2 Million Minutes - Part 2

In class last Tuesday we watched 2 Million Minutes - Part 2, which was about a charter school based in Tucson, AZ. The name of the school is Basis, and it is the number one ranked high school in the nation according to US News and World Report. The school has an amazing cultue of student achievement which starts with staggering graduation requirements. The school's motto is essentially "Exceed the Highest Expectations." They have high expectations for all students, even "average" students. The curriculum is such a simple concept it makes you wonder why all high schools don't implemnt mandatory AP classes and full year physics, biology, and chemistry in 6-8 grades.

The change that Olga and her partner were able to make in the students at their school and in their community is amazing and really inspiring. It makes me want to start a charter school and base it on their model because it has proven to work not just in Tucson but in Scottsdale as well. The movie as invoked a strong emotion of anger from me. For one, I was really upset that I did not have a school, principals, and teachers pushing me to my absolute highest for 6 years of middle school and high school. I took all possible honors and AP classes but I could have done more if I was pushed and inspired. Secondly, it makes me upset that we are failing many of our children by lowering the bar with ridiculously low expectations. As the Intel CEO said, we need to raise the bar if we (the US) is not going fall behind other countries in the world.