Twenty-one candidates are seeking nine seats on the Birmingham Board of Education.

The group is as diverse as the city’s school districts, but several common themes emerge as issues among the candidates. Many of the candidates want to work to get parents more involved in their children’s educations. Another topic on which many spoke was preparing students adequately for the post-secondary or work world.

District 1

Incumbent Sherman Collins Jr. has said he is emphasizing the direction the board will go. He adds that board members should not be tied to special interest groups and charter schools.

Challenger Walter Umrani said in his campaign material that his priority is to solidify positive relationships among parents and teachers. He added that he wants to coordinate efforts with other institutions and nonprofits to provide social, educational and economic resources beyond the reach of schools, especially for disadvantaged families and single-parent homes.

Umrani also wants to reduce chronic absenteeism and juvenile delinquency.

Pattie Reasor, another challenger, hopes to use transparent and accountable leadership to provide equitable opportunities for every student, safe and well-resourced classrooms, strong partnerships with parents and the community and champion respect and support for teachers.

District 2

Challenger Anthony Jones said he is running to be a voice for the community and children who live in the district. As a board member, he pledged to work with other board members and the superintendent to make Birmingham’s school system better for all of our students and their families.

Terri Michal expressed a commitment to safety and high-quality public education through an increase in student participation in the Alabama Workforce Training Center, proposing a comprehensive plan to increase security in every school, continuing to fight for more mental health services and school-based community clinics.

Michal pledged support for higher student performance by promoting data-driven strategies to raise achievement, aligning school board decisions with long-term, districtwide plans for sustained improvement, advocating for transparency and consistent implementation of reforms across all schools and upholding his oath to always put the students of Birmingham City Schools first.

Additionally, Michal stresses family and community engagement through a proposed Parents as Partners initiative to create more accessible and meaningful ways for parents to participate in the education of their children.

Incumbent Neonta Williams’ platform is built on three P’s – parents, policy and partnerships. She’s pledged to work daily to intentionally engage and increase parental involvement with each respective school and district level.

It is through policy, she said, that success will be implemented schools.

“It has been and will continue to be my daily intent to press the needle and raise awareness with our current school leaders on opportunities and laws that exist to support their innovative interest in graduating scholars (who are) college/career ready,” she said.

District 3

Incumbent Mary Boehm said she wants to continue to implement the strategic plan with focus on increasing academic rigor, accountability, and social and emotional learning. She wants to reverse student enrollment losses and expand the number of students who attend the system’s Pre-K program.

Boehm also wants to address the requirement of the Alabama Literacy Act that third grade students read at grade level or be held back.

She is unopposed in her big for reelection.

District 4

The concerns of Derrick Billups, the incumbent, include improving academic achievement and outcomes of students across all grade levels. He said this will come through supporting teachers and staff with resources, respect and competitive pay, and expanding career and technical education so students graduate ready for college, career or entrepreneurial endeavors.

Billups also wants to ensure schools are safe, inclusive and welcoming for every child.

Challenging Billups is Rodney Huntley, a retired warden with the Alabama Department of Corrections. He said he wants to strive for continuous improvement in the schools.

“Birmingham City Schools are not performing to their full potential. I know they can improve, and they have improved in areas where they have been pushed such as the 3rd grade reading initiative. I believe I can help instill an attitude of continuous improvement,” Huntley says on his Facebook page.

District 5

Incumbent James Sullivan wants to promote strategic partners and relationships through programs that focus on mentoring, parental outreach, conflict resolution and violence prevention, youth entrepreneurship, investing and financial education.

Sullivan wants to hold leadership accountable through the 5 C framework, which is working through a common purpose, setting clear expectations, communicating and aligning team members, coaching and collaborating with each other, and making results and consequences visible.

Additionally, he wants to make disciplinary and promotional decisions through clear policies and procedures. The candidate wants to increase investment in asset management, technology and COVID-19 lost learning.

He is unchallenged in his bid for reelection.

District 6

Incumbent Leticia W. Harvill wants to prioritize literacy improvements, especially considering the Alabama Literacy Act requiring that third graders read at grade level to advance to the next grade. She adds that students lost roughly 18 months of traditional classroom instruction due to the pandemic.

Harvill is also concerned about the growing challenge of student mental health, educational inequity with emphasis on literacy, improved school-based mental health, and dismantling of racial and educational disparities.

Yancey Williams Sr. is challenging Harvill for this seat. Williams doesn’t have much campaign info online but has made several posts on his private Facebook page saying, “Students over politics.”

District 7

Incumbent Walter Wilson is running unopposed for reelection.

 District 8

In making his fourth bid for the board of education, Antwon Womack said he hopes to enhance and continue with the progress of Birmingham City Schools. That includes seeing what other school systems are doing and holding the superintendent accountable.

“I’ve always had a passion for public education after I, myself, dropped out of high school and I saw that there was no support, nor were there any avenues available for individuals that did not go through traditional high school,” Womack said in an interview. “I saw how the system basically just failed.”

Information on Pam Bass was unavailable. A flyer for her campaign says “investing in tomorrow,” “social emotional learning,” “college and career readiness,” and “literacy focused.”

No information was available for Sybil Y. Washington, who also is running for the seat.

District 9

The incumbent in the District 9 seat, Jason Meadows, also is board chairman and is not running for reelection. Four others are seeking the seat, though.

Yamika Foy is running on a platform of family involvement, focus on the youth and outreach to support the educational support systems for students.

“With a proven track record of leadership, strong technical expertise, and an unwavering commitment to student success, I bring the experience and vision needed to create meaningful change and ensure every decision is grounded in what’s best for our students – because their growth and future matter most,” she says on her website.

Candidate Eric Hall is running on his reputation of civic engagement, including being a founding member of Black Lives Matter Birmingham.

“For more than a decade, Eric has worked to empower Black communities by organizing around voting rights, labor justice, LGBTQ+ equity, and dismantling systemic power structures. These experiences deepened his commitment to grassroots organizing and building independent Black political power,” his website states.

Candidate Olivia T. McGaha said she wants to build on the progress of the school system, empower every student and expand excellence beyond the system’s magnet schools.

“Every Birmingham school must offer high-quality programs, arts and CTE opportunities to all students,” she said, adding that there will be a focus on dedicated resources and innovative solutions for traditional middle and high schools to ensure they offer the same level of academic rigor and enriching experiences found in magnet programs.

Brandon “Brad” Parnell said in a post on Facebook: “I’m running for the Birmingham Board of Education – District 9 because I believe our children deserve more than promises — they deserve action. Every student in our community should have access to a safe learning environment, high-quality teachers, and the resources they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.

“I understand the challenges our schools face because I’ve seen them firsthand. I know what it’s like to work hard with limited resources and still deliver results. That’s the mindset I’ll bring to the board — rolling up my sleeves, asking the hard questions, and making decisions that put students first.”