BASIS Oro Valley

11155 North Oracle Road

School District

Basis Charter Schools INC. (90508)
Grade

5-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:13
Type

charter

School Map for Basis Charter Schools INC. (90508)

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 parent on August 08, 2024

I have two students at this school and am continually impressed by the level of education they are provided. The expectations are high but the school and teachers provide so much support that my kids have always been able to overcome their challenges with hard work. The teachers go out of their way to provide student hours and respond quickly to emailed concerns. My students are not "straight A" kids, but they have a love of learning and the ability to connect high-level concepts across discipline areas. I'm so happy I chose BASIS Oro Valley.
Submitted by parent on May 09, 2022

I had high hopes in this school that dwindled year over year as it was made apparent that they do not care about their student's. Bullying is a big problem and the pressure put on the kids is too much. The school has some upsides but not enough to overshadow the bad.
Submitted by parent on June 09, 2021

Rumors say that those who “left” the school never left. They are simply trapped under the floors to fester like Little Charlie Copper.
Submitted by student on May 02, 2021

Hello, I am a 14 year old 8th grade BASIS student, and I absolutely love BASIS Oro Valley. What hurts is hearing reviews from non-BASIS students and parents that aren't valid. Some students and parents who left BASIS complain about the work load, or the intensity of the school, but it's not like they had no idea Basis is education-focused. They willingly came here so they should have been prepared. From my personal experience, BASIS is the perfect school, does NOT have a huge work load, the teachers are extremely engaging, and there's almost no bullying. BASIS has guided students on their path to attaining knowledge, and we all value learning a lot. One thing I have noticed is that kids from other schools decide how much they like their teachers by how much free time they get in class. BASIS kids value their teachers by how well they teach and how engaged they are in their lesson. We understand the importance of learning, and how it can set us up to become great people. BASIS provides really great opportunities. Addressing some of the other reviews, my teachers are amazing, and it is really helpful that they treat us like mini adults, because it prepares us for life. We also have responsibilities that help build good character. Unlike kids I have spoken to at other schools, my friends and I are really excited for school each day; it does not feel like a waste of time. There's a reason BASIS schools rank numbers 1, 4, and 5 in The Most Challenging High Schools. I really couldn't ask for a better school. To address another review, if your child fails a grade in BASIS, it's not seen as a bad thing because BASIS believes that we can learn from our mistakes. BASIS knows that they have an amazing curriculum that not everyone chooses to keep up with. People shouldn't be giving reviews and spreading rumors when they haven't actually sat in the classroom and experienced what they're commenting on. BASIS has Student Hours, which is free tutoring for anyone who would like it. I have gone numerous times, and it's tremendously helpful. In Student Hours, you can ask questions that the teacher can answer, you can get help from your fellow classmates, and you can help others. BASIS also has a Communication Journal, into which students write homework and dates of tests. BASIS is not just a school, but a community. I have been going there for 6 years; that's got to count for something.
Submitted by parent on March 27, 2019

Do not send your kids to Basis (OV) unless you want your bright and smart student to learn what is it like to be a Failure. How many years would you want to hold back your child? One? Two? What a hit to his/her self esteem. Will they ever recover from that to know that they "failed" a grade level? They would have done every well at another school.
Submitted by parent on October 23, 2018

I read the reviews and thought it was a great school and perhaps great teachers. That was not the case. Basis is about weeding out any student that is less than excellent in academics. And then hang their reputation on those who made it. The concept is not to teach and elevate all students to excellence. Do your own research. The school will accept 60 students in the 6th grade for example. How many students actually graduate in the 12th grade? 15? 17? 20? Pick your number. You get the point. Do you want your kids to go through all of that, and then be told to repeat a grade? Or not be able to graduate/promoted/selected with the classmates they started with?
Submitted by parent on August 28, 2018

Although I am sure this school is successful for some typical children, my experience with the school was NOT great. I enrolled a child with special needs and deeply regret it now. We quickly learned there was not a legitimate special ed program at the school. The message was clear: your kid needs to comply with our program. I felt terrible after the IEP meeting mostly because it felt like it was merely a formality to the administrators and teachers forced to participate and the emphasis was on how to get my child to comply with how they do things at the school. No discussion about accommodations. In a three week period, my child was sent to the principal (essentially) for behavioral stuff the school administrators and spec ed had to have known he would struggle with based on his previous IEP, but we did not receive any calls from the special education coordinator. If your child has special needs, but is NOT a savant, I would not recommend enrolling in this school.
Submitted by parent on March 29, 2018

Excellent! Having wasted 3 agonizing years at public school, transferring the kids to Basis was the best decision we have ever made. I was afraid at first, do to all the negative opinions out there, all from parents who have no clue about Basis but say that “they heard” the school is ridiculously vigorous. It is not. The kids have a great time at school and the school really does create an environment for the kids to really want to learn. My kids disliked public school so much that when it came time for homework they threw fits and it would literally take 2-3 hours to get it done. My kids spend a maximum of 1 hour 4 days a week on homework and love it! They have a sense of pride when they’ve finished and get excited to hand it in the next day. I can’t believe how different my kids are now just from switching to Basis. I can’t say enough good things about this school!
Submitted by parent on September 03, 2017

We only got to be there one year before we had to move away, but my kids in Kinder, 4th, and 6th grade all had amazing experiences. They learned SO MUCH! The teachers, being subject experts, really knew and were passionate about their fields and knew how to make them captivating for the students.
Submitted by parent on October 03, 2016

It requires studyung and attention to detail and offers a great environment to teach and encourage it.
Submitted by student on July 29, 2016

Basis although it's get with making kids smart, they will destroy you mentally. They will separate the kids between dumb and smart and make the kids who get C's feel bad for themselves. They have this thing called acedemic support which may sound efficient isn't. Throughout my years at Basis the acedemic support went from good to worse. It was to the point where they just looked to see if ur parents saw ur grade and sighed it. They didntndo anything at all. My advice: stay the hell away from this school.
Submitted by other on March 01, 2016

Basis offers a rich curriculum and an excellent variety of “bonus” classes like Kenpo, Mandarin, Art, Latin, Engineering, Drama and Music. For students that do not participate in extra circulars outside of school this is a great thing. My children have had experienced a lot of knowledge growth.The security in the front office is strict and these days that is a plus. At first it seems extreme but you will get used to it.They classes in primary are slightly challenging and the homework in not extreme. I did not think it was too much up until 5th grade. They recently reduced the amount of math problems from 30 down to 15. So far my child is doing what I consider well, always in the 90’s club and has many friends. Keep in mind that a “C” is fair, “B” is Good and “A” is Excellent. Your child is considered struggling if they have a B in math in the 3rd grade.If you like a warm welcoming place to send your young children, you will be disappointed. The entire school has a very sterile feel. Parents are only allowed to volunteer to raise money for the “Annual Teacher’s Fund”, to serve hot lunch (a percentage of hot lunch money goes to the “ATF”, Book Fair and host dances that raise money for the “ATF”. Students are not allowed to raise money for Odyssey of the Mind using the Basis name because it conflicted with raising money for the “ATF”.
Submitted by student on June 18, 2015

I don't know. It's all good, but the math homework (if you have to do all thirty problems) and the reading homework is really a hassle. There's too much of it!
Submitted by parent on June 16, 2015

This school only wants to deal with a specific type of child, and unfortunately my son was not that type. I say unfortunately because I do believe Basis offers a superior education. From the first year I put my son in, I was bullied and harassed. They would ask me if I was sure I wanted to send my son there (he did get poor grades), but the worst was them asking me what was wrong with him. Did he have ADHD? Was he autistic? They even called CPS on me, they said because it was troubling that i had a job that involved shift work, and even tho he was of age, there were times he was alone. Needless to say the case was closed in 5 min, but the stress was horrible. What had I done wrong, other than wanting the best education for my child? Not one teacher or councilor was supportive or helpful. I just recently had my son tested, and have discovered while he is in the 1percentile (gifted) his processing speed is in the bottom percentile. The Dr called it noteworthy and striking. What this means is that my son was not too stupid or too lazy to succeed at this school, but there would have had to have been some compassion and some effort to work with him. Not punish him.
Submitted by parent on May 17, 2014

All in all, I estimated $3561 was the cost of my child attending Basis Oro Valley (in addition to costs associated with public school) with minimal extracurricular participation and one day a week of Late Bird (after school care). Public school costs would be things like school clothes and supplies and weren't included in the figure. The largest expenses were Late Bird ($90+/mo), hot/sack lunches and snacks ($105/mo) and transportation/gas for 94 miles a week ($56/mo). If you're an upper middle class family (as many Oro Valley households are) then these costs aren't a big deal. If, however, you're a single-income household with three kids - these expenses are something to consider. It was obnoxious being harassed all year long to contribute to a teacher fund when getting through to a teacher meant taking time off from work to catch them during their "appointment" hours and nothing seemed to be accomplished during these meetings anyway. Some teachers have email and some never check it. It's a great education, don't get me wrong... but it aint easy and it aint free.
Submitted by parent on May 03, 2014

World class education for FREE Lunch days, I love the support my student gets I would love to have more vendors so lunch can be every day!
Submitted by other on February 16, 2014

I am a former teacher of Basis Oro Valley who moved on to experience teaching at other schools. Students, never doubt that you are in the right place. The education students receive at Basis schools is leaps and bounds beyond what passes as education at other schools. Yes, it seems hard sometimes. Yes, it is a lot of work, but nothing of value comes easy--nor should it. You are not only learning high-level content that will help you to achieve your dreams, but you are also learning the discipline that will help you achieve those dreams. During my time there, I told my students that discipline triumphs smarts. Pay attention and do your best at Basis; you'll have both the discipline and smarts. Good luck.
Submitted by other on August 19, 2013

I am a 9th grade student at BASIS Oro Valley and have been going here since 6th grade when it first opened. Although I like this school for the great education I am receiving, I am constantly stressed and there is way too much homework. It is only the 3rd week of school and I am already staying up late drowning in homework.
Submitted by parent on July 16, 2013

My son is entering his third year, (9th) grade, at Basis Oro Valley, and I am thankful that he has the opportunity to attend this excellent school. Basis is a no nonsense, high achieving, academically challenging school, and so far it has been a very good fit for my son. He is getting the education I wish I had been offered. The teachers are experts in their fields, and are able to make the classes exciting and interesting. My son who used to come home and say school was "okay" or "fine", now tells me stories about his adventures. He has completed an AP World History course, and has achieved a score that is considered by most colleges as a course credit, which will save me $$. I look forward to continuing the adventure. Thank you Basis!!!
Submitted by parent on March 05, 2013

My son is in 5th grade at Basis and I have been very pleased with the school. The curriculum is challenging and the homework is excessive at certain times but the learning is great. My child loves the verity of subjects offered and the school dynamics but sometimes the 3 hours of homework and studying becomes stressful. He has learned a lot this year, probably more than the three years at Sonoran Science Academy combined. It is not for everyone but the principals and teachers are very supportive and are willing to accommodate any child. There are student hours for every subject and you never feel like the child is alone. I highly recommend this school for kids that want a challenge and are bored at their schools.