The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in English language arts. The lowest is 39% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Basis Charter Schools Inc. (549803)
BASIS Charter Schools Inc. is a small charter district in Maricopa County that operates a single school, BASIS Phoenix South, serving kindergarten through eighth grade. It does not enroll high school students, so families who begin here will need to plan for a transition after eighth grade. The district’s enrollment is modest, and its student body is diverse: Hispanic students make up the largest share, followed by Black, Asian, and white students, with smaller numbers of multiracial and Native American students. Data on economic disadvantage, special education, and English learner status were not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the supports it offers.
Academically, the district’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint among Maricopa County’s districts, a solid position. But the picture varies considerably by grade and subject. In math, proficiency is strongest in third and seventh grades and weaker in fifth and sixth grades. In English language arts, results climb sharply from the middle grades to eighth grade, where a strong majority of students meet proficiency. Science results are mixed: fifth-grade proficiency is low, while eighth-grade proficiency is markedly higher. The multi-year trend data show little change in either math or ELA, suggesting a stable level of performance. Because the district has no high school, there is no graduation rate to report.
On the student environment side, chronic absenteeism is low, placing the district in the top quartile among its county peers. That is a positive signal for consistent attendance and engagement. Per-pupil current spending falls in the middle range, slightly below the county median, which may reflect the charter model’s leaner administrative structure. No information was available about the community setting or local housing market, as the district’s location within Maricopa County was not specified in the data.
For a parent considering this district, the core question is fit with the academic pathway. BASIS schools are known nationally for a rigorous, college-preparatory curriculum, and the test results here show that by eighth grade a substantial portion of students are reaching proficiency in ELA and science. However, the uneven proficiency in elementary and middle school math and reading means some children may need additional support. The lack of high school grades is a structural factor: the district ends at eighth grade, so a family would need to research receiving schools. The small, single-school setting and the diverse peer environment are characteristics that appeal to some families and not others. The low chronic absenteeism rate suggests a school where students are showing up consistently. Overall, this is a district with academic strengths in the upper grades and some variability earlier, housed in a small charter with one campus, and its most important practical limitation is the absence of a high school program.
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