Basis Schools

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BASIS Curriculum Schools, Inc. is a global network of public and private schools that follow the BASIS Curriculum. It includes BASIS Charter Schools, BASIS Independent Schools, and BASIS International Schools. The first BASIS school, BASIS Tucson, opened in 1998 in Tucson, Arizona, founded by Michael and Olga Block to educate students at an internationally competitive level.

Growth and expansion happened quickly. BASIS Scottsdale opened in 2003, followed by BASIS Oro Valley in 2010. In 2011, three new campuses opened in Chandler, Peoria, and Flagstaff. In 2012, more schools appeared in Tucson and Phoenix, plus the first non-Arizona campus in Washington, DC. In 2013, two more Arizona campuses opened (Ahwatukee and Mesa), and BASIS started a primary program (K–4) at the original Tucson site. Prescott joined in 2014, and Goodyear in 2015. In 2016, BASIS Independent McLean opened in Virginia. In 2019, the five independent BASIS Schools in New York, California, Washington, and Virginia were sold to Spring Education Group. BASIS Independent Bellevue opened in Washington state for the 2022–2023 school year.

BASIS Curriculum Schools are run by BASIS Educational Group, LLC (BASIS.ed), a for-profit charter management organization based in Scottsdale, Arizona. The network aims to prepare students to compete globally through extended homework, lecture-style classes, a strong focus on standardized tests such as Advanced Placement (AP), and options to graduate early or complete a senior project.

The educational model uses LET/SET in PreK–4. LET stands for Learning Expert Teachers who serve as homeroom teachers and accompany students throughout the day. SETs are Subject Expert Teachers who teach specific subjects. Starting in 5th grade, students no longer have a homeroom and move between classes on their own.

As of August 2025, BASIS lists 54 schools: 34 public charter schools in Arizona, Louisiana, Texas, and Washington, DC; six private BASIS Independent Schools in New York City, Northern Virginia, Silicon Valley, California, and Bellevue, Washington; and 14 privately owned international schools in China, Bangkok, and the Czech Republic.

BASIS schools have often topped U.S. rankings, including top spots in U.S. News & World Report and Washington Post lists for challenging high schools. However, they have faced criticism. Critics say BASIS lacks financial transparency because it uses for-profit management, question founder salaries, and worry about an overemphasis on standardized testing. Some argue the high AP focus helps raise rankings while hidden attrition rates mean senior classes are much smaller than the entering fifth grade.

In DC, the charter board rejected BASIS DC’s request to expand, citing concerns about student withdrawals. In Arizona, BASIS schools have asked families to contribute money, such as BASIS Scottsdale charging about $1,500 per student. Teacher pay at BASIS has been reported as lower than the state average, though BASIS.ed says bonuses tied to AP scores help makes pay competitive.

In 2023, a report about the Spring Education Group (which owns BASIS Independent schools) highlighted controversy over a leader’s past political ties, leading to some scholarships being suspended in Florida. Primavera Capital Group, which controls Spring Education Group, said the characterization was incorrect.