Birmingham City Schools today unveiled a new five-year plan to increase student achievement, improve customer service and boost accountability across the system, using clear yardsticks that will measure results and be shared with the public.
“Our goal is to improve what we are doing to support the success of our students, families, and community,” said Dr. Mark Sullivan, superintendent of Birmingham City Schools. “A cornerstone of our effort is increasing accountability at every level, and that includes being transparent about where we are and our continued path forward.”
The new strategic plan was developed after a months-long process that included input from parents, employees, and community partners. Families and other stakeholders will have four opportunities during the month of September to learn more about the plan.
The “Success Starts Here” plan includes five priority areas, including:
Giving students the best chance to reach their potential academically.
Enhancing students’ sense of well-being.
Improving customer service throughout the school system, both with our families and with our community partners.
Developing and keeping keep highly effective teachers.
Boosting accountability across the district.
“These priority areas don’t reflect the totality of what we do and what we will continue to do in our schools,” Sullivan said. “But these are the core areas we identified with our stakeholders that are most critical in giving our students their best chance for success at school and in life.”
Each area includes specific measurements and growth targets, and results will be regularly posted online at www.successwithbcs.com. Progress will also be reported to the community through emails, newsletters, social media and other means.
“This is not a strategic plan that will collect dust on a shelf somewhere,” Sullivan said. “We are serious about setting goals and hitting these targets.”
