BASIS Phoenix

13231 North 22nd Street

School District

Basis School Inc.
Grade

5-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:17
Type

charter

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 01, 2024

My daughter did not have a good experience here.
Submitted by other on June 20, 2022

It is an overall very ok school. I recommend you start your child here at a young age, so they can learn the challenging curriculum. If you bring a student in 5th grade, it will be tricky as this school has a harder curriculum that most schools. This school is pretty much only good for curriculum, as the sports and after-school programs are very bad, and they don't really do competitive sports. It is pretty stressful, and there are better schools out there.
Submitted by parent on September 16, 2020

The entire world is clearly still dealing with the pandemic and many of the 6th grade teachers have no empathy nor sympathy for the students or parents. Home schooling is hard and the DO NOT teachers are very rigid, uncaring, and do have a clue on child development. I will be transferring my child from the school because I do not like the way they operate.
Submitted by parent on January 15, 2019

This is my daughters 2nd year at BASIS and she is having a hard time keeping up. She’s in the 1 st grade and is clearly overwhelmed. She stays st school sometimes for 10 hours. Her teacher has asked that she come in before school starts to work on organization and another teacher has her staying after school for an hour to assist with math. I have hired a tutor as well per her teachers suggestion and despite all this extra help they say she is still struggling. My daughter comes home from school exhausted and usually passes out before dinner time. I feel this school is excellent for those children who are gifted and above average by my daughter is not gifted she’s smart but not as smart as these teachers would want her to be. I feel sorry for her and the amount of work load she has on a daily basis. It really takes a lot of of her. She’s stressed out and in the beginning her teacher was not being very kind to her so she started to refuse to go to school. Most of the staff there are very young and most without children of their own and I was actually very shocked to see how young they all are. The lunch is terrible and served cold most of the time with drinks that are warm due to being kept out in a empty cooler. They don’t have much time to play after lunch and they have to go back to class immediately which doesn’t leave much room to burn off their energy. My daughter is fortunate to be going to a great school but it’s not for everyone and I don’t see a furtive here for her so I’m just waiting and supporting her until she tells me it’s way too much for her and will have to look into other schools if that time should come. The front office are not very organized what’s so ever and st times can be very rude depending if they know you or not but for the most part the staff sre mostly friendly and helpful. It is a multi cultural school with a lot kids coming from different back grounds. The school has very high expectation and it’s very necessary to be involved and supportive to your child in order for them to succeed and the child has to also want to be forused and driven or they will have a hard time keeping up. Good luck and I would recommend this school but would first check to see if it is a good fit for your child like many reviews it said this school is not for everyone and that’s a true statement in my opinion.
Submitted by parent on July 13, 2018

My daughter has been attending Basis Phoenix for 1.5 years. I can’t fully express my appreciation for Basis’ approach to bringing out the best in her. She is challenged daily with rigorous learning and would be bored at any other school.
Submitted by student on June 19, 2017

How would you rate your experience at this school? - Terrible...I moved from one BASIS to other BASIS ‘none’ of the staff know full information on any particular topic. 1.AP Credits - 8th grade AP course are considered as high school credit – this is one of their biggest marketing point saying the student will be higher in education when compared to other schools – catch is “ONLY” if you graduate from BASIS (??, don’t miss the catch) , a SURPRISE for me after being in their in campuses for 3yrs, fighting for the credit from past 1.5yrs where I was pushed back and forth between BASIS schools and also through the current school that we need to move to, now someone from school says "you never spoke to me to get the correct information" - meaning, every individual staff at school has different information?? why wasn't I transferred to THIS person, when the others doesn't know the actual information from past 1.5yrs? Parents please be aware of understanding the credits you get or will be transferred to a different school even though you take AP classes all through. 2.Moving out information - moved out of this school one day before the trimester ends and did not get any credit for the whole trimester (in 10th grade) and this was never informed when my transfer application has been submitted in the school. (School staff doesn't know, or don't want to tell as we are moving out of BASIS??? (we have informed about moving 10days prior to our move)3.Deposit Money $300 - I did not get the deposit of $300 in full, received only $180 when I was moving out and was told that they charged me for AP Physics exam. But the whole year when I want to take the AP Physics exam I was told that I am not eligible to write and they already picked first 3 students to write that. Then where is my money?? Money was not returned to me because of an exam that I was not eligible to take in the first place?? Response for this is - materials were ordered at the beginning of the school year, so the money had to be deducted - ROFL I could go on and on… But enough said, student’s life is a TIMEPASS for these people. They don't really CARE about anyone's future except their business. ... I REGRET every day to be in this school and to screw up my 3yrs of high school.BRAVO BASIS!!!
Submitted by parent on August 30, 2016

Great academic school. Kids get challenged and the amount of homework and new learning push kids to the max, which is great. Administrative stuff can be a little bit messy, you need to be more self motivated and adaptable. No one's going to hold your hand and welcome you to the school like a friendly neighbor.
Submitted by parent on February 01, 2016

This is our first year at Basis Phoenix but we are extremely satisfied and impressed with the school and staff. The school with the leadership of Principal Petra Pajatas is outstanding, very organized. We all wish Ms Pajatas will stay forever. The teachers are experts in their fields and very very dedicated to teaching. The student body is great, most if not all of these kids are already gifted or above average and they are very very motivated. Of course the school is not for every kid, there will be kids that withdraw due to the challenging curriculum, but if the kids are motivated and with great parental support, you and your kid will love this school. Our daughter was in a gifted program and she attended supposedly the best Catholic school here in the state, but nothing was impressed us until we are here at Basis Phoenix. This is the even better than any private school. Our daughter has learned not the very advanced curriculum but also learn to be independent, and many necessary skills such as leadership, organization, and most importantly she loves school and loves learning. Love it so much, that our son is coming next year and we are here for the long run.
Submitted by parent on January 25, 2016

I have two children at Basis Phoenix. They have completely different learning styles, but they are both achieving fantastic results. They are inspired by their teachers who teach huge amounts of information and many manage to entertain as well. The list of extracurriculars is longer than any other school we've attended (5 in total) so there is something for everyone. The homework is not any more than other charter schools and Basis teaches organizational skills so that the kids can study independently. The Head of School is friendly, approachable and is clearly passionate about her role as ambassador of education. The whole campus is a reflection of her positive attitude. Go Basis!
Submitted by parent on December 08, 2015

This is a wonderful school However it is not for every child The teachers are great and dedicated The principal is wonderful and knowledgable Our children are very happy here It is a lot of work and discipline but it is the way a great school should be
Submitted by student on August 14, 2015

The school was of course vigorous and fast pace but contrary to popular belief kids still have time to be kids. In 5th grade the amount of homework takes time to get used to of course but about half way through the school year it took more like an hour or two every night to do homework. They have clubs but they do better with academics. The teachers are supportive but i know a few people who just felt to burnt out after their first year and left.which is understandable because of the difficulty of the courses. There are many different cultures in the school which is fun because you get to interact with all different types of people. The different social events and clubs have been improving and they offer an excellent strings and band elective. I hear people around me say that BASIS is for "smart" kids but really it's for anyone if they are willing to get some bad grades and spend long nights on homework and studying but end the end it pays off. They have a small library and a decent sized outdoor space. Many students think the school''s goal is to make you miserable or to weed out kids, at first I thought so too but from experience by the second year you learn to have fun and just put your best into it. there will always be at least one bad teacher anywhere you go but I've learned that just because a certain teacher doesn't teach well isn't an excuse for failing. And at the end of the day we're all just regular kids.
Submitted by parent on August 13, 2015

My daughter is entering 6th grade at Basis Phoenix. It is likely this will be her last year. I can't really criticize the school though, academics are top notch, staff and teachers are very supportive, my kid learned so much in her first year. But it's just not for everyone. My daughter has the intellectual capacity to keep up, her grades are fine (As, Bs, one C) but she's just burnt out. She's not 100% nerdy, she has other interests than school, she's not really competitive when it comes to grades; she's made friends but doesn't feel like she quite fits in. We might go back to public school for junior high. But again, I'm not going to blame the school. We were looking for something more academically challenging than the joke that are honors programs in elementary public schools, and we definitely found what we were looking for. It might just be that my kid doesn't quite fit the profile. And that's ok, considering it is a specialty school.
Submitted by parent on June 25, 2015

My child joined Basis after an unsatisfactory experience with a nearby comprehensive gifted program. Basis offers an exceptional curriculum. Basis also encourages the student to be independent and responsible. The administration is supportive of the students. However, Basis, with its advanced programs, fast pace, and heavy homework load, is not a good fit for every student and their families. It has excellent extra curricular programs including chess, sports, creative writing and more. It truly is an unmatched college preparatory program in this country. Well done, Basis.
Submitted by student on May 13, 2015

The worst experience I have had with any school; bar none. While the majority of the teachers are competent enough, some clearly do not know how to communicate with their students. Many children and adolescents alike feared going to certain classes, myself included. Making even one mistake often resulted in being yelled at, creating a terrible environment for those eager to learn. The office staff is completely disorganized, as well as rude on numerous occasions. I left the school over a year ago and am still trying to get my transcripts from them, which have been held hostage. Additionally, the principal forced me to enter a 3rd-year Spanish class with no prior knowledge and repeat the entirety of my Freshman year (Was a Sophmore at the time) because taking Spanish in summer school was, "not an option." As you can imagine, trying to juggle AP and Honors classes along with passing said advanced Spanish class was near-impossible at best. Claiming that such a task was feasible and that I'd "be fine" is lying and deceitful. They should be ashamed of themselves. Overall, only send your children there if test scores and grades are the only things that matter to you. Stay far away.
Submitted by parent on April 03, 2015

It's good to see the truth about this school finally coming out. Teachers are supposedly "experts" in their fields, but hardly any are actually capable of teaching the material. The administration is terrible unorganized is an understatement and inexperienced when it comes to running a school. The homework load wouldn't be so bad if the kids were taught the material better, but instead they fight their way through it, trying to learn it on their own. Their grades ultimately depend on passing the AP tests, but it's hard to pass when you're not well prepared. The office/administration cannot relate to children and they are rude, condescending and demeaning. If your child is not totally gifted and innately brilliant, this school will not be for them and they will be weeded harshly out.
Submitted by parent on March 16, 2015

My son is a freshman in Basis. He started from 7 th grade. He was in public top rated school from K to 6. He was in gifted program in 5,6 grade in public school. When he started 7 grade he had D's and C's first trimester. After that something has changed, he became one of the most improved students of the year. He is doing much better now. This school prepares you for colllege and professional schools In the future. This school does not dumb down your kids like other public schools do. This is a real deal. If you want your child to succed in the future and be able to go through college and be able to get in to most prestigious professional school stick with Basis. Problem of our society is that we want our kids to have fun while learning. I hate to disappoint you when you are in Medical, dental, law schools- learning is your job, you have to survive, you have to work hard. I love Basis. If most of our schools would have this curriculum we would not be looking to outsource high level professionals from different countries.
Submitted by parent on March 11, 2015

For the over-achieving student, this school could be the right fit. The curriculum is rigorous and provides a great deal of challenge. Some teachers there are outstanding, while some aren't . The Saxon Math program is a great choice. They offer many AP classes and the teachers provide tutoring. They work extremely hard. The negatives are that they students are overloaded and overwhelmed. There is a great deal of rote memorization while missing the bigger concepts. There is no sports program, no gym, no library, and no cafeteria. But that's not the problem. Starting in 5th grade, the students are supposed to have about 2 hours of homework each night. However, there is an additional 1-2 hours of study and review time too. Adding sports or an extracurricular activity often results in late bedtime. School commences at 7.30 every morning for the lower grades. They have 20 minutes for lunch, leaving no time to play or decompress. All this can result in high stress environment for many students. Parents need to be aware that this is a high stress environment and see if this school is a good fit for their child.
Submitted by parent on January 11, 2015

This is a GREAT school! This is my child's 3rd year at this school and the teachers are for the most part dedicated, caring, hardworking individuals. At which school would you have the vice principal ("Director of Academic Programs") spend his own time tutoring a student in Math because a student was not understanding Math from the current teacher? Yes, it is difficult and not for every student but the average and above average student can do very well here and learn a lot. This school has fostered a love of learning which my student did not have in the prior private school. There is minimal bullying. Yes, the students work hard, but my 8th grader usually has 1-3 hours of homework a night and has never been up til midnight or even close.
Submitted by parent on January 09, 2015

My gifted child attended 1 yr; 10% great, 30% good, 10% acceptable, and 50% bad teachers!;some pass packets to busy kids during class & assign HW to make up for her lack.Basis has way of weeding out kids that can't keep up; make it miserable til they leave. Hiring office employee to teach PE b/c he "has an interest in health" does not mk him expert in PE; some teachers use inapprop. lang w kids.; Rated R choices for Eng novels but teacher is friend of head of school so no consequence. Basis doesn't mk the kids smart; they market to smart kids' families. Homeschool a better option.
Submitted by parent on October 23, 2014

This school is fairly new in the Basis system, and although Basis Scottsdale and Tucson are ranked highly, this one is too new for that. Kind of riding the coat tails. Our experience is that the administration is extremely disorganized and inexperienced. Many people in charge are over their head and seem to lack leadership and common management skills. The school community is lacking too. Yes education is utmost, but also school is a community, and this school doesn't try to foster that at all. I'm not sure that this Basis Phx and any of the news ones will ever match up to Tucson and Scottsdale. Some of the teachers are excellent and some are terrible, but again, there seems to be no quality control in place to monitor teachers.