Basis school network is planning to open a primary campus on Tucsonβs south side as part of an initiative to bring its challenging curriculum to underserved areas.
βThis is something thatβs been on the hearts and minds of the board and me as well,β said Peter Bezanson, CEO of Basis.ed, the parent company for the nationally acclaimed Basis schools.
Basis Tucson South, one of two new campuses approved by the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools, would open in the fall of 2018 or 2019. The other campus, Phoenix South, is set to open this fall. In coming years, Basis plans to open a third school in north Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The proposed Tucson South school will be in the vicinity of the I-10/I-19 interchange, and is expected to serve about 300 students in kindergarten through third grade in its first year. The school would add fourth grade the following year.
Basis does not yet have a facility for the new school, Bezanson said. The network is working on building a donor base and finding just the right place.
The new school will be the fourth Basis campus in the Tucson area. Existing campuses are on the north side at River and Craycroft roads, in Oro Valley on North Oracle Road and in central Tucson near Speedway and Alvernon Way.
The Tucson South campus would serve βa somewhat different target population than Basis Tucson Primary,β according to the school proposal submitted to the state charter schools board. The area has more lower- to middle-income families compared to Basis Tucson Primary.
An analysis included in Basisβ proposal to the charter schools board says the population in the area of the new school has about 69 percent of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch β an indicator of poverty β and nearly 64 percent are Hispanic. At Basis Tucson Primary, 18 percent are Hispanic.
The academic program at the new school will be identical to that of the existing primary school, but βBasis Tucson South Primary will be prepared to adapt its operation to the unique needs of the community in South Tucson,β according to the proposal. Part of that includes creating individual language plans for students who are learning English.
Basis schools typically do not offer lunch or transportation, which are barriers to lower-income students. However, Bezanson said the three schools in underserved areas may take part in the National School Lunch Program.
Transportation is much trickier, he said. Basis could consider looking into philanthropy for help. βItβs something weβd like to do if we can afford it.β
The new school would draw students who are mostly within the Tucson Unified School Districtβs boundaries. TUSD schools in the proposed area include Borton Magnet, C.E. Rose PreK-8, Carrillo K-5 Magnet and Drachman Montessori K-8 Magnet.
Those are excellent schools, said Interim TUSD Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo. Basis will not have an easy time getting parents, who he says are already thoroughly happy with their district schools, to enroll there.
TUSD would be prepared for any enrollment decreases that may happen, Trujillo said, but he added the school district should not fear charter schools opening within its boundaries.
βWe need to dramatically improve our product,β Trujillo said.
