Basis Schools

BASIS Curriculum Schools, Inc. is a global network of both public and private schools that use the BASIS Curriculum.^[2] BASIS Curriculum Schools are made up of BASIS Charter Schools, BASIS Independent Schools, and BASIS International Schools.

BASIS Curriculum Schools are managed by BASIS Educational Group, LLC (stylized as BASIS.ed), a for-profit charter management organization based in Scottsdale, Arizona.^[3] In April 2019, the five independent BASIS Schools in New York, California, Washington, and Virginia were purchased by Spring Education Group.^[4] BASIS Curriculum Schools seek to prepare students, in the elementary through high school level, to be competitive globally. This is done through extended homework hours, lecture-driven classes, an emphasis on success in standardized tests, like Advanced Placement tests, and an opportunity to graduate early or complete a senior project.

BASIS Curriculum Schools utilize a LET/SET model for PreK-4th grade education. The term LET stands for Learning Expert Teachers, who serve as homeroom teachers and accompany students throughout the day. SETs are Subject Expert Teachers who teach individual subjects. Once a child enters the middle school program in 5th grade, LETs are no longer utilized and no longer have a homeroom and instead navigate between classes on their own.^[5]

The first BASIS Curriculum School, BASIS Tucson, was founded in Tucson in 1998 by Michael Block and Olga Block, intending to educate students at an internationally competitive level.

In 2003, BASIS Scottsdale was opened. In 2010, BASIS Oro Valley was founded. A year later, BASIS opened three schools at once in Chandler, Peoria, and Flagstaff.^[6] BASIS continued its expansion by opening another school in Tucson and one in Phoenix proper in fall 2012, along with their first non-Arizona school, located in Washington, D.C. In 2013, BASIS opened its tenth and eleventh Arizona campuses in Ahwatukee and Mesa, and the second non-Arizona campus was added in San Antonio, Texas. BASIS also began its primary (K-4) program at the original BASIS Tucson site. In 2014, BASIS opened in Prescott, AZ, as well as BASIS Independent upper campuses in Brooklyn, NY,^[7] and Silicon Valley, CA.^[8] In 2015, BASIS opened its sixteenth Arizona school in Goodyear, AZ.^[9] In the following year, BASIS Independent opened its Fremont, CA upper campus^[10] as well as a school in McLean, VA.^[11]

In 2017, BASIS Independent opened its Manhattan, NY lower campus.^[12][13] BASIS Independent Fremont upper campus opened in 2019.^[14] In 2021, BASIS Independent opened its Brooklyn, NY lower campus and Manhattan, NY upper campus.^[15] In 2022, the organization opened BASIS Independent Bellevue in Bellevue, WA^[16] and expanded its Silicon Valley, CA campus to include a lower school.^[17]

BASIS was featured in the documentary film 2 Million Minutes: A 21st Century Solution, which examined differences between charter schools' curricula and conventional public schools.^[18] In response to the documentary, Newt Gingrich and Al Sharpton visited a BASIS campus to deliver speeches on the importance of education in America.^{[19][20][21][22]}

There are currently 54 BASIS Curriculum schools. 34 of these are public charter schools found in Arizona, Louisiana, Texas and Washington, D.C. Six of these are private BASIS Independent Schools found in New York City, Northern Virginia, Silicon Valley, California and Bellevue, Washington State. 14 privately owned international schools are found in China, Bangkok, Thailand and the Czech Republic.^[23] Additional new schools include BASIS Independent Bothell opening in 2025^[24] and BASIS Independent Dublin opening in 2026.^[25]

BASIS schools are accredited by Cognia.^[26]

BASIS schools have regularly topped U.S. national school rankings, earning the top five spots and more among the U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools 2017 rankings,^[27] and earning the number one spot on the list of America's Most Challenging High Schools published by The Washington Post.

BASIS schools have participated in charitable giving initiatives including raising money for a school in Madagascar^[28] and collecting firewood, winter clothes, and school supplies for Native American communities in Northern Arizona.^[29]

Some education analysts and journalists have raised concerns about financial transparency, particularly the schools' use of for-profit management companies.^[30] A 2010 investigative article also examined the compensation of BASIS founders compared to the teacher salaries and those of other public school administrators.^[31]

Critics have also questioned BASIS's academic model, which emphasizes an accelerated curriculum and extensive use of standardized testing.^[32] Some argue that this focus may also prioritize test performance over broader educational outcomes. Observers have noted that BASIS's rankings in systems such as the U.S. News & World Report are influenced by the high percentage of students taking Advanced Placement (AP) tests, a metric heavily weighed in such rankings.^[33] Student attrition has also drawn scrutiny. Reports indicate that BASIS high school senior classes are often significantly smaller than their corresponding middle school cohorts. Some critics suggest that this may reflect a system that does not retain underperforming students.^[34][35][36] In 2013, the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board denied a request from BASIS DC to expand, citing concerns over student withdrawn rates.^[37]

Arizona BASIS schools have also drawn attention for soliciting financial contributions from parents, an uncommon practice among publicly funded schools. BASIS Scottsdale, for example, requests $1,500 per student. Teacher compensation at BASIS schools is generally lower than the state average for public school teachers, although BASIS.ed has stated that bonuses make teacher compensation competitive. Teachers typically receive bonuses for students' scores on Advanced Placement exams.^[38]

In 2024, scrutiny increased over the BASIS independent schools' affiliation with Primavera Capital Group, which owns BASIS International & Bilingual Schools. Media reports highlighted that Primavera's CEO, Fred Zuliu Hu, had previously held a senior role in the Chinese government. A New York Post article described Hu as having past ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In response, Primavera Capital Group stated, “Your characterization of Fred Hu in the article is incorrect. He is not a member of the CCP or any other political party. He was not a CCP member at the time when he was an executive at Goldman Sachs.”^[39][40]