Because they're going to get a lot of students who can't keep up with the AP track. And they're not allowed just fail them out. It's not a selective school. Anyone can apply and Basis must take them. And once they take them, they must educate them. Not every kid is ready for AP material at such a young age - so by law, Basis will have to find a way to educate them - and pass them - according to DC Standards.

I'm confused. Isn't the whole point of the school to have every MS kid on track to take 8 AP classes in HS? So you think that they will in fact water down the curriculum for certain kids, lacking an alternative? How can you be sure? Other PPs sound equally convinced that Basis will definitely not water down the curriculum for any kid. Is the jury out on this issue until those 7th grade end of year exams kick in?

Anonymous wrote:Don't understand the tracking angle. You mean that Basis plans to offer more than one level for the MS subjects it teaches? Or nobody knows yet? I didn't attend the info sessions, and don't have a kid heading there in the fall, so don't know what their approach to tracking will be. If every kid is on the road to take 8 AP classes, or leave, why would the school track? The AP track is the highest track.

We're looking at moving to Takoma Park if our kid doesn't get into Latin, or maybe Basis, for MS, from Capitol Hill. Takoma MS offers honors classes for most subjects (outside the county-wide math magnet, serving 1/3 of the kids) has a greenhouse, radio station kids run, two gyms, great playing fields and tennis courts, well-stocked computer and science labls etc. I worry about the facilities at these DC charters, and DCPS middle schools other than Deal, which seem minimal by comparison. Anybody else concerned?

Because they're going to get a lot of students who can't keep up with the AP track. And they're not allowed just fail them out. It's not a selective school. Anyone can apply and Basis must take them. And once they take them, they must educate them. Not every kid is ready for AP material at such a young age - so by law, Basis will have to find a way to educate them - and pass them - according to DC Standards.

Don't understand the tracking angle. You mean that Basis plans to offer more than one level for the MS subjects it teaches? Or nobody knows yet? I didn't attend the info sessions, and don't have a kid heading there in the fall, so don't know what their approach to tracking will be. If every kid is on the road to take 8 AP classes, or leave, why would the school track? The AP track is the highest track.

We're looking at moving to Takoma Park if our kid doesn't get into Latin, or maybe Basis, for MS, from Capitol Hill. Takoma MS offers honors classes for most subjects (outside the county-wide math magnet, serving 1/3 of the kids) has a greenhouse, radio station kids run, two gyms, great playing fields and tennis courts, well-stocked computer and science labls etc. I worry about the facilities at these DC charters, and DCPS middle schools other than Deal, which seem minimal by comparison. Anybody else concerned?

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely right. Those students will come and they will stay. You'd be amazed at how many parents choose to keep their kids in charters even when the model is a terrible match for their kids' learning needs. if it's a safe school and the parents perceive it to have an upwardly mobile population, then they won't move. Basis will need to be prepared to serve a huge diversity of kids and figure out how to meet their needs while trying to maintain the integrity of their charter model. it's a struggle that all charters have to face.

BASIS will then look like a lot of other schools. The difference in approach may be academic tracking instead of the sham known as differentiated teaching.

Absolutely right. Those students will come and they will stay. You'd be amazed at how many parents choose to keep their kids in charters even when the model is a terrible match for their kids' learning needs. if it's a safe school and the parents perceive it to have an upwardly mobile population, then they won't move. Basis will need to be prepared to serve a huge diversity of kids and figure out how to meet their needs while trying to maintain the integrity of their charter model. it's a struggle that all charters have to face.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does every assume that the children coming into Basis are not very bright? Most of the parents I talked to say the reason that they are sending their to Basis, is because they are not being challenged. I think Basis may have pulled the cream of the crop from all over DC.

Doubtful. The ones that are in public school at all are more likely to already be at Latin or Deal. It's nice to have BASIS to add to the mix, and it will be nice to have the DCI to add to the mix, but the fantasy that BASIS should become some sort of MS magnet equivalent of TJ is just that - a fantasy.

That's right because it's a CHARTER school that is mandated to take all comers. Now, I can totally see it succeeding by marketing itself in such a way as to discourage the below grade level student and/or to rely on attrition when those who are average and below aren't able to meet expectations. That's only legal way.

I'd expect that to invite a lot of scrutiny. Charter schools are already being accused of cherry-picking and not serving special needs students. Not having a plan in place to meet those needs is going to be like painting a bullseye on their back.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does every assume that the children coming into Basis are not very bright? Most of the parents I talked to say the reason that they are sending their to Basis, is because they are not being challenged. I think Basis may have pulled the cream of the crop from all over DC.

Doubtful. The ones that are in public school at all are more likely to already be at Latin or Deal. It's nice to have BASIS to add to the mix, and it will be nice to have the DCI to add to the mix, but the fantasy that BASIS should become some sort of MS magnet equivalent of TJ is just that - a fantasy.

That's right because it's a CHARTER school that is mandated to take all comers. Now, I can totally see it succeeding by marketing itself in such a way as to discourage the below grade level student and/or to rely on attrition when those who are average and below aren't able to meet expectations. That's only legal way.

Anonymous wrote:Why does every assume that the children coming into Basis are not very bright? Most of the parents I talked to say the reason that they are sending their to Basis, is because they are not being challenged. I think Basis may have pulled the cream of the crop from all over DC.

Doubtful. The ones that are in public school at all are more likely to already be at Latin or Deal. It's nice to have BASIS to add to the mix, and it will be nice to have the DCI to add to the mix, but the fantasy that BASIS should become some sort of MS magnet equivalent of TJ is just that - a fantasy.

Anonymous wrote:Why does every assume that the children coming into Basis are not very bright? Most of the parents I talked to say the reason that they are sending their to Basis, is because they are not being challenged. I think Basis may have pulled the cream of the crop from all over DC.

Or those kids who are inherently bright but are not really learning much because they have had really crappy and lazy teachers who talk the talk and write elaborate lesson plans but in reality take the easy way by printing worksheet after worksheet and pass them out to the kids. There are also those teachers who assign long term projects where children have to sit at the computer and work on their google docs daily for at least an hour for weeks and months until the project is finished. The latter "methodology" supposedly teaches kids how to research and develop higher level thinking.
And somehow these so called teachers are getting many parents believe their child is learning so much!

One more thing -- EVERY school drills for the DC CAS. Some of them admit to it, others don't. Those schools who take pride by claiming they don't teach to the test, absolutely do so for months . It's just that they have a way of presenting all the cramming under some other other umbrella or format.
I have worked at several schools for over a decade and know exactly what goes on. And just because students do well in the DC CAS does not necessarily mean they are on grade level. I know this first hand from my own kids who do quite well on their DC CAS tests but are otherwise are below grade level. For many kids you change the format of the test to a format they have never seen before and they are unable to use higher level thinking skills to solve a rather easy problem.
I am really rooting for BASIS to succeed, and hoping all teachers are truly dedicated to each and every student's success.

Why does every assume that the children coming into Basis are not very bright? Most of the parents I talked to say the reason that they are sending their to Basis, is because they are not being challenged. I think Basis may have pulled the cream of the crop from all over DC.

Shame on you PPs, not equitable to have a math gifted kid! Your kid should be helping the slow kids in her class, not moving far beyond them! Not equitable to have graduated from an Ivy! Can't you see how unfair it all is to the low SES kids? Don't youknow that your tax dollars should go to children with lottery luck rather than exceptional ability? What, you don't see it? What's wrong with you?

Let's hope so, I'm skeptical though. Without serious academic magnets programs, as in the burbs, there isn't a DC public high school that gets many kids to Ivies. Only a handful make the grade from Banneker, Walls, Wilson. Perhaps we can hope that a handful soon will from Latin. Blair in Mo. Co. got 152 into Ivies this spring. No wonder the parents of the most advanced kids still vote with their feet in droves - DC never seems to be in a rush to serve such students. We're looking at the Takoma Park math magnet for 6th, concerned that Basis is taking too many kids who aren't math gifted and never will be. You could give my kid all the great drawing, music and dance lessons in the world and she'd still be hopeless at art, and tone deaf.

"Latin MS is fine, but we're going private or Walls for HS" (places that are a sure bet). As more and more children who would be top of the class anywhere stay at Latin for High School, the college entrance pattern will change. Latin has been ready to meet the needs of the children, and has been adding honors and APs and Science Fairs for any kids seeking the challenge.

Anonymous wrote:And isn't the first graduating class from Latin super small? Something like 20 students? So the person complaining that she hasn't seen any of those 20 kids interviewing for her blessed Ivy is truly living on Mars.

Not sure what Mars has to do with anything. Sounds like s/he thought that the "most academic" MS in the city would be feeding into one of the most academic high schools, feeding kids into top colleges. It hasn't been the case, so s/he asked why, and if PPs think that will change, probably out of concern. Good question. Many others will want to know, too.

And isn't the first graduating class from Latin super small? Something like 20 students? So the person complaining that she hasn't seen any of those 20 kids interviewing for her blessed Ivy is truly living on Mars.