Despite the law, no school will ever be perfect for every kid. That is just reality. On the other hand, I have seen no other school putting as much effort into meeting kids where they are and preparing them for higher expectations than BASIS. Is there any other school that has provided free tutoring to students in the year BEFORE they enter to try to get them to where they need to be?

Anonymous wrote:

Schools can't make up for what those kids lack. When is society going to accept that and start helping those kids?

Oh PP, stop making sense.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I favor kids being academically prepared to go to the next grade. At the junior high level it's hard to begin to demand this.

So the alternative is what?

It's called "meeting them where they are" and finding an academic pathway to a HS diploma. Just because a student isn't going to take AP classes doesn't mean they're not worth educating or don't deserve a HS diploma. A public charter school doesn't get to say "we'll only take the wheat thank-you-very-much, the chaff needs to be sent back to their neighborhood school."

Why not? The achievement gap has proven impossible to close. Why do we guarantee the failure of charters by demanding that they close the achievement gap?

The charter law creates a financial incentive to serve the needs of all children, provided those needs can be served for about $9,000 per student per year, plus the facilities allotment. Charters that focus on particular segments can serve the needs of those segments more efficiently.

What's wrong with having a charter that focuses on providing a rigorous college prep curriculum? Clearly, not all DC kids are college bound. Aren't the needs of those DC kids who are not college bound better served by charters that provide vocational training?

Isn't the charter law about school choice? About creating alternatives to DCPS?

Because if charters are allowed to cherry pick the best students and leave everyone behind we'll have a two-tiered system for sure. Charters offer choice, they also offer the district schools competition so that they will reform. I am all in favor of more rigorous schools. If DCPS wants to create a magnet MS, then it can be selective. But charters have to educate everyone who walks through the door, regardless of ability or disability.

Basis may go the way of Latin and Yu Ying and skew disproportionately upper middle-class, but at the end of the day they don't get to choose their students.

Anonymous wrote:

What's wrong with having a charter that focuses on providing a rigorous college prep curriculum? Clearly, not all DC kids are college bound. Aren't the needs of those DC kids who are not college bound better served by charters that provide vocational training?

Isn't the charter law about school choice? About creating alternatives to DCPS?

This is my first post on this board about BASIS. My children are way too young but I've been following the debate with interest. Certainly, we do have tech-oriented charters and a hospitality high etc. So BASIS could round out the mix.

This post (quoted) sparked my memory that there is a charter school for the "gifted, talented, and creative" in Colorado Springs. Here's an introduction to it: http://charterinsights.blogspot.com/2010/01/its-always-interesting-experience.html Open to all, but they're looking for self-identified gifted, talented, and creative learners I guess. One thing that seems different (and good) about this school is that they recognize that kids have different gifts so it sounds like the whole school has math at the same time, and kids can take 2nd grade math (for ex) but 4th grade English (or whatever). No admission requirements, no entrance test, but they do ask you to look at whether your child would be a good fit (while mentioning they are welcoming to all): http://www.academyacl.org/site/goodfit.html

Would this kind of thing fly in DC? I tend to doubt it but I welcome thoughts on this!

DCPS has failed students just in the last five years by insisting that all that was needed were excellent teachers who could raise reading and math comprehension dramatically so kids who were behind could get up to grade level.

It was always a stupid idea, based on beliefs instead of common sense.

Before that (and now) the city failed students by not not taking their home lives into consideration and just offering social promotion and worthless diplomas to kids who didn't have the benefits of a stable home life.

Schools can't make up for what those kids lack. When is society going to accept that and start helping those kids?

Crabs in a barrel.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I favor kids being academically prepared to go to the next grade. At the junior high level it's hard to begin to demand this.

So the alternative is what?

It's called "meeting them where they are" and finding an academic pathway to a HS diploma. Just because a student isn't going to take AP classes doesn't mean they're not worth educating or don't deserve a HS diploma. A public charter school doesn't get to say "we'll only take the wheat thank-you-very-much, the chaff needs to be sent back to their neighborhood school."

Why not? The achievement gap has proven impossible to close. Why do we guarantee the failure of charters by demanding that they close the achievement gap?

The charter law creates a financial incentive to serve the needs of all children, provided those needs can be served for about $9,000 per student per year, plus the facilities allotment. Charters that focus on particular segments can serve the needs of those segments more efficiently.

What's wrong with having a charter that focuses on providing a rigorous college prep curriculum? Clearly, not all DC kids are college bound. Aren't the needs of those DC kids who are not college bound better served by charters that provide vocational training?

Isn't the charter law about school choice? About creating alternatives to DCPS?

Anonymous wrote:Welcome to PUBLIC education, where EVERYONE's needs must be addressed. If you want to exclude students based on aptitude, you need a private school or a magnet. Basis is neither, it's going to have to educate the same kids as every other Ward 1 school.

+1

Welcome to PUBLIC education, where EVERYONE's needs must be addressed. If you want to exclude students based on aptitude, you need a private school or a magnet. Basis is neither, it's going to have to educate the same kids as every other Ward 1 school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I favor kids being academically prepared to go to the next grade. At the junior high level it's hard to begin to demand this.

So the alternative is what?

It's called "meeting them where they are" and finding an academic pathway to a HS diploma. Just because a student isn't going to take AP classes doesn't mean they're not worth educating or don't deserve a HS diploma. A public charter school doesn't get to say "we'll only take the wheat thank-you-very-much, the chaff needs to be sent back to their neighborhood school."

The goal should not be a high school diploma. It should be an education. We already have too many worthless diplomas in this city.

When even a low-wage menial job requires a HS diploma, it is a goal. Improving the educational content to get there is the way to do it. Flunking is not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I favor kids being academically prepared to go to the next grade. At the junior high level it's hard to begin to demand this.

Junior high? Kids probably shouldn't be leaving elementary school without at least having the foundational capabilities of reading, writing, and basic arithmetic. Yet I've witnessed kids coasting right through the DCPS system to graduate, yet unable to even complete a job application on their own. That means, DCPS has completely failed them from K through 12. That is completely unacceptable.

Because flunking them out entirely and virtually assuring their path to jail is acceptable?

Seriously, it means they need remedial education. They need targeted intervention. They need extra supports. But, they don't need to be held back a grade, it does not work.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I favor kids being academically prepared to go to the next grade. At the junior high level it's hard to begin to demand this.

So the alternative is what?

It's called "meeting them where they are" and finding an academic pathway to a HS diploma. Just because a student isn't going to take AP classes doesn't mean they're not worth educating or don't deserve a HS diploma. A public charter school doesn't get to say "we'll only take the wheat thank-you-very-much, the chaff needs to be sent back to their neighborhood school."

The goal should not be a high school diploma. It should be an education. We already have too many worthless diplomas in this city.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I favor kids being academically prepared to go to the next grade. At the junior high level it's hard to begin to demand this.

So the alternative is what?

It's called "meeting them where they are" and finding an academic pathway to a HS diploma. Just because a student isn't going to take AP classes doesn't mean they're not worth educating or don't deserve a HS diploma. A public charter school doesn't get to say "we'll only take the wheat thank-you-very-much, the chaff needs to be sent back to their neighborhood school."

Anonymous wrote:I favor kids being academically prepared to go to the next grade. At the junior high level it's hard to begin to demand this.

Junior high? Kids probably shouldn't be leaving elementary school without at least having the foundational capabilities of reading, writing, and basic arithmetic. Yet I've witnessed kids coasting right through the DCPS system to graduate, yet unable to even complete a job application on their own. That means, DCPS has completely failed them from K through 12. That is completely unacceptable.

Anonymous wrote:I favor kids being academically prepared to go to the next grade. At the junior high level it's hard to begin to demand this.

So the alternative is what?