Story by Alexis Huicochea

Photo by Benjie Sanders

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

Sept. 28, 2009

PHOTO: Katie Huynh, 14, inspects a chemistry project, heating some magnesium in class at BASIS high school on East Broadway. The charter school has garnered top national honors for its academics, and a new documentary profiles it.

TUCSON - BASIS charter school has been recognized nationally a few times over the years, but now it is receiving perhaps one of its biggest compliments.

A documentary by filmmaker Robert A. Compton calls the school — which first opened up in Tucson — a model for what schools across the country should strive to be.

In the documentary, titled "2 Million Minutes: The 21st Century Solution," Compton says American students are falling behind the rest of the world intellectually and that the U.S. public school system is not adapting. According to the filmmaker's Web site, the "2 million minutes" reference is to the time elapsed from the end of eighth grade to high school graduation.

Compton traveled the world looking for the best high schools to find the "solution to America's education crisis." He settled on BASIS after taking a tour of the campuses last year. BASIS operates a middle school and a high school in Tucson, both in the midtown area near El Con Mall.

A synopsis by the filmmaker states: "In one of the poorest areas of America, Compton discovered a school that teaches ordinary U.S. children at an extraordinarily high academic level. This school demonstrates that American students are capable of competing academically with the best in the world."

Michael Block, who founded BASIS in 1998 along with his wife, Olga, gladly accepts the praise.

"We advertise ourselves as a school with world standards, but it's nice to have verification from someone who has been around the world examining the topic," Block said.

BASIS has been selected by Newsweek magazine as one of the top 10 high schools in the country in each of the past four years, including fifth on the 2009 list and No. 1 in 2008.

Block said there are a few keys to the school's success.

Great teachers are the foundation, Block said. The school has searched across the world for teachers who can provide the best educational experience possible.

Being serious about academics is another piece of the puzzle, Block said.

"We make sure that academics are second to none," Block said. "We expect every student to perform at really high levels."

For example, in the middle school, which serves grades five through eight, students are required to pass year-end comprehensive exams in all core subjects to be promoted to the next grade level. In high school, Advanced Placement exams are part of the graduation requirement.

Another key to success is accountability for all, Block said.

"There's no single magic bullet," Block said. "We're just quite serious about academics and having great people in the classroom. It sounds simple, but it's not simple to accomplish."

Paul Eckerstrom, an education advocate, agreed with Compton's argument that the United States is falling behind academically compared with nations such as India and China.

However, he said it's unrealistic to expect all students to perform the way BASIS students do when it comes to test scores and taking Advanced Placement classes.

"I think we should have high standards for all kids," Eckerstrom said. "The higher we make them, the more they will strive.

"But I'm not sure we can duplicate BASIS across the spectrum, because they deal with a very select group of kids who will succeed no matter where they go."

The small class sizes and high-quality teachers at BASIS give the charter school another step up, Eckerstrom said.

To implement both of those things at public schools across the country, it would take a lot of money, Eckerstrom said.

"It would take money, but it would go such a long way, and that's the attitude that we need to take," he said.

Currently, the Tucson BASIS schools have about 660 students. The same number of students are enrolled at BASIS' Scottsdale campus, Block said.

The charter school is considering opening a third campus in Oro Valley, possibly next year, Block said.

Contact reporter Alexis Huicochea at 573-4175 or ahuicochea@azstarnet.com

If you go

What: Arizona premiere of the documentary "2 Million Minutes: The 21st Century Solution"

Where: Fox Theatre, 17 W. Congress St.

When: Thursday, 7 p.m.

Cost: Tickets are $10 at the door. Discounted tickets can be bought before the event at www.foxtucsontheatre.org or by phone 520-547-3040.