BASIS Schools, Inc. is an Arizona charter school operator. It operates six schools in the state. These schools, most notably BASIS Tucson and BASIS Scottsdale, have received national attention for high student achievement and their operating model.

History

The first school, in Tucson, opened in 1998 under the guidance of co-founders Olga and Michael Block. The Scottsdale campus opened in 2003, and the Oro Valley location was founded in 2010. BASIS opened three schools at once in the fall of 2011 — its Chandler, Peoria, and Flagstaff locations. Arizona governor Jan Brewer

Jan Brewer

Janice Kay "Jan" Brewer is the 22nd and current Governor of the U.S. state of Arizona and a member of the Republican Party. She is the fourth woman, and third consecutive woman, to hold the office...

 attended all three of the schools' opening ceremonies.

In the spring of 2011, BASIS was offered a charter in the Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

 area. It will be its first non-Arizona campus when it opens.

Model

BASIS schools are organized into two schools. A Lower School serves grades 5-7, and an Upper School serves grades 8-12. Schools have about half the square footage per student than a traditional public school, reducing required facilities funding; the gymnasiums have no bleachers, and classroom space is reduced.

Praise and media attention

BASIS Schools have been noted for performing favorably on standardized tests such as AP, IGCSE Exams, and the AIMS

Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards

Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards is a standardized test administered by the state of Arizona. AIMS is a standards based assessment aligned to the Arizona Academic Content Standards.-Test contents:...

. Students are required to take at least six AP classes throughout high school.

BASIS's academic performance has prompted media attention from a wide variety of sources.