BirminghamWatch contacted the candidates vying for the Birmingham Board of Education to ask them questions about the future of the schools. We asked each candidate we could reach the same questions. A few of the candidates could not be reached for comment. Eight of the 32 candidates responded in writing to our short questionnaire. None of the incumbents responded.  A full list of candidates and their backgrounds is in https://birminghamwatch.org/birmingham-city-election-voter-guide/

District 3 

Mary Boehm: Mary Boehm responded to this question with a positioning document that listed “Reverse widespread academic failure, Stop constant leadership change, (and) Correct Administrative Misuse of Funds” as her core issues. She addressed problems and solutions in the full document. These are the statements about problems.

(1) Birmingham Schools are not preparing students for success in college and the workplace. Only 8.2% of city’s 8th graders are proficient in Reading and Math. Only 5% of city’s 11th graders meet college readiness benchmarks in Math. Average ACT for city students is 15.5 while average for Auburn freshmen is 26.

(2) Stop constant leadership change. 8 superintendents have vacated the job since 2000, leaving us a system with no vision and no plan. Student enrollment has deteriorated by almost 50% since 1998, from 40,000 students to only 23,000 today. With so much superintendent turnover, hopeless parents are abandoning city schools by the thousands. Student enrollment has deteriorated by almost 50% since 1998, from 40,000 students to only 23,000 today.

(3) Correct administrative misuse of funds. Birmingham city schools are district rich, classroom poor. BCS near top of all state schools districts in money spent on administration. BCS near bottom of state school districts in money spent on teachers and classrooms.

 

District 4

Amber Courtney: One of the biggest and most immediate challenges is the school system’s leadership. For too long, we have traveled down a path that has led to a revolving door of superintendents, public displays of disputes, and over-politicization of education due to a lack of clear vision set forth by the Board, which has not yet allowed a superintendent to work cohesively with it. If we want something different, we have to have different, more logical and more informed folks at the helm of our system.

 

District 5 

Buford L. Burks: There must be standards-based instruction in all schools. This will be facilitated by an in-school suspension class in every school to eradicate discipline problems. The system must remain fixed, invariable in opposition to charter schools. Research shows no difference in test scores on accountability tests between public school students and charter school students.

 

 

Martha McDowell: The issues facing the Birmingham City Schools are, first and foremost to look out for our students. Small class sizes, state funding for resources, and help our students develop confidence, learn new skills and achieve his or her goals.

 

 

 

Michael “Mickey” Millsap: There are many issues that are negatively impacting student outcomes. We have a declining student population that has seen enrollment cut in half since 1997, and continues to decline. We spend approximately $10,000 per student, which is higher than the state average, but we continue to rank among the bottom in terms of student outcomes. Our spending is so high because we have a bloated central office administration that has us ranking last among all urban districts in the amount of per-student money that goes to classroom instruction.

While this list is by no means complete, it tells me that Birmingham City Schools is suffering from a leadership problem. Whether it is the revolving door of superintendents, or the inability of the Board to work together towards a common goal, it is clear that we need new leaders, with new ideas, who understand how bring an innovative culture to our board, administrative offices, and classrooms.

Aaisha Muhammad: Biggest Issues are (1) Poverty. Over 90% Black students are enrolled in the BCS, and mostly of parents who are of low income and who are not well educated. (2) Flight. Good people are leaving Birmingham (causing) low enrollment and school closing instead of staying and help build a greater city and thus a greater school system. (3)  Lack of education not only in a book sense and lack of respect not only given but received as well, for the teachers, for the parents and for the students.

We must build well-rounded, educated children, teachers and parents.  Teachers and parents are afraid of the children. Building bigger and better schools are prioritized over building better or most improved students.  Self-improvement courses must be taught in the school system, for the teachers, as well as for parents and students. (3) Support, who will support BSC?

District 8

Tyrone Silmon: Parental Involvement, access to technology and the infrastructure to support technology, stability in leadership at the local school level and district level.

 

 

 

 

Sonja Smith: There are a number of non-educators writing educational policy. A person cannot understand the needs of an educator if they have never been one. We need educators to be writing educational policy for Birmingham City Schools.