Basis Schools have developed rapidly since the first one was founded in Tucson, Arizona in 1998 by economics professor Michael Block and his wife Olga Block. Today, there are over 40 charter Basis Schools and 5 private Basis Independent Schools across the US. Basis Schools are best known for their advanced STEM-focused curriculum modeled on rigorous Asian and European systems. Students take on high-level content from an early age. Basis Schools consistently top US News & World Report rankings. Basis graduates gain admission to prestigious universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT and more. Critics contend the Basis model pushes students too hard, but parents seeking elite college preparation continue applying in droves.
Basis Silicon Valley sends large shares to top universities
The Basis Independent School in Silicon Valley California demonstrates the network’s college results. It lies in the heart of the tech hub near Apple, Facebook, Google and Tesla and draws elite families. In 2021, 17% of its graduates went to the US top 10 universities, 52% to the top 25, and 86% to the top 50. Princeton, Columbia, MIT, Yale, Stanford, UChicago, UPenn, Caltech, Johns Hopkins, Dartmouth and Cornell all welcomed Basis Silicon Valley students.
Basis early childhood builds love of learning
Basis starts instilling a lifelong love of learning as early as ages 3-5 in PreK and kindergarten. Classes run in focused 25-30 minute blocks to develop social skills, math concepts, art and more. Two teachers per classroom, one lead and one teaching fellow, enable individualized attention. The curriculum balances structured activities with play-based discovery to lay the foundation for primary school.
Two teacher model accelerates learning in Basis elementary years
The Basis elementary system pairs subject expert teachers (SETs) with learning expert teachers (LETs) to impart both conceptual knowledge and metacognitive/executive skills. SETs have deep expertise in their fields while LETs specialize in pedagogy and cognition. Students learn quickly from SETs then reinforce with LETs. Daily connections classes tie together concepts across disciplines. The spiral curriculum revisits core ideas across the years to ensure mastery.
Advanced middle school curriculum prepares for Basis high school
Basis middle school runs from grades 5-8. The courses plant the seeds for AP-level high school classes with increasing rigor in the humanities, math and sciences. Starting in 6th grade, students take three parallel science classes – biology, chemistry and physics – as well as economics, logic, language and electives. Classes spiral key concepts while expanding critical thinking skills. Basis also offers diverse, engaging extracurriculars from technology and sports to languages and arts.
Elite high school curriculum on par with top systems worldwide
The gold standard Basis high school curriculum rivals that of top schools globally in its breadth and depth. AP courses start freshman year since students enter well prepared. Basis requires a minimum six APs for graduation and students average nearly 13 exams by 12th grade at a 92.7% passing rate, signaling their motivation. The senior year enables students to take advanced seminars from their subject teachers and pursue passion projects partnering with universities, companies or nonprofits.
In just over 20 years, Basis Schools have risen to the very top of the US school system with their advanced STEM-focused curriculum, passionate expert teachers, and culture of diligence. Basis students gain admission to the most respected institutions and are prepared to excel on the global stage.