Birmingham City Schools' Board Work Session & Special-Called Board Meeting, July 28, 2026 5:30 PM

The Birmingham City Schools Board held a work session and special-called meeting on July 28, 2026, focusing extensively on educational programs, interventions, and partnerships aimed at improving student achievement. Key procurement-related discussions included the approval and renewal of contracts for academic intervention programs such as Read 180 and Math 180, with presentations from vendors like HMH and Stair of Birmingham. The board also reviewed partnerships with Better Basics for targeted third-grade reading interventions and discussed funding allocations for ESL support through the Hispanic Immigrant Center of Alabama, with a contract valued at $249,000. Technology-related procurements included renewals for digital learning platforms like Imagine Learning, Nearpod, and Rapid Identity identity management software. Additionally, the board considered contracts for special education professional development with PCG Consulting Group, in-person tutoring services through a competitive bid process with a $1 million cap per vendor, and a $3.8 million agreement with ESS for special education and ESL aides. Capital improvement was addressed with the approval of a $57,465 contract for cooling tower replacement at a school location. The board emphasized data-driven accountability measures for tutoring services and discussed ongoing efforts to build internal capacity for ESL support. No votes or motions were explicitly detailed in the transcript, but multiple contract renewals and new partnerships were recommended for approval, reflecting a strong focus on procurement to support academic and operational goals.