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How much pressure is too much pressure for middle-school students? How much pressure is too much pressure for middle school students?
(4 days later)
Olga Block and Michael Block, a married couple trained as economists, appear to be the most demanding educators in America. In the first year of their BASIS charter middle school in Tucson, only 60 percent of students passed the comprehensive final exams the Blocks had written for them. Olga Block and Michael Block, a married couple trained as economists, appear to be the most demanding educators in America. In the first year of their BASIS charter middle school in Tucson, only 60 percent of students passed the comprehensive final exams the Blocks had written for them.
Many middle schools give final exams with disappointing results. American middle schools are friendly places. They do not want to push pre-adolescent students too hard. Those kids are scary when they get mad. Not until high school do they have to worry about flunking out.Many middle schools give final exams with disappointing results. American middle schools are friendly places. They do not want to push pre-adolescent students too hard. Those kids are scary when they get mad. Not until high school do they have to worry about flunking out.
The Blocks’ middle school exams, however, have had a crucial difference. From BASIS’s first year in 1996-1997, students who failed the comprehensives had to retake them. If they did not pass, they were not promoted. Most of the parents who were told their children had to repeat a grade took them out of BASIS instead.The Blocks’ middle school exams, however, have had a crucial difference. From BASIS’s first year in 1996-1997, students who failed the comprehensives had to retake them. If they did not pass, they were not promoted. Most of the parents who were told their children had to repeat a grade took them out of BASIS instead.
Why have such an unforgiving policy? The Blocks believed if there were no serious consequences for failure, their high standards would crumble. Why have such an unforgiving policy? The Blocks believed that if there were no serious consequences for failure, their high standards would crumble.
In the beginning, they had to scramble to get enough students. They tucked fliers about the school under windshield wipers at the University of Arizona, where Michael was a professor. They begged the parents who remained at the school to tell their friends. But they did not change their rules.In the beginning, they had to scramble to get enough students. They tucked fliers about the school under windshield wipers at the University of Arizona, where Michael was a professor. They begged the parents who remained at the school to tell their friends. But they did not change their rules.
Their insistence that students who fail comprehensive exams repeat middle school courses appears to be unique. I have so far found no other middle schools, public or private, that dare do such a thing. Yet BASIS, which also requires students to take many Advanced Placement courses in high school, has grown to 27 public charter schools in Arizona, Texas, Louisiana and the District. A separate BASIS company runs four private schools in China. The Blocks sold five private BASIS schools in the United States last year to a company backed by Chinese investors.Their insistence that students who fail comprehensive exams repeat middle school courses appears to be unique. I have so far found no other middle schools, public or private, that dare do such a thing. Yet BASIS, which also requires students to take many Advanced Placement courses in high school, has grown to 27 public charter schools in Arizona, Texas, Louisiana and the District. A separate BASIS company runs four private schools in China. The Blocks sold five private BASIS schools in the United States last year to a company backed by Chinese investors.
The Blocks have many critics. BASIS parents love the challenges imposed on their kids, but opponents say those hard rules are just a way to keep scores high and look good by discouraging low-scorers from enrolling or staying.The Blocks have many critics. BASIS parents love the challenges imposed on their kids, but opponents say those hard rules are just a way to keep scores high and look good by discouraging low-scorers from enrolling or staying.
The Blocks don’t seem to care. They started BASIS because they wanted something better for Olga’s daughter Petra than what she was getting at a traditional public school in Scottsdale, Ariz. They asked that she be excused from taking Spanish in eighth grade because she already had a second language, Czech. She could use that period to take history, which the Blocks considered essential. An administrator at the school said that was fine, but they should know the history course was overrated. It was just a review of current events. The Blocks don’t seem to care. They started BASIS because they wanted something better for Olga’s daughter Petra than what she was getting at a traditional public school in Scottsdale, Ariz. They asked that she be excused from taking Spanish in eighth grade because she already had a second language, Czech. She could use that period to take history, which the Blocks considered essential. An administrator at the school said that was fine but that they should know that the history course was overrated. It was just a review of current events.
The Blocks were appalled. They figured other American parents yearned for rigor, just as they did. They saw nothing wrong with making promotion dependent on test scores. That was the rule when Olga was that age in Prague. Michael had the same experience at his rural New York public school, which based grades on results from the state exams for seventh- and eighth-graders.The Blocks were appalled. They figured other American parents yearned for rigor, just as they did. They saw nothing wrong with making promotion dependent on test scores. That was the rule when Olga was that age in Prague. Michael had the same experience at his rural New York public school, which based grades on results from the state exams for seventh- and eighth-graders.
Comprehensive exams also helped them set their standard for the school without doing the teaching themselves. “We didn’t want to sit in the classroom and watch the teachers and tell them what to do,” Olga said. “We wanted to tell them here is where we want kids to be at the end of the year. This is what they should know.” Comprehensive exams also helped them set their standard for the school without doing the teaching themselves. “We didn’t want to sit in the classroom and watch the teachers and tell them what to do,” Olga said. “We wanted to tell them: ‘Here is where we want kids to be at the end of the year. This is what they should know.’ ”
Today, BASIS comprehensives are given at the end of nearly every middle school class. They count for 50 percent of the final grade. Students who don’t pass the exams aren’t promoted. Half of the comprehensive questions are the same for every BASIS school. The other half are written by each school’s staff. Today, BASIS comprehensives are given at the end of nearly every middle school class. They count for 50 percent of the final grade. Students who don’t pass the exams aren’t promoted. Half of the comprehensive questions are the same for every BASIS school. The other half are written by each school’s staff.
BASIS’s rules are better known now, so parents who dislike them don’t enroll their children. Last year, 93 percent of middle-schoolers at the two oldest BASIS schools, Tucson North and Scottsdale, passed their comprehensives. The majority of those who failed did not return for the 2019-2020 school year, said BASIS chief executive officer Peter Bezanson. BASIS’s rules are better known now, so parents who dislike them don’t enroll their children. Last year, 93 percent of middle-schoolers at the two oldest BASIS schools, Tucson North and Scottsdale, passed their comprehensives. The majority of those who failed did not return for the 2019-2020 school year, said BASIS chief executive Peter Bezanson.
The BASIS rebellion against low-pressure middle schools has drawn little support from American education leaders. But the Blocks consider it a success. They plan to add six more public charter schools in the next two years, including one in Colorado.The BASIS rebellion against low-pressure middle schools has drawn little support from American education leaders. But the Blocks consider it a success. They plan to add six more public charter schools in the next two years, including one in Colorado.
BASIS wouldn’t have worked for my kids. The schools usually don’t have the sports popular in our family. That doesn’t bother parents with different priorities. They like the idea of tough tests determining if their kids actually learned what they were taught. BASIS wouldn’t have worked for my kids. The schools usually don’t have the sports popular in our family. That doesn’t bother parents with different priorities. They like the idea of tough tests determining whether their kids actually learned what they were taught.
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