BIG SPENDERS - MOST COSTLY SCHOOLS NOT SMALL SCHOOLS
MOST COSTLY SCHOOLS IN BIRMINGHAM ARE NOT SMALL SCHOOLS
State Ed Dept.'s Craig Pouncey, a former south Alabama rural school superintendent, wants to close schools in Birmingham. How much money does Pouncey calculate City schools will save on operating bigger schools with increased bus transportation for thousands of students?
DIVERSITY? What does diversity demographics of our metropolitan area look like? Click here to find out: http://diversitydata.sph.harvard.edu/profiles.jsp?ma=1000 Now, take a look at demographics in Birmingham City Schools on our site under State Reprot Card, Birmingham only.
Glen Iris Elementary School on south side (shown below), near the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is brand new, with over 600 students. Glen Iris exceeded its operating budget by 22.34% during 2005-2006 school year.
In the past 18 years, Birmingham has closed over two dozen schools, promising to save money and operate more efficiently. These same failed methods are being employed again.
Dr. Stanley Mims - "When I took this job, I didn't know the financial condition of this school district, [was this bad.]" These protesting students at West End High School know how bad things have gotten under Mims' administration. They are organizing a student petition to build a new school in West End, and oppose creation of a mega-high school by combining West End and Wenonah High schools
During his pre-employment interview for superintendent of Birmingham City Schools, Stanley Mims was asked about administrative staff by board member Odessa Ashley, then Board Chairperson. Mims enthusiastically replied, "I'll work with what you've got!” Does he still really want to do that, now?
Big Spender - Robinson Elementary
Robinson Elementary school with 482 students last year got a full make over, virtually a new school with its pretty new addition (not shown). But it ran 15.21% over budget last school year (2005-2006). Board of Education Policy requires any cost expenditure over 10% receive prior board approval. Review of Board agenda items for last year found no approval for any of the operating costs overruns for the schools listed above – Ken Wasmund was former superintendent Wayman Shiver’s “Chief Operating Officer” for city schools. He continues in this capacity under superintendent Stanley Mims. Wasmund is co-author of the Volkert-Wasmund School closing plan; was he “Asleep at the switch” last school year?
With the Pouncey-Volker/Wasmund school closing plan, is Birmingham "Downsizing, Rightsizing, or Capsizing" its school system? What does education research inform us about educating urban poor, black, and special needs students in large schools with large class sizes? What has the Alabama State Department of Education said about large class siezes in Alabama's schools? Citizens for Better Schools will tackel thes questions on Wednesday - Be sure to log in regularly.
Arthur Watts, Birmingham's money man, says academics must drive finance. He's pushing hard to fire more teachers in light of a $17 million operating deficit. During last school year, did Watts and Wasmund inform the BOE of operating costs overruns in their new and big enrollment schools? What did they tell the new superintendent in July, before the BOE passed its latest deficit operating budget? What did they know; when did they tell it and to whom?”
