More National Rankings Domination for BASIS Curriculum Schools: The Washington Post 4 BASIS charters included in the ‘Public Elites’; 3 in the Top 10, including #1 school in U.S.

The BASIS Curriculum Schools network continued its rankings season of unprecedented accolades, with seven charter schools dominating both of The Washington Post’s unique rankings lists.

The top list is commonly referred to as the “Public Elites” – and is officially a selection of “top-performing schools with elite students.” There are just 30 “Public Elites” in the United States this year, and BASIS Curriculum Schools is the only network to have four schools included, an unparalleled accomplishment.

The second Post list is the national rankings list called America’s Most Challenging High Schools”, and BASIS Phoenix is #1.

All seven of the ranked schools in the BASIS Curriculum Schools network are open-enrollment, tuition-free public charter schools. These are the only seven schools in the network eligible for assessment by The Washington Post this year. The seven schools are:

Washington Post “Public Elites”:

  • BASIS Chandler
  • BASIS Peoria
  • BASIS Scottsdale
  • BASIS Tucson North

Washington Post rankings:

  • BASIS Phoenix, #1 in nation
  • BASIS Oro Valley, #8 in nation
  • BASIS Flagstaff, #10 in nation

“Our goal was never to run just one great school,” co-founder Olga Block said in response to the latest set of rankings. “It was to create a network of the best schools in the country, and the world. These national rankings help prove not only that our educational model works, but that it’s among the world’s best. And that means our students have great choices and opportunities in their futures.”

Co-founder Michael Block added, “It’s a well-deserved honor for our students and teachers to be so highly ranked by The Washington Post, as well as by U.S. News. But it’s quite a different distinction to be ranked by both esteemed publications, with quite different ranking methodologies.”

Block noted that these national accolades aren’t the only measure of success. “Add to that BASIS Curriculum students’ achievement on the OECD Test for Schools (based on PISA), which measures critical thinking skills, and it’s fair to say that no matter the source of assessment, our schools measure up as among the best on earth.”

“We have always said every community should have a BASIS charter school,” said Craig Barrett, Chairman of BASIS Schools. “I believe these rankings give great support for that concept.”

As referenced by Michael Block, last week BASIS charter schools were ranked #1, #2, #3, #5, and #7 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in its 2017 list of “America’s Best High Schools.” Those five schools – in U.S. News rankings order, BASIS Scottsdale, BASIS Tucson North, BASIS Oro Valley, BASIS Peoria, and BASIS Chandler – were also the top five charter schools in the United States, per U.S. News’ 2017 charter school rankings.

Phil Handler
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