04/21/2013 13:59     Subject: BASIS DC to open in 2012-2013

04/21/2013 13:45     Subject: BASIS DC to open in 2012-2013

04/21/2013 12:29     Subject: BASIS DC to open in 2012-2013

04/21/2013 12:16     Subject: BASIS DC to open in 2012-2013

04/20/2013 11:07     Subject: Re:BASIS DC to open in 2012-2013

04/20/2013 08:22     Subject: BASIS DC to open in 2012-2013

04/19/2013 22:39     Subject: Re:BASIS DC to open in 2012-2013

04/19/2013 20:36     Subject: BASIS DC to open in 2012-2013

First of all, BASIS students are allowed to graduate early, so I don't know how they are counting those students. But that to me explains the difference between 11th and 12th grade. And my dc said it might even explain the difference between 10th and 11th.

Second, I don't know whether students with 504s count as special ed, but they get accommodations just not services. If they are not counted either in DC or Arizona as special ed I think it is deceptive, because a lot of 504 kids are basically special ed/special needs. They only need an IEP for services.

I don't know which Arizona school these numbers are from, which would really interest me. Because I don't understand the attrition between 10th and 11th grade. And I would love to hear an explanation, from the Blocks or anyone. For the person who posted, where is this from, and are the other schools in AZ experiencing the same attrition rate in the middle of high school?

What I do understand is the attrition between 8th and 9th. Olga Block explained at an open house last year that they call the 8th grade year the year of decision - if you want to be an athlete, a rock star, or an auto mechanic, you continue on in another school - by choice. And there is no stigma attached.

As she said, there is no shame in that, and there shouldn't be. BASIS is based on a European model, where not all students go on to University. Some of them go to the equivalent of ITT tech, or junior or community colleges. Or just have outside interests that they want to dedicate themselves to, which is not possible if you are at high school at BASIS.

As for the Blocks, they rented an apartment in DC to try to make sure that BASIS DC would succeed with their help, which I don't think they are being paid for. And I really don't care if they are making lots of money now, as long as it has no detrimental effect on the students. They worked unbelievably hard for many years in AZ with little compensation. That is what founders of charters do. And unlike many charters, they succeeded.

It sounds from these AZ articles like forming a for profit company once you have a successful charter brand is sort of par for the course in AZ, like having an IPO in Silicon Valley if your company succeeds. It may not go over well here, but it is accepted in Arizona and unless someone can prove it is detrimentally affecting the students, they should be quiet. Charter schools have a high failure rate, just like start ups. The Blocks could have decided to do something else to make money.

DC is BASIS's first school outside of AZ, and I do not think the Blocks or the teachers or the director etc were prepared for this social or educational challenges, and the tricky racial issues. I don't know why the chose DC, but I am very grateful, and the faculty,etc and the Blocks all have a vested interest in its success. They Blocks also, as everyone now has pointed out, have an additional non-altruistic motive for the BASIS brand to succeed on a national level, and not to let failure in DC happen. That makes me feel more secure, not less. Money is a great motivator. Capitalism works.

But the Blocks really struck me as idealists and crusaders, with the money being a side benefit. They believed that if you get students in 5th grade who are willing to work anything is possible. That may not be true in DC for a variety of reasons. We all know that overall the public schools in AZ are leaps and bounds ahead of DCPS. And I don't think AZ has such a racially charged environment, or so many social problems. I agree that they were unprepared.

That does not mean they will fail here. It is pretty clear that they did not get what they wanted from the charter board because, like Creative Minds, they are new. And a lot of charters fail. But there is already a core group of students for whom BASIS is an unqualified success. They are doing a great job for my dc and his group of friends (all of whom are succeeding academically). My son has a 504 and gets accommodations like extra time for tests and quizzes.

Academic achievement is recognized and rewarded, as is effort. I do not think they will fail the kids who are willing to try hard and go to summer school either. Or incoming 5th graders next year, now that they know a bit more about DC. I do not think they can make summer school mandatory for students before they come in September, but I think the message is already getting around, and smart parents will send their kids to summer school if the diagnostic testing indicates that they need it.

I also hope that parents of kids who do not need extra help will seriously consider BASIS as a real option instead of Deal or private school. We have two kids in our class who came from private school, and they have never looked back. The additional bonus is that my child will only be competing with other kids from dc charters, not even dc public schools, from what I understand. And the privates are in a different category.

I just don't see any cronyism that is disgraceful here. Just capitalism, which sometimes plays favorites with people they know can get the job done. That is not illegal. It is efficient. And it seems to be standard in AZ. The Blocks are not Marion Barry, and they show no signs and have no interest in turning either BASIS or the for profit company into a welfare state. They live and die by the success of all these schools, and success is measured by academics. They will not water down their standards except for the 7th and 8th graders at BASIS DC.

And I think the Blocks deserve the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I do not think they will suddenly change and betray the kids to make a profit. I met both of them and although I did not know about the money, they recognized the conflict and Olga is no longer on the board. And the national board is a group of very impressive people, who I hope will serve as an extra watch dog on the for profit company.

The Blocks and BASIS, and BASIS DC care about kids. They want success for every child, and they offer a lot of help to those who are struggling. And they reward hard work and academic achievement and get the kids to take pride in and respect success. I doubt they are so forgiving of employees in their for profit company. But then they are not children. And that is really what I believe the Blocks are focused on.