BASIS Flagstaff

1700 North Gemini Drive

School District

Basis Charter Schools INC. (90862)
Grade

K-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:17
Type

charter

School Map for Basis Charter Schools INC. (90862)

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by other on September 13, 2024

I will be completely honest here as a previous student BASIS is a great school, for kids that truely ENJOY upper learning. This should be for kids who are truly hungry for knowledge and that is their passion. But otherwise, this school is awful. They put WAY too much pressure on the kids especially from 7th-12th grade. Even in elementary school the homework is outrageous. I feel not allowing enough time to socialize in and out of school. The school is also very crammed and disorganized. I would suggest allowing your child to choose to be here, and definitely not forcing them. Great school for highly pressured upper learning, not much else. I think it does make a good elementary school.
Submitted by parent on December 01, 2022

Absolutely great school for kids who love learning.
Submitted by student on January 20, 2022

Most of the reviews here are from parents who often don’t even see the reality of basis and the effects on their kids. Speaking as someone who has been at basis for 8years, if you are looking for a good school, look elsewhere first. And, I mean really look everywhere else first. This school may be a good option for some but for the majority, stay away. First, the admin is terrible. We get a new head of students about every year and most of our other is admin is replaced about every two years. The admin could not care less about the students mental well-being, and instead focuses on taking kids phones away. (Yes, even when they are calling their parents) That is all the admin does around here is heckle students for phones. Most everyone is depressed, anxious, and stressed. Everyone is very overworked and most students do not last long at basis. I, for one, lost pretty much all my friends after 8th grade because they all decided that basis was a bad school. And, let me tell you, they are much happier than I am right now. Recently, Basis had a wonderful idea to mix high schoolers with 1st graders. This, as you can imagine, has gone quite poorly. The high school now feels like an add-on or a second thought. To me, it seems that basis pushes its high school students very hard to get good grades so that more people enroll their kids into the elementary or the middle school. My homework right now is all busy work which is quite surprising for how academically focused the school is. I have a few really bad teachers and a few really good teachers but most of them do not stay for very long. The really bad ones seem to never have learned the subject they are teaching. The one good thing, is that basis will keep your kid out of trouble because they will be too busy and tired after school to have friends and a social life. Also, I will say, the college counselor is very good, but in my opinion, that will not outweigh the rest of the issues.
Submitted by parent on July 10, 2019

Our experience at Basis is mixed. Some good teachers, some poor. Overly focused on testing, test scores, memorizing even at young grade levels. By the 5th grade no recess or free-play time, which is a big mistake as kids need to let out energy during the day....
Submitted by parent on June 28, 2018

Outstanding. We feel like we hit the jackpot with the opportunities provided to our kids at this school.
Submitted by parent on March 23, 2018

Our 8-year-old son was happy cruising through 2nd grade in his previous school, but we decided to move him into BASIS for a more challenging education when he entered 3rd grade. Like so many others, we had our hesitations due to rumors of excessive homework and overworked children and were pleasantly surprised to find that the school accepts feedback (and actually encourages it) from both parents and the students when it comes to classwork and homework content and volume. I honestly have never seen such a dynamic and open approach to honing in on precisely what makes children enjoy learning. Since the beginning of the school year, the content of the spelling homework packets has been repeatedly adjusted to identify and use the most enjoyable puzzles (e.g., crosswords, etc.) and tasks, rather than sticking to set items that they use year after year. Just when one is presenting to a large audience and sees glazed eyes, one needs to change gears and mix it up to gain interest from the audience again. BASIS Flagstaff totally understand this and dynamically applies the concept in a school environment. Our frustration with the prior school was that they were using antiquated materials and not open to updating them. Our son is absolutely loving learning and looks forward to school every day and gets excited on Sunday nights that a new week is starting. They also have a class called "Connections", which teaches children how to deal with emotions and gives them coping skills from a very early age. My son was freaking out on his younger brother the other day and he managed to stop himself, sit down and do some breathing exercises to quickly calm himself. Once calm, he apologized. I asked him where he learned to do that (total envy) and he said "connections class". Crazy.
Submitted by parent on February 05, 2018

Our student graduated from Basis with 10, yes, 10 successful AP tests completed. She received a full academic scholarship at a great university and started as a mid level sophomore. Yes, it takes dedication from the student to be successful at this school. The teachers were all very supportive of our child's needs. They were very respectful as well. The school tolerates NO bullying of any student. If you want to enroll your child at Basis, be prepared to be a full participant in their success. Support and positive feedback are needed as the courses are challenging. Our daughter had many great friends and experiences at this school in addition to her success academically. Its not for every kid. If socializing and sports are important to you or your child, Basis might not be you cup of tea. No judgement. It takes a little different kind of mind set to succeed at Basis. Always be positive and supportive!
Submitted by parent on May 27, 2017

I have two children who attended BASIS Flagstaff. My 3rd grader was there for a few months and we moved her to a different school. She loved the academics but would come home frustrated with the disciplinary approach adopted by the school for misbehaving children. They would put children in groups or "pods" and if one child misbehaved in the group, the whole group was punished by having them put their heads on their desk, the teachers would frown at them, the teacher instructed the class to collectively say "awwwwww" at the misbehaving child, or they would lose privileges, etc. Eventually, my child started saying, "I don't want to go to school." After hearing those words, I moved her to a different charter school that hasn't adopted a "collectivistic" disciplinary style and she is thriving and happy. My 5th grader did very well at BASIS Flagstaff. It was challenging but he was given the material to learn, he studied it and did well. He was in 90s club and school was fun. Our experience with 6th grade was varied. Some teachers were excellent and knew how to teach to young children. Other teachers used a teaching style that was not effective with my son. Thus, he did well in the courses that taught to his learning style and didn't do well in the classes that used other methods (e.g., PowerPoint lectures in class). I asked about adapting the teaching style to fit his needs and the solution offered was to have him attend tutoring before school (7:30AM) and after school tutoring (by 5PM). There was always 2 hours of homework at night on top of this. Overall, my experience with BASIS Flagstaff was mixed. I think it all depends on the quality of teachers hired (e.g., how well they know how to teach to children), the type of learning style that your child favors and the disciplinary style that motivates your child -- mainly for lower grades. I'm glad we tried it because of the rave test scores but, ultimately, it is not the environment for us.
Submitted by other on August 08, 2015

I waited a full year to give my review. I did not want to review the school and find out my opinion changed based upon some information or event I did not have knowledge of. I have to say I LOVE THIS SCHOOL! It has been such a great fit for my child and honestly for me as a parent with expectations and desires and dreams for my child. Was it a transition? Yes it was. Was it difficult? Yes it was. I think people go in with the expectation that it should be an experience like the school they came out of. But if the schools we came out of were what we wanted why move? My child was bemoaning the fact that BASIS had a 10 rating. She figured a 7 would have fit her comfort level of workload. But she adjusted and her comfort level rose higher. Coming in to the. new school year there seemed to be a. high level of excitement amongst the students and parents for the upcoming year. I believe they feel they are in a special place. We ae no exception. My child is really excited about her classes. The teachers are really good at stimulating the children's interest. I love the administrative staff too. If you do have a complaint they try to look at all sides carefully. I like that they honor achievement and hard work. You just have this feeling that OPPORTUNITY is being born. I love you BASIS Flagstaff!
Submitted by parent on May 17, 2015

Caring staff and faculty. They go out of their way to help students learn the material and to appreciate learning!
Submitted by parent on January 16, 2015

We have been very pleased with BASIS Flagstaff. The school puts a lot of responsibility on the students and teaches them to stay organized and keep on top of their workload, and I find that the kids are quite capable. Our son is thriving there. The school does very well at helping the students succeed by offering tutoring hours every week for each and every class. They have a diverse schedule with Latin, classics, martial arts, and a great music program (for our 5th grader). We like that our son is being challenged to use and grow his brain, and that by the time he graduates (early if he so chooses) top colleges will be coming to the school and trying to recruit him.
Submitted by parent on December 16, 2014

BASIS is a school that teaches student accountability and has a challenging but extremely engaging curriculum. The teachers are amazing! I have a 5th and an 8th grader and was not sure how my children would adjust coming from FUSD, but they are both thriving! They love subjects like Latin, Classics, Economics, Geography and Rhetoric. The 5th grade also includes 3 days of week of each, pe, art and music! We didn't get that with any other school. I've never had any problems communicating with the teachers, in fact they have always been very responsive and supportive.
Submitted by parent on December 15, 2014

emails go unanswered. The teachers don't provide one-on-one support.feedback is not timely. If your kid is intelligent and very self-motivated in response to largely rote memorization and this is a good place for you.
Submitted by parent on September 24, 2014

BASIS focus is on standardized testing. Students work hard but it seems like they "teach the test". BASIS students do about as well as public school students in the AP track. Parent involvement discouraged and important decisions made primarily at BASIS' out of town headquarters. Teachers very hard working and dedicated but they have high turn over.
Submitted by other on August 10, 2014

My school is amazing!! It is very focused on academic achievement. Deciding to go to BASIS Flagstaff is the best choice I've made!!
Submitted by parent on March 27, 2014

Like many posters, I too feared the rumors of homework overload. My son is an average student- I was told by other parents BASIS was the school for him. They were right! He accepted the challenging curriculum, is motivated by the enthusiastic teachers, and enjoys the extra - curricular activities done by the instructors. The teachers truly care that every student succeeds. As far as parent input, we have had 2 discussions with his math teacher regarding his focus while doing homework. The teacher offered several ways to approach homework and assured us he didn't have this experience in the classroom. The teachers are the professionals; I accept my role as the supportive parent. BASIS has required more support as a parent than his previous school because it is more academically rigorous. As a team, we are preparing him for a successful future.
Submitted by parent on March 23, 2014

BASIS Flagstaff is fantastic. For students wanting an extra challenge, or for those who need that challenge to stay engaged, this is an excellent school to consider. Under skillful leadership and with strong support from parents and students, BASIS Flagstaff is poised to become a flagship academic institution in the state. There are growth challenges, as with any new endeavor. Teacher turnover is high, because not all teachers are suitable for the BASIS approach, and fortunately BASIS Flagstaff leadership is taking seriously the difficult job of selecting and cultivating appropriate educators. Class size in the upper grades is low, because of attrition after grade 8 to schools that offer more extra-academic activities, and because of inadequate academic preparation of students entering the upper grades without the BASIS foundation. Parental involvement is restricted, because BASIS has a proven formula. This is difficult for many parents accustomed to having influence (even where they may lack expertise). The school is clearly not for everybody. But if you are serious about a rigorous education, consider signing up at grade 5 and plan to stick it out through grade 12.
Submitted by parent on March 18, 2014

We LOVE BASIS Flagstaff! My son is finishing 5th grade and he has loved every minute of school this year! I am thrilled to hear him come home chattering about the cool things he learned at school each day. He has NEVER been so excited about learning and this is due, I am certain, to the very engaging excited teachers who bubble over with enthusiasm for their subjects. My son does about 5-10 minutes of homework each night, has plenty of time for after school sports and has made the honor roll every grading period. I was nervous about the homework rumors but for a child who pays attention in class and makes use of the daily study hall, the homework is very very minimal. In summary, the classes are engaging, the teachers are invested, the curriculum is challenging and exciting, and at least for my son, the homework is light, creating for him no difficulty balancing school and sports.
Submitted by other on February 02, 2014

Basis is not all its cracked up to be. I think its basically the same as the local public schools, minus the sports. My kids moved back to FUSD after one year there.
Submitted by parent on December 08, 2013

The principal role at basis is different and for the other reviewers putting Kara Kelly down , they must not understand that. The school is fantastic for my family. It is not for everyone , that is why there is choice in this community. The subjects they learn are amazing . Part of the 9 subjects that you hear another reviewer talk about is pe, music, art , Latin . All fabulous but not rigorous subjects that they were trying to make out otherwise. Definitely need the support at home to succeed . But amazing the things they are learning about .