This horror story written by a parent of a child at BASIS San Antonio deserves to be read in its entirety. I don’t know enough about the daily education at BASIS charters to write about the curriculum, pedagogy or atmosphere at the schools, which is why I stay away of those topics in my posts. I’m presenting this narrative without comment. People can read it and draw their own conclusions. As always, people who have personal experiences at any BASIS schools should feel free to comment, in agreement or disagreement, and add experiences of their own.
The narrative is on Gene Glass’ blog, Education in Two Worlds. Glass is a Regents’ Professor Emeritus from Arizona State University and a staff member at the National Education Policy Center (NEPC). I linked to a few narratives on his blog about BASIS charters in Phoenix in an earlier post.
I recommend you read the entire narrative, but here are a few excerpts.
Our son is a 6th grade student. His education at BASIS included Chemistry, Physics, Algebra, Art History, World History, Biology, Physical Education. Every night starting the first day of school, he was assigned between 3-5 hours worth of homework. Throughout the school year, he gave up all extracurricular activities in order to complete the homework requirements. By the end of the school year, he would come home at 4 pm, open his books and go to bed at 9 pm only stopping to eat dinner. If he did not have his homework completed 100% by the next school day, he would receive a zero on the homework assignment. The homework assignments and projects were also required on Saturday and Sunday.
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There is not a requirement /regulation of a nurse at BASIS San Antonio. Our son became ill with the flu in December. Because there was no nurse and no nurse’s station, when our son became extremely ill at school, he was sent to the boy’s bathroom and was unsupervised by an adult for over 45 minutes while young boys using the restroom walked in and out of the restroom. When I arrived at the school, he was lying on his backpack under the urinals in the boy’s bathroom. As a result, our son was placed in the PICU for treatment of pneumonia and the flu and missed three weeks of school.
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We have a 22 year old daughter with a terminal illness. I emailed all of our son’s teachers/administrators to let them know that our son may need additional support and at times could be sad due to the situation at home. Not one teacher or administrator communicated back. I called and left messages with all teachers. No calls were returned. I contacted Mr. Ross, new Assistant Head of School and he claimed that he received the email but he was transitioning into his new role and just forgot to contact us.
This article appears in Jun 5-11, 2014.
This is a terrifying story. It’s darn near unbelievable. I’d like to see the follow-up on it, including the police reports from when the parents called them to report these abuses. If those reports don’t exist, I think it’s just a story.
Sharing horror stories on a news site without any kind of investigation isn’t just irresponsible. It’s disappointing.
I don’t have any irons in this particular fire, but I do find this current campaign of BASIS horror stories to be troubling. If this is an authentic problem, then it needs to be addressed. If it’s just people with axes to grind, then that needs to be exposed.
I do find this statement very disturbing. “I’m presenting this narrative without comment. People can read it and draw their own conclusions.” Anyone with even the slightest idea of how journalism works ought to realize that is a chickenhearted comment. When a journalist publishes anything at all, it’s being done to either support or attack a position. Otherwise, it’s just spreading gossip.
Is the Tucson Weekly a gossip rag, now?
BASIS has some great schools. My kids go to is BASIS Tucson North. We have two well rounded kids that do well at BASIS, play team sports, participate in the Drama program, attend Sunday school and one day of religious school. They don’t have 5 hours of homework ever or even close. They are motivated to get high grades without mom and dad standing over them. If they flunk a test(rarely, if ever) they get right back up and try again. If they get a 0 for not turning in homework, they are ALWAYS given an opportunity to hand it in later or do extra credit. My family is no different than yours. We are neither rich nor poor. This year we have suffered family tragedies and yet our kids still did well….
If you are looking for an academic challenge, then BASIS a great place. There was no barrier to entry other than getting on the lottery list. No testing is necessary. The work is more challenging than what the kids will see in some public schools.
I have no problems with public schooling but in OUR EXPERIENCE living in Tucson for 10 years, coming from the East coast, the schools are lacking all around.
Sounds to me like they need to toughen and smarten this kid up a bit
Regarding Gonzo’s “When a journalist publishes anything at all, it’s being done to either support or attack a position.”… Note that that’s not journalism you describe. It’s editorial, or opinion pieces. Actual Journalism is unbiased reporting of information.
I know Fox has mangled understanding of what that means, or how that can possibly be done, but sharing information, is journalism. Expressing opinions or taking sides, is NOT journalism.
Granted, this piece isn’t actually journalism… but that’s because it’s not investigating and presenting more info. And that’s because this is the internet, and a blog, a format where interesting / thought provoking stuff is shared and readers are expected to investigate cross-references for themselves.
That is what makes blogging different than Journalism, as well as the fact that usually bloggers do infuse the post with their own opinions.
But sometimes, just sharing something for others to look into, is what a blog does, and that’s also a good thing.
J:
I attended a public school system in New Jersey – perhaps I should modify that statement and add that I went through a New Jersey public school system in a nice town, not some place like Camden or Newark. I agree whole-heartedly with you that the Tucson schools are not up to east coast standards.
However, J, when you say, “My family is no different than yours. We are neither rich nor poor,” I think you are not truly aware of the conditions with which many of Tucson’s children live. Many Tucson families can only be described as just plain, bone poor.
J, you did something that is not so usual. You took an active role in your child’s education. I’m sure you will say that it wasn’t really that much, and in your world you would be correct. However, many Tucson folks live in a different world.
I work in public education, but I am not a certified teacher. I teach in specialized areas that do not currently require certification. I wish all my students came from families that had your mind-set, many do, but definitely not all.
The power of that proper mind-set, the proper attitude cannot be overestimated. You and I come from families that believed that life held possibilities. Your children are blessed to be growing up in that environment.
We should have a system that allows the students like your kids to attend a school like BASIS and thrive. It should just not be held up as the one size that will fit all.
One of the most unrealistic statements we often make about a fellow citizens is, “If I can do it, anyone can.”
Mr. Safier seems to have a hard on for the Basis Schools. What is his agenda?
Isadoro:
Why is it unrealistic to say “If I can do it, anyone can”? There are people with horrible circumstances in life that went on to achieve great things.
There are kids who are “plain, bone poor” that attend BASIS Schools and succeed.
J, how many kids at BASIS North are from families on food stamps?
Thanks for sharing the information David. I think your blog is an excellent source for information regarding education in Tucson and Arizona.
I read the entire narrative and I am not sure how I feel about this story. If true, then BASIS should be held legally responsible. If it is not true, Mrs. Almager (the mother of this child who made these accusations) should be held liable for her statements as they may be construed as libel.
Is this a blog? Yes. Does the public use this as a source for information? Yes! Which is why I think posting unsubstantiated accusations against BASIS probably should come with a better disclaimer from you David.
You say:
” I don’t know enough about the daily education at BASIS charters to write about the curriculum, pedagogy or atmosphere at the schools, which is why I stay away of those topics in my posts. I’m presenting this narrative without comment. People can read it and draw their own conclusions.”
Just by posting this to your blog you have substantiated these claims, despite your admission that you do not know enough “about the curriculum, pedagogy or atmosphere” at BASIS . Does this post belong here? Yes! You are providing information to the community and trying to start a conversation. I just think it needs a better disclaimer so people know that this is only an accusation, one with seemingly no evidence at this point.
I apologize if this sounded too critical but this post did somewhat deviate from your usual high standards. Keep up the good work David.
Interesting comment, HumanBean, and probably appropriate. The blog that published the entire narrative ended with this: “The opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not represent the official position of NEPC, Arizona State University, nor the University of Colorado Boulder.” I might have been wise to write something similar.
My sons went to BASIS Oro Valley the first year it was open. We took them out after their 3rd quarter. Their homework experience was similar and the stress was causing behavior and physical problems. They returned to public school and found it undisiciplined, unchallenging, and pretty much the opposite of BASIS. Sports, music, and art again became part of their lives. Now they are out of Cross and at CDO we are quite happy with the curriculum and quality of education but I think they learned more at BASIS in 7 months than 3 years at Cross. Something in between the two extremes would have been nice. I believe in public school conceptually, but we have taken away too much of the school’s authority to discipline and separate students by ability. BASIS, on the other hand, is driven to churn out only the kids who can deal with a high stress level and complete lack of any childhood but school. It is a horrible place to be a child.
David it doesn’t matter “if it would have been wise for you to post something similar” you didn’t, instead you posted a 1 sided blog and present it as a reality. Whatever happened to investigation or questioning? Is it possible that this parent is irrational and has a grudge? Maybe some of the stuff is true, however you did nothing more than say “here this is…” What kind of parent keeps their kid at a school they think is unsafe?
David- could you not think of anything on your own to write this week and just decided to report a blog? If this is gets pushed and found to be untrue, you should be held responsible for libel as well. Repeating someone else’s libel statements with a disclaimer does not make you any less liable. I know if I were one of the people named, or on the board of this school, I would be having a long discussion this weekend with my legal counsel.
My kids just started Basis Tucson this year for kindergarten and 2nd grade. Yes, there is more homework than most traditional schools, but we choose to put them in an accelerated school. My son who just finsished 2nd grade has learned more than most 3rd graders. He loves his school and goes around my house speaking Mandarin
Thomas, My daughter goes to BASIS and I would qualify for food stamps, if I chose to pursue them. But, I don’t.
It doesn’t cost money to go to BASIS. All it costs is a child’s and a parent’s desire for a better education and the focus and drive to go get it.
My son is a second grader at BASIS Tucson and we couldn’t be happier with the school. The homework doesn’t seem to be extreme since my son typically finishes most of it while he is at the afterschool program. The aftershool program allows the kids a quiet place to study if they want before going out to play. Its a nice change from the previous public school he attended where the afterschool program had the kids to sit around and play video games for hours. He also gets more physical activity than at his previous school where PE was only offered two days a week. At the BASIS elementary he has PE every day. Also far more exposure to arts and humanities than in his previous school. He is also learning Mandarin which he loves, and I think learning a second language- any language, early when it is easiest to learn, should be an opportunity available in all elementary schools but seems to be a priority for almost no TUSD school besides Davis. I agree that BASIS isn’t the perfect fit for every kid – we were told that if our kid doesn’t like to read he probably won’t like BASIS. Luckily he loves to read and tells me he loves everything about the school. I don’t know anything about what the staff is like for other BASIS schools, but we found the teachers at BASIS Tucson to be incredibly caring and responsive to even the smallest of concerns.
I would like to point out as a parent that has two kids in BASIS Tucson, that yes, the kids have more than normal loads of homework. My kids have had accidents in school and I was called for even the minor things, like my son bumped heads with another kid while playing football, in case a bruise shows up. I can’t believe that a child would be laying in the bathroom floor for 45 minutes by himself without the parents being notified. The staff at BASIS look after our kids as if they were there own. My son’s kindergarten teacher sent all the kids in the class a personalized note and almost cried when we picked our son up on the last day of school
Judging from the comments of parents whose kids actually attend BASIS schools, it appears an unsubstantiated blog from New Mexico is a bit of a rancid red herring and an insult to even grade school journalism. Safier has abdicated responsibility from his, what would you call it, hit piece?
Swell.
He owes BASIS, its parents, teachers and administrators an apology. We readers can simply shudder and wonder what were his motivations to engage in tabloid reporting and then sneak off tail between his legs. Too may beers with Danehy?
I’ve read lots of comments and heard lots of stories about BASIS, pro and con. The narrative I posted is the most extreme example of student stress I’ve read or heard, but there are lots of similar but less dramatic stories out there. Some kids find the demands of the school more than they can handle, and it causes them psychological distress, sometimes at dangerously high levels.
There’s a lesson to be taken from this. BASIS shouldn’t advertise itself as a school where all students can succeed if they try hard enough, because that’s clearly not the case. A more honest approach would be for BASIS to be forthright about its sky-high expectations and the fact that some students lack the academic ability, motivation or psychological makeup to succeed. Armed with that kind of knowledge, parents would be better able to assess whether their children are a good fit for the school. And if they enroll their children in BASIS and find they’re not doing well, they’ll be better able to understand what’s going on and ease their children out of the school with less of a sense that the children have failed.
Note, I’m not saying BASIS is awful and parents shouldn’t send their children there. I’m saying what I’ve always said, that BASIS should stop promoting the myth that it takes students with a wide variety of academic abilities and miraculously turns them into world beaters.
Unfortunately, I don’t expect BASIS to end its myth promotion any time soon, because its schools are the poster children for those who indulge in “government school” bashing. Privatizers love to point to BASIS as an example of why privately run charters are superior to district-run schools. The schools’ founders are invested in that myth, so I expect they’ll run with it as long as they can.
David,
I have never heard that BASIS touts itself as a school able to turn any student into “world beaters”. As a matter of fact, if you sit through an orientation, it is made abundantly clear numerous times throughout the presentation that BASIS is not for everyone and that the expectations are high. I have attended an orientation/informational session for both BASIS Tucson and BASIS Tucson North and found this to be true both times. The parents are given ample opportunity to ask questions and find out if BASIS would be a good fit for their child. Have you even sat through one of these?
Sadly, there are many parents that want their child to go to BASIS even though it is not a good fit, so they still enroll them. Then they turn around and blame BASIS when their child is unsuccessful. My step-daughter’s mother is one of those people. We absolutely knew that her academic profile was not a fit for BASIS, but her mother enrolled her anyway. She was failing by the first grading period and failed out completely. Did we blame BASIS? Absolutely not. Did she blame BASIS? Probably.
Jen Troy-Owens, I would be thrilled if you can point me to a place where one of the school heads, board members or founders of BASIS have said what you said. All the public statements I have read talk about the schools’ “open enrollment” — true, but misleading — and say that BASIS provides a model which district-run schools can and should follow. Because the top people involved with the schools repeat this myth in public and it is picked up by the “education reform”/privatization promoters, it is repeated by columnists and public figures. That helps distort our national discussion about education, which does a disservice to our children.
Maybe you read the post Julia Toews, Head of BASIS Tucson North, wrote on The Range — http://www.tucsonweekly.com/TheRange/archi… . The impression her post leaves with me is that BASIS has a student body that is representative of the general Tucson community and that anyone can succeed who is willing to put in the work. In other words, it doesn’t acknowledge that, as you say, “BASIS is not for everyone,” that for some children it is not a “good fit.” Do you read her words differently?
Thank you for the link. I do read her words differently. I too take from it that anyone can succeed at BASIS who is willing to put in the work. BUT, please note the last part…who is willing to put in the work. I will write about my experience with my daughter and step-daughter and it hopefully can give you a more clear understanding of what willing to put in the work means.
My daughter did the entrance placement testing and it was shown that she was going to have difficulty in math without some extra help. She was immediately placed on an academic support program from the first day of school which included meeting with her coordinator, attending “Math Lab” every morning 30 minutes before school and attending math “Student Hours” twice a week after school. This was ongoing through the first two grading periods and then she had kept her grades up enough that she didn’t have to see the coordinator anymore. Being the kid she is, she continued to attend Math Lab every morning and Student Hours twice a week because she WANTED to. It was helpful to her and she used that tool to enhance her class instruction. She passed math (barely) and is already talking about how she is going to do better next year. Not only did she attend her math Student Hours, but she attended Student Hours for her other classes as well and stayed after school an hour every day to do her homework at school where she could get help if she needed it.
My step-daughter was enrolled in BASIS and was immediately falling behind. She did NOT go to school early for extra help. She did NOT go to Student Hours for extra help. Her mother did NOT step in and have her get extra help, but instead claimed the role of facilitator (whatever that means). We had known from the beginning that she was not a self guided learner outside of school, was very unorganized and needed to be supervised to assure that her work was completed. Her mother would not do this and therefore she did not qualify as a child who was “willing to do the work” needed to succeed at BASIS. She now attends a TUSD school and is an average student.
My son went to a TUSD middle school last year and I WISH he was given the tools that BASIS does. He needed daily math tutoring. He needed after school subject tutoring. But, that wasn’t offered or available. Oh sure, he could go to the library 30 minutes after school once a week, but his teacher wasn’t there. He could ask the librarian for help. That was more frustrating to him than helpful. Am I going to put him in BASIS so he can get that help? HECK NO! He is not a student willing to do the work and I as his parent know this! He is leaving TUSD for a charter school that has already given him testing to find his learning strengths and weaknesses. He has met the teachers and sat down with the principal on several occasions already. He is excited to start this new school because he feels like he won’t fall in the cracks.
My oldest daughter is very smart, but was failing at a TUSD high school. She wouldn’t do the homework and she is not an organized thinker so 6 classes were overwhelming. I took her out of her TUSD high school and put her in a charter high school that did classes in blocks and because she was in each class for 1:45 a day, there was no homework. Just this change gave her what she needed to get back on track and graduate with honors.
My other daughter excels at a TUSD high school, is ahead in credits and does the JTED program for aviation as well.
The reason I wrote all that is to say that all kids are different and need different things!
So, Ms. Toews’ explanation of BASIS is very truthful. Any child CAN succeed at BASIS if they are willing to do the work. But, not every child is willing!! Just like any child can succeed at a TUSD school if they are willing to do the work. But, some kids aren’t. Some kids can’t. This is not a school’s fault, per se. I actually put the onus on the parents to observe their children’s learning style and personality and find a school that is the right fit. I am thrilled there are options for everyone. But, it does concern me that I am finding so much animosity towards BASIS for being a challenging school with high standards. How is that a bad thing?? Do we really want all schools to be mediocre so nobody fails and nobody excels. That is a pretty scary thought.
What troubles me about Safier’s comments is his apparent view that BASIS, as a private entity, must by definition be at odds with public schooling. I would argue that if education in the United States is to recover the status it once held, BASIS provides a blueprint.
Are they lying when they say students are admitted under open enrollment? No. Are they claiming all BASIS students will become super-achieving wunderkinds? No.
Are they being forthright with the parents who actually attend the open house orientations as to the rigorous demands of the BASIS schools. Yes, if we are to believe the parents who’ve done so and commented above. Has Safier attended any of these orientations or interviewed BASIS administrators before posting unsubstantiated tales of educational malfeasance? I’ll let him answer.
BASIS is one example of a successful charter school network. There are many others. There are also many charter schools that do no better, and some worse, than their public school counterparts. The experiment continues. There is nothing sacrosanct about the current state of public educational practice, organization and politics. Our schools are failing to keep abreast of the achievements in other nations, often dramatically so. Knee jerk rants about charter schools in general by the Weekly’s omniscient high school sports reporter, or one-sided tabloid journalism by Safier, helps nothing, contributes nothing.
BASIS is demanding. It demands hard work by students and continuing involvement by their parents. Clearly this is a model that will not suit all. For those willing to meet those demands, it is obvious that BASIS is doing very well.
I truly wish the general conversation about education didn’t require an “all or nothing” approach. As a 30 year educator and administrator, as well as a parent/grandparent, I know that ALL schools, charter or public, rise and fall on the strength of the teachers and leadership at each. Not just district, or charter chain, but individual programs. But no one can reasonably deny that the challenge for public schools is greater than the challenge for charter/private entitities. No questions asked, the public schools MUST take every child and family who enrolls. The element of choice in charter/private settings leads to a homogenous group more surely than does a magnet program in the public schools. The public ones have no controls over the parent attitudes and support but the administrators and teachers try to work with ALL students and families, no matter how difficult the circumstances. Yet the public schools are having the legs cut out from under them in this process. The counselors, the teacher aides, the special supports, the arts, physical education, the librarians are all being chipped away in the name of budgetary constraints and the children are the ones who are deprived. The level playing field does not exist in 2014.
Jen Troy-Owens, thanks for your long, honest, illuminating comment. Before I reply, though, let me say to Harry Red Dog and others, I have nothing against BASIS. BASIS schools work for some kids, probably quite well. If I had a friend whose child hadn’t found a good school fit, I would suggest looking into BASIS if I thought the child would rise to the challenge. But I’d also explain what I understand about the culture at the school so the parent and child didn’t walk in unawares.
BASIS has every right to exist. It fills an educational niche, evidenced by the number of satisfied parents and students. But it has a responsibility to be honest about what it does,and that’s where it falls short. If you look back at my posts on The Range and Blog for Arizona, you’ll see my complaint is that BASIS maintains it succeeds where other schools, specifically district-run schools, fail. And it points again and again to its U.S. News & World Reports rankings as evidence of its educational superiority.
So Jen, let me take the information you provided and see what that tells us about BASIS high school students, most specifically seniors whose achievement is the touchstone for the U.S. News rankings. You say any child can succeed at BASIS if s/he works hard. I would amend that a bit to say, any child who is reasonably strong academically can succeed if s/he works hard. You cite your daughter, whose determination and motivation I find to be very admirable. But lots of kids who don’t get the material easily don’t have that kind of grit. They balk at the excessive work load and cringe at their failures and near failures. They want out, understandably, and their parents may see what the stress is doing to their children and want them out as well. Not everyone is going to keep trying in the face of those kinds of obstacles. Your step-daughter is an example of the kind of child who didn’t rise to the challenge. And you have decided your son isn’t BASIS material. Three children with different make-ups, and in your estimation, only one fits the BASIS model.
Think what that means on a larger scale. Students who are academically gifted and reasonably motivated have a relatively easy time at BASIS, at least compared to other students. They can get their work done, and done well, and still have time for extracurricular pursuits. But children who are less gifted or possibly have learning disabilities which make them struggle with classwork have to be exceptionally motivated to succeed, and often they barely succeed even when they put out the maximum effort. Some do poorly enough, they withdraw, sometimes at the suggestion of school staff.
So as the school years go by, the gifted, motivated students continue while many of the less gifted students who aren’t willing or able to keep up fall by the wayside. I’ve taught many hard working kids who weren’t exceptionally gifted in my years as a high school English teacher. They’re a joy. They often surpass people who are more academically talented simply because they want so much to succeed. And that’s the mix BASIS ends up with in high school, after some students leave during grades 5 through 8 and nearly half leave between grades 8 and 9. Academically, they are the students every teacher dreams about, students who are capable enough to work at a very high level and motivated enough to complete their assignments regularly and diligently.
When those students are seniors, they’ve had a rigorous, demanding education that is beyond the capabilities of many people their age. These are the best, brightest and hardest working of the students who entered BASIS in the 5th and 6th grades — and those 5th and 6th graders were already a high level group, just because of the kind of parents who are likely to send their children to BASIS. In other words, they are among the finest students in the area. The school has every right to be proud of its students and what they accomplish, just as I was proud of many of my best, most gifted students, and my hardest working students as well. But BASIS doesn’t have the right to say it succeeds where other schools fail, any more than I had the right to say George and Mary went to Harvard because I was such a terrific teacher. George and Mary deserve the credit for their achievement, and I just hope I was a good enough teacher to give them the challenge, encouragement and criticism they needed to grow.
BASIS needs a dose of humility, which means it needs a dose of honesty. Rather than crowing that its schools accomplish what other schools fail to do, it needs to admit that it gives a rigorous education to students who are capable and motivated enough to rise to the challenge.
Charters exist to create choice. I think it is fair to say kids that fit a charter’s model or philosophy will succeed in that model. That goes for BASIS as well as online schools, Montesorri schools, Waldorf schools, theme based magnet schools, STEM schools, and Agri-schools. The problem is if a charter (any charter) or public school were to say “you fit” or “you don’t fit” they would be violating the law. BASIS is open enrollment, have you ever seen the lottery they run? Have you ever attended an orientation to learn what parents are actually told? BASIS does not hide their expectations or academic rigor, they don’t hide it is a challenge.
I have read lots of comments stating that Basis says its not for everyone. However, Basis says it does not discriminate as written in their application and special education paperwork. So which one is it? How can Basis not be for everyone if they receive state and federal funds? Then Basis is taking funds away from the regular public school system. It seems that charter schools are making it more difficult for public schools to do their job which is to serve everyone. My child attended Basis this year and was totally not treated fairly. My child was so depressed because he work so hard and with no pat on the back or praise. My child gave up playing with the other kids and family events to keep up with the damanding homework but never received any recognition from Basis. When I asked about the awards ceremony they said your child is not getting one so you dont have to get off work. However, they will take my money for their teacher incentive fund. I don’t mind donating for teacher funds but they are failing my child. Someone told me once that “you are only as good an employee as your supervisor prepares you or inspires you”. I think this same concept applies. Thank you David Safier for shedding light on this situation.
HavingPerspective, I do understand that in a perfect world, journalists are fair and unbiased and only report the facts. But I’ve been around the block a few too many times to believe in that world anymore.
As for this being a blog, you’ve got me there. I have seen several articles by David Safier in the print version of the TW and when this popped up on The Range, I just figured it was another article. Mea culpa, David.
Accepted gladly and gratefully, Gonzo. Let’s disagree, absolutely. Let’s keep one another honest, and let’s try to use the variety of intelligent, informed opinions to help us all understand the length, breadth and depth of these complex issues. But when there are misunderstandings, let’s clear them up rather than arguing over nothing. (On the other hand, your comment and a few others led me to write my post about the nature of blogging, which I thoroughly enjoyed writing, so I consider it a net plus.)
I have no idea of what is going on in San Antonio but my experience at BASIS here in AZ has been very positive. First thing I noticed that the parent was very unsatisfied with the public school education her child received prior to BASIS. This is a very common theme in my experience talking to numerous other parents. I have two kids in enrolled in BASIS and I can say that they did not have anywhere near the amount of homework this child reportedly had. In 6th grade my daughter spent about 1.5 hours on homework for a typical school night and more if there was a test the next day. But 3-5 hours every single day? Not even close! She had plenty of time to do extracurricular activities such as violin, figure skating and went to plenty of social events organized by the school.
Does the school weed people out? Yes but it is not nearly as bad as people claim. In 5-8th grade the classes lost on average about 5-7 students per year out of 120. But these students were replaced by students coming in. The bar to move on IMO is very low. You only need to have a 60% score on the comprehensive exams to move on. This is actually a really low score. Even if you don’t pass it you have another chance to pass it again during the summer. The school gives more help than any public school I have seen. Students who are not doing well are put on academic support and the teachers are require to spend extra time with them outside of class. There are plenty of second chances, but the onus is on the student to pursue them. The ones that drop out usually don’t want to put in the work.
There is a big drop in enrollment in from 8th grade to high school. This is not some nefarious process. If you can make it through 8th grade you can absolutely make it through high school in BASIS. The main reason people leave is because they want to go to a high school that offers sports and other things that BASIS doesn’t offer but not because it is too hard. I have also heard in BASIS Tucson a large number leave to University high if they get accepted. BASIS Scottsdale is expanding and this year I believe 76 students decided to stay for 9th grade and I am sure almost all of them will graduate.T
Having been to a lot of informational meetings and hearing the head school speak many times, I have never heard the claim that the school is for everybody, instead it was emphasized over and over it is for people who are willing to put in the effort. The best public schools self select in a different way. If you are rich you get to go to the best schools and if you are poor you go to worst public schools. Chaparral is one of the top public schools in the area, but fat chance of getting into there if you are from a poor side of town. After the rich in district kids are taken care of only a small number get in through open enrollment and these kids are often rich out of district kids or athletes. Is one way of selection better than the other? IMO BASIS is more fair because it is based on merit, motivation and hardwork not how much money your parents happen to make.
Stinks that these students/parents experienced this in San Antonio, but it seems like a very one sided opinion piece. I had several frightening experiences while my kids attended 2 different TUSD schools, but nothing like this ever occurred at Basis Tucson this year! At TUSD, during 2nd grade, my son was physically & emotionally abused by a substitute teacher (along with his classmates – but he got the brunt of it) and he was bullied several times by older kids allowed to play at the same time during recess while monitors didn’t pay attention (I witnessed it happening once while waiting on the curb to move up to the pickup spot after school). Then the Principal video interviewed the other students without notifying their parents. The Principal never notified the parents – their regular Teacher sent home a letter to apologize for what happened when she returned from her week of outside training. The Substitute will no longer be allowed in a classroom, but I wish in hindsight I had called to make a police report about him so he would not be allowed in any setting with children. I know of a child at my kids’ TUSD school who had a serious concussion from an intentional attack by another student and the school didn’t even call the parents to report the injury, conduct an investigation or punish the other student. They sued the school because of this – probably wouldn’t have if it had been handled appropriately. This same TUSD school went from excelling to being below the standards over the past 5 years. One of my son’s has special needs – Basis was helpful in putting together a more proactive 504 accommodations plan than TUSD’s staff had done and addressed one of his needs by taking their time to work with him individually after school with a specific learning problems. That never happened with a teacher at TUSD. The TUSD school they attended had very little security measures in place to keep tabs on who entered the campus during the school day. TUSD’s GATE self contained program is mainly at it’s lower income campuses – making it difficult for gifted kids in other areas of town to get the full GATE services at their neighborhood school campuses. The class sizes at TUSD were 30-34 kids in 2012-2013 for my kids’ classes, with no Teacher Aide. At Basis, there are 2 teachers present in classes of 30 for grades 1-4 – so a 15:1 ratio. Basis offers after school student help (student hours) – teachers work till 5:30 in many cases. My kids had homework – but I didn’t feel like it was unreasonable – they just have to be organized with their time and establish a routine and can get through it in a reasonable amount of time. They had great Art, Drama, Music, Kenpo and PE & after school interest and sports programs – I felt like they had a well rounded school experience at Basis and was pleased with what and how they were learning and how they were treated! Oh – and the Health Aide at the school was awesome!
People keep asking you if you’ve been to even one of Basis’s information sessions and you’re not directly responding. I would think when you’ve heard that question enough times it might be a tip-off that the way you’re describing Basis doesn’t jibe with the reality of those of us who HAVE gone to the sessions and who DO send our kids there. “It’s not for everyone” is practically the school motto, they repeat it so much. Yes, kids sometimes leave. It doesn’t necessarily follow that they’ve been “weeded out” for Machiavellian purposes. Sometimes families decide that another option would be a better fit for their child, for any number of reasons, and good for them for looking out for their child’s best interests.
If a child wants to stay and make the effort required, then in our experience the faculty have been eager to help them, whether or not that child will ever be a star student. It’s been a wonderful thing to go to the honors assemblies and see teachers cheering and high-fiving the kids who make the “most improved” list, or awarding the top prize in a class to the kids who put in the most effort, or showed the most curiosity, or went out of their way to help their classmates. It really isn’t just the top performers who are valued and encouraged there, and it’s not fair or accurate for you to suggest otherwise.
One last comment I need to take issue with – “BASIS doesn’t have the right to say it succeeds where other schools fail.” Well, yes, actually, in at least one sense they do. My kids have been to well-regarded private schools and a highly-rated public school in Tucson, and none of them were offering what Basis does. The private school had no gifted program, and since we left we’ve heard they’ve actually been weakening the curriculum because it was “too much” for some of the kids (and the school can’t afford to lose those tuition payments). The public school had a gifted program, but guess what? You had to test into it. So this idea the public schools have to “take all comers” – no, they don’t, not for the advanced curriculum. When my son was in 4th grade he couldn’t get into the honors math class, but he was very successful in 5th-grade math at Basis (which was no cakewalk). I’ve talked to other parents who’ve had similar experiences; if we’d stayed at the public school, our kids might never have known what they were capable of.
I’m in total agreement that Basis “gives a rigorous education to students who are capable and motivated enough to rise to the challenge.” But at least in our experience, that’s precisely what other Tucson schools were failing to do.
the new segregation.
Basis San Antonio opened last year and more than 30% of the original enrollees ended up dropping out due to curriculum demands. This is a school that weeds out the weak in order to maintain their high standards and national ranking.
If your child can thrive in this rigorous academic environment, this school provides excellent training to attain success at a top notch university. The entire senior year is spent prepping for college admissions as students have earned enough credits to graduate by junior year end.
In essence, if you feel as if your child could skip a grade in school, this is the place for you. Otherwise, expect some daily work (3-5 hrs) to just make it through. Parents need to ask themselves if it is worth it.
it would be awesome to hear more from San Antonio parents. Rather than families who have experienced the most successful franchises like Tuscon.
My daughter goes to BASIS SA. We’ve run the gamut with schools trying to find a good fit for her. We’ve done expensive private, public, homeschool, and now charter. She loved homeschooling, but this school absolutely fits my daughter to a ‘T’. She loves it. Yes, it’s a lot of work, but she thrives off of it. Does it cause melt-downs at times? Yes. But, she’s also benefited from these stressful scenarios and learned how to use her time more efficiently to get things done and move on.
She still does sports and outside activities, though no ‘time-consuming’ ones like sports clubs. That’s another type of extreme, IMO.
Is BASIS for everyone? No. Some know that going in, but still try. Others don’t find that out till they give it a whirl. It’s okay if it’s not a good fit for a child. Move on and help your child find something that does work for them and the family. Choice, is what it’s about.
The choice is wonderful to have. It IS needed. Not everyone can afford private, and the public schools are failing our kids and it’s not ‘because’ of charter schools. Their decline has been happening. When my daughter tried public school she asked me after 3 weeks to pull her out because she was bored and didn’t like how un-focused the other kids were. They are not being guided the way they need to be. Yet, they’re not even being disciplined or held accountable in anyway, either. What are they really learning? At BASIS kids are very engaged. Teachers seem happier and more relaxed. It’s been a great choice, for my family.
I’m not saying it’s perfect. I’ve heard some of the stories/experiences of others. But, no school is perfect. Everyone has to find what works for them. You learn, you experience, and you keep moving forward till you have something that works for you.
This is long winded but hear me out…I have a step-daughter in 9th grade and a son in 5th grade at Basis San Antonio. My step-daughter started in 8th grade after 8 years attending a public elementary school and middle school that were not highly rated. In 6th grade she went through some expensive learning courses at Huntington because she was not at a high enough reading level for 6th grade work, and her math and spelling were terrible. She never was very interested in school studies and her friends did not show much interest either.
I first heard about Basis in a chance encounter at a restaurant, and that it was opening Fall of 2013. I looked into it thinking it would be a good option for my son when he got to 5th grade a year after since he complained constantly about being bored and not liking school. I spoke to my husband and he immediately wanted to put his daughter in it. I really did not think she would be a good fit since she was not academically strong but he was desperate to get her out of the “system”. She had tried to get into private school but was not accepted due to her poor performance. Basis offered another option.
She was put onto a waiting list initially but the week before school began she was admitted. The experience has been a game changer for her. She has never had to work so hard in her life, has had to struggle with all the new courses she has no background in, but has literally become a different teenager. She looks forward to school, has made very different friends, those that share a desire to learn and experience new things, and actually self-organizes and does homework without being asked or pushed. She says that the students are encouraged to learn but are also held accountable by each other. I would say that she has learned how to take responsibility for herself and is never “bored” anymore. I am the first to admit I never would have expected this from her, but she has changed for the better. She did want to quit at first but that desire went away after a couple of months.
My son is now in his 4th week in the new school year. He is not complaining about school anymore, or being “bored”. He does his homework without being pushed and seems to thrive on the organized approach they encourage. I am also required to stay engaged on a daily basis which I believe helps to reinforce the learning approach that is taught at the school. He is a bit of a slow worker so has had some late nights of work, yet he is still adamant about continuing his jujitsu training three days a week. I am confident he will get faster at completing his work because he wants to.
Here is my overall opinion: This is a fantastic school if the children and parents are willing to support the process and commit to the work. The effort required is high, but the rewards are too. Nothing in life worth having is easy, and the lessons that my children are learning at Basis are much more important than those that they picked up on in their public schools. I hear opinions that these schools are pulling funds from “real” public schools which is hurting their ability to educate children.
As a business person I will challenge this view…would you invest money in any business that was not performing well and did not provide an effective plan for doing so? The innovative approaches to learning and teaching being tested in charter schools are very entrepreneurial. This type of innovation is not likely to happen in public school systems due to the deeply embedded bureaucracies and the high cost of running them. Unfortunately many public schools are becoming institutionalized “repositories” for children during the day and they seem to be run more like prisons than places of learning. I personally have no choice where my tax monies go to and am so glad that changes in our laws here have allowed charter schools to begin to thrive. My son’s other friend is attending Great Hearts which just opened here as well.
One final note, my oldest son is 19, just started his 2nd year at Texas A&M and is struggling terribly to get out of academic probation. He spent all of his school years in the same public schools (elem-middle-high school) as a gifted student, took all AP and Pre-AP classes, and tested out of about 18 college credits before graduating. He received also received two decent scholarships that covered about 1/4 of his four years. However, he did not do well. He struggled with organizational skills and study habits as he never had to work hard in high school. My 17 year old daughter is graduating from the same high school this year and I worry terribly about what her college experience may be. I do not feel that these “recognized” public schools have prepared my children well.
You all will make your decisions on your own. I believe in having the choice to choose. Perhaps competition will be the impetus to drive public schools to effect positive improvements?
Suck it up cupcake. Life is hard.
I have a plaque over my office window that reads” If you want something you have never had, then you have got to do something you have never done” It is right next to the College Diploma my Grandfather earned in 1933.
He delivered newspapers in the morning, went to school during the day, and swept streets night. All while living in the basement of an abandoned house with no running water or electricity.
I started a business in October of 2010 and now have over 250 employees. Most of them are very dedicated to what they do and are treated with the upmost respect by their fellow co-workers and I.
Then there are the ones that think that they should be carried by the rest. I have no patience for them. They are constant victims- which is what the whiner in the article is and wants their child to be too.—get over it.
Mr/Mrs parent, if you were so unhappy with BASIS, why did you continue to enable BASIS to “abuse” your child by continuing to have him enrolled for an entire year? BASIS certainly did not force them to attend and you had other options (public school)……..
If I truly thought my child was being neglected, I’d have them out of the situation in minutes not months.
My daughter is the “step-daughter” in the above referenced post. She is a totally different kid than she was when she went to public school. She works hard every day and is no longer a victim of SA public schools.
My Experience with public schools vs Basis is that, My son used to go to public school in Stone Oak area, He got bored and started reading the books in the class room, Then I decided to put him to Basis. Even though he is at higher grade. He enjoys the school. I know they will have home work everyday and log school hours. I guess its very important to have strong foundation for the carrier.
Thanks
I have two children who attend Basis San Antonio as 6th graders. A large majority of children who go to this school are transfers from NISD, one of the largest school districts in Texas. Yes, it is a huge adjustment going to a school that actually gives out homework And children have to study fail to maintain good grades. None of this was ever hidden from us. At orientation the head of the school told us to expect 3 hours of homework a night while students adjust. They emphasized that children are learning to be responsible for their own education and what you put in is what you will get for it. my daughters love their teachers and have learned more in half a year than years in public school and I’m Sure they will continue to do so. Have we made sacrifices? Yes. Parents need to realize that there will be breakdowns and tears of frustrations but that just makes the successes that much greater.
I’m also deeply disturbed that someone said no one cared that his son was ill and did nothing. No there is no nurse but children have free access at all times to telephones thrughtout the school. If a child is not feeling well they do not send Them back to class bUT contact the parent. The children are taught to be responsible and to make their own decisions on if they are capable of staying in class the rest of the day. these are preteens and teenagers capable of making their own decisions not toddlerS. I feel that most often people only look for horror stories of parents who want someone else to blame for their child’s and their own shortcomings or unwillingness to put in the work and dedication required.
Although this was written many months ago, I just recently started reading more blogs about education because I am appalled at what our new governor plans regarding budget cuts and charter schools. I found this thread interesting. As an educator I do see a type of segregation happening because regular public schools provide special education. In addition, they are required to meet the needs of all children and are evaluated on this often by supervisors. I see some posts mention that their children received special tutoring at their charter schools. This requires money which Arizona has cut again and again. I am a reading specialist and I work with those who need more small group attention to really become involved in reading. Most of the children I work with are very successful. However there are less and less jobs available for people like me because the goal in my district is to take those funds and have more classrooms so the class sizes are smaller. Every year more and more regular public schools are closed and the cycle continues. I understand the parents that are happy with the schools their children attend. I am a mother and a grandmother and this is important. However, the schools are not all held to the same standards that regular public schools are held to. The Basis schools described here sound really good for those who can survive them. They are not required to have special education or to meet the needs of all students. Special Ed. students’ scores are also figured in the scores of the whole school but are weighted differently. I hope you can see that this is not a level playing field for all schools and all children. I am passionate about seeing all children receive a good education and I do not see all schools supported so that is possible or have the same expectations. We need this for a strong state and country.
I have a 7h grader that goes to Basis San Antonio. This is our first year in the Basis system. My son has never been happier in a school environment. He does basketball, soccer and comes home after the late bird program to play video games or watch TV, just like any other kid his age. I don´t see him particularly stressed and he is quite active in other non-academic areas. Basis can be a great place for some kids, I believe it all depends on their ability to manage their own time. I have another son that will start 5th grade next year and hope he can get this very valuable skill taught so he can be successful in this system and in life.
SanAntoniomom, I do believe everything you say. I am a mother and a grandmother and I know the joy in finding a good school for my family. My problem is that all children cannot achieve or succeed at Basis and yet tax dollars are going there and they do not have to create a climate that is diverse for the children who are not able to do this. Regular public schools must by law. We must have nurses and/or health clerks, special education, speech, emotionally disturbed classrooms, and transportation. We also must have ESL classes that help in all languages(Chinese, Iraqi, Vietnamese, and Spanish to name a few). I am not saying all children should not work hard. However if people want a specialized education then they need to go to a private school or possibly have their children tested for a gifted and talented program or even a magnet program. I believe valuable skills are being taught in regular public schools but the systems are being segregated and that is wrong. I just read yesterday that 53% of children in TUSD are living in poverty. Now that imbalance did not happen accidentally. Poor people cannot advocate as well for themselves because many of them are either single family homes wit and working at a low income jobs or both parents are working and still just making ends meet. THis is fact. THere is little time to advocate for children although many still do. My parents wanted a Catholic school for their children and they paid for it because they accepted that regular public schools could not give them this. They paid their taxes also and my father was a Republican and my mother was an Independent. I did not hear complaints from them because of taxes but then Eisenhower was president and the wealthy paid much more and the economy was much better. I wish people could/would look at all children and care that all get a good education. I also wish many of you understood how much money is being wasted by people profiting from the charter system. In another article in the Weekly, fraud by charter schools is being investigated in many states and links are provided. This system is not a good one.
I just recently retired after three decades in Education, but I had never heard of Basis Schools until today when I became curious about the latest US News & World Report National rankings and found that 3 out of the top 10, and 2 out of the top 5 were AZ high schools. My area is History and Economics, not math, but that seems impossibly improbable to me. Total numbers of students, schools, teachers are laid out so that simple math can tell you a lot. It basically breaks down to about 800 students per school on average, which is only a little more than the attendance at Basis Schools. My school however, for the sake of the discussion, had 3.82 times that many attending. That’s not a deal breaker if the teacher/student ratio is within normal ranges. A real problem comes up for the Basis Schools when you go to the # of full-time staff category because all it has is a big, N/A! Meaning I guess, Not Able to determine the most important ratio in all of Education. From what I found out today, their success STEMS from 2 teachers, 1 Learning + 1 Content, per classroom. There is more than likely a justifiable reason for the N/A, but we all know that it won’t fly. My real concern though, and here’s the rest of the story, which relates to the attendance figures for my school, as well as the probability of the Basis rankings, is what is known as the Golden Mean, Golden Ratio, or the Divine Proportion, 1 to 1.618, for which the retracement is .382. Very little happens outside the 61.8%-38.2% ratio, and people have known and acted on this divine principle for at least the last 500 years. Relevance and usefulness to the discussion? Look at the school’s address, 382 5 E 2nd ST, 857 16, another statistical impossibility. Overall, about the same proportion as the number of 9th graders at the beginning and the number of seniors at the end (62% loss). Bottom line, Basis is overly hyped, hinkey, and hooked up, guaranteed.
Actually, I live in Phoenix 116.18 miles away, so I have no way of knowing much about the lay of the land in Tucson, but the first Staff Pick at the top of the page is for the St. Francis in the Foothills Annual Rummage Sale at 4625 E River Road (sounds nice, possibly the nicest?) and I’ve a hunch that 4618 E is on the property somewhere, or in the middle of the street outside.
I am a single mother with two daughters at Basis Chandler. My eldest started as a 7th grader the opening year. Prior to enrollment was tested but not offered/placed into gifted program by district, however, she’s managed to achieve high GPA (honors)in rigorous even AP programs. Success story, she learned to work hard, value academic success and as a result has credentials that may create opportunities for her. I’ve never seen her put in extreme hours as mentioned she is diligent. As a single parent my bandwidth is limited, the majority of my life force is committed to providing to sustain life with basic needs, so my parenting certainly can’t take credit for driving her academically. I’m grateful to have had access to Basis education opportunity for my daughters. as far as a creing/attrition in our case we must move as our rental has been put on the market and transportation may not allow us to stay next year(no budget for bussing) variables.
Re: childhood comment above…Our idealized American childhood is dramatically priviledged compared to most of the children on Earth. Puts out a lot of soft enitled youth. it’s silly to suggest providing opportunity & environment to excel in youth is going to rob them of a childhood, thats nonsense, My girls won’t have the luxury of an inheritance, college savings or safety net of family wealth they need to be prepared as possible. A little extra homework is not going to hurt , trade off for a solid foundaton.
IMO this fear/negativity is unsubstantiated …not my experiences. Staff at Basis wore many hats in getting new campus up & running. The incident described in San Antonio could have happened at any school not a”frightening” characterization.of environment. Basis educators know what they’re doing & get good results to prove it.
Everyone keeps writing their experiences from the Tucson/Arizona based Basis schools. The article is regarding Basis San Antonio. Different state, different rules, different culture. I know that the Basis school my daughter goes to is absolutely fabulous. But some public schools are fabulous and others represent the San Antonio experience mentioned here. It is very possible that the school mentioned has a terrible atmosphere and those of us with AZ Basis kids should not be defensive. The experience mentioned is not comparable.
Quick question for those who has experience or went through the same/similar situation as me or are teachers, help!
My son was going to 7th grade but basis in Tucson hold him down a year so he is repeating 6th grade; which we completely understand their point about his math level. He is not 100% happy with this at all, which I relate with many cases I read before. If I take him out from Basis next year when he goes to 7th, but reality he is going to 8th
Is he gonna be able to be in his real grade in other schools? Or he is loosing a year because he is there?
If the parents are not happy with the school, they are free to take their kid to public school. My son goes to BASIS San Antonio North. He finishes his homework at Late Bird and comes home to play on the computer. I don’t see 3 to 5 hours of homework every day. In fact, the school trains him to be responsible for his homework and study using the CJ. When I reported a problem to the school, it was addressed on the same day. This school might not be for everyone but so does public school. It’s important to find the school that meets your child’s needs.
BASIS depends not only on the child’s level of sacrifices he/she/they will give for success, but also the family. The family must be willing to realize that during the first year of BASIS, it will be hard and time consuming. A lot of parents think it’s “too hard” and they want a “normal life” for their children. They should think of the “normal life” when their kid is grown up and a doctor. Also, I see comments about kids with minimum wage parents and I would like to point out that these kids also go to BASIS, it’s being a free, public charter school. Actually, kids from private schools have come to BASIS, knowing this charter school has a more mastered curriculum. The opportunities of BASIS is legitimately open to all the kids! Well, not all. The ones who are ready to be challenged, and thrive for success. I do feel bad about the teachers no responding though. However, it was the first year of this school and teachers have came and gone from that school since. But I do assure that the choices of teachers have been improving, and the administration is now settled in.
My daughter is starting 7th grade at Basis Phoenix, her 3rd year there after being transferred from a public school.
Facts:
Yes, it’s hard.
She is no longer top-5 in her class, more like 50th percentile in her grade.
It’s not for every kid.
There is homework, however she does find time for drama club and weekend activities, and gets 9 hours of sleep every night.
She probably won’t be able to graduate at Basis – science & math will become too difficult for her after 8th grade. She’ll go back to public school.
The school is free. Completely FREE. You get asked for a donation, but participation is only 50%. Plenty of lower-income families have their kids there.
Student support is amazing. She’s had a hard time there, and yet almost never needs my help other than making sure she stays organized and manages her time effectively. Basis offers free, daily after-school student hours where kids can work directly with teachers on their homework.
If your kid is bored out of her mind in elementary school, give Basis a shot. It could be a great fit, or it could backfire and make your kid miserable. Just keep in mind that first semester of that first year is the toughest for public school kids. It gets better.
BASIS schools suck. They have no morals and could care less about neighborhoods. They were allowed to build a 40 foot massive ugly building in my neighborhood. A neighborhood where it is rural. We have no sidewalks, no street lights and have alot of horse property. The biggest issue is we have one way in and out of our neighborhood. Did they care? No! Did their parents care? No. They destroyed our beautiful rural neighborhood. Now we have major traffic issues, no parking signs, stop light, parking lot lights, etc Shame on City of Scottsdale for allowing this. Shame on BASIS parents. Most if them don’t even live in the neighborhood to understand our concerns. BASIS parents, come buy my house, I need to get out of here. Oh yes, and BASIS lawyers told us their school will bring up our home values. Really? Would you like to live right next door to a 40 foot ugly as hell building? Plus sit in their traffic each day? All native plants have been taken down. Now. A huge, ugly parking lot. Come buy my house!
everybody has tragedy in their lives and life goes on. we live in a time in our society where everything is an excuse, my child did bad bc of sick family, they did bad bc the teacher, bc they are bullied bc they are learning imparted. OK it’s up to the parent to fix it not the school they are your kids. Parents are usually the biggest problem many times, they want to tell the coach their kid should play though the kid cannot walk and chew gum at the same time, the teacher what to teach or the administration how to do it if you can do it better quit your job and apply at the school. your kids biggest failure or success in life is the parent. Stop your whining or take them out of that school and put them somewhere else problem solved and if the problem continues it is probably your kid but usually you.
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It is how real education is supposed to do. So, Suck it up buttercup.
Basis loves smart and rich kids
Both of my children have attended/do attend BASIS schools in San Antonio. I have so many complaints, I would lose your attention writing. The vast majority of them could be solved with better communication with parents. The school puts 100% of the responsibility to communicate on students and even states in their policies that parents cannot ask teachers about their children’s assignments. How does this promote education and growth? If a child is struggling, no one knows until the grades are in. And then, it’s the parents’ fault somehow.
My son had special needs. BASIS did NOTHING to support. Despite being very smart and hard working, he was outcast (by teachers and staff, not peers) and I ultimately had to withdraw him. My daughter is counting the days until the end of the year and will not be returning next year.
It doesn’t matter how many standardized measures the school is racking up accolades in – their culture is highly toxic, especially towards parents and students. I feel as if (but this is my only unsubstantiated claim) there are parents who give $$ to the school who have bought into the whole testing is success mindwash and go out of their way to write about how excellent the school is, and the administration pays attention to them and their kids. Then there are those of us who could not possibly justify paying more than our taxes into a system that supports this kind of brutal ‘education.’ We are lucky to get a two-page nasty gram about following the traffic laws in the parking lot. You design a brand new school and this is the best you can do for traffic flow, and you want me to think you’re preparing my kid to potentially be an engineer? Laughable.
I’m in Basis as a student and one of the teachers had gotten into a fight with one of the students. The student had severe anger issues and went to get help once or twice a week during class. This teacher is new, so he probably didn’t know about this. The student tried to leave, but the teacher kept on standing in front of the door, which triggered his anger issues. This is the schools communication issues. If the school had informed the teacher things could have gone better. The teacher was soon fired, and now we have no teacher, jut a temporary substitute that yells and is very rude to the students