10th and even 11th grades to greener pastures, and not just because families move. Clued-in BASIS parents know that college admissions don't always go well for students with weak extra-curriculars, particularly if they're white and UMC students, no matter how many AP exams they may have aced.

It’s a great result if those who leave indeed find greener pastures (which most do) and those who stay get great college admissions (which they do). What’s the complaint?

The complaint is that BASIS is not in fact all that green a pasture. And the kids who stick it out and get into good colleges are not necessarily getting in because of anything about BASIS. They'd probably be fine at any number of schools.

Bingo!

Basis boots the kids who don’t get high scores and keeps the strong students and markets themselves as a place to turn your kid into a great student… but it’s not. Statistically, your kid won’t make it through - most kids leave - and if they’re one of the minority who is going to do well, they could do it anywhere and possibly be better off not going to a school run for profit and the benefit of shareholders in Phoenix. It’s a place for great students to do what they can do elsewhere, at a much lower cost to dc taxpayers.

Bitter much?

Too bad the facts contradict your lunatic ravings.

https://enrollbasis.com/2024-us-news-rankings/

+1. Bunch of Basis haters here who didn’t do their research and whose kids washed out. Pathetic.

Total BS. We did our research. Plenty. We lasted four years. Our eldest was in the top math group the entire time but made few friends and felt isolated socially. The leadership was more miserable, and the teaching more uneven, than we could have imagined. Our kids certainly didn't wash out academically. No, all three made 90s Club or better the entire time. They simply disliked BASIS. When the eldest refused to stay for high school we bailed for J-R and Deal for the younger sibs by moving to a small house we own in NW. Not great options but much happier ones. The dreary program should not expand.

This is it.

Basis lures hopeful parents in with promises of high achieving - but those kids who will high achieve there can do it anywhere - why not send them somewhere that makes them happy? Everyone else will wash out and be discouraged by the process … such a shame.

But hey - those shareholders want their money!!!

Do you really think that most smart, motivated kids who would take a dozen AP courses will "high achieve" at any neighborhood DCPS HS? Or even say, McKinley? Yes, they might do fine at Walls, JR, private schools, or some schools in MD or VA, but that's not "anywhere."