May 19th 2026 Regular Meeting
Board of Education Regular Meeting
This is PAACT's plain-language summary of the Birmingham Public Schools Board of Education meeting. We report what was decided, what was discussed, and what is coming next. Links go to the district's official meeting materials. All seven trustees were present.
Decided
New science curriculum for grades 6-12. The board approved new instructional materials for middle school science, high school chemistry, and high school physics, starting in the 2026-27 school year: Twig Science (Imagine Learning) for grades 6-8, replacing IQWST; Experience Chemistry (Savvas); and Inspire Physics (McGraw Hill). The recommendation came from a Curriculum Design Team of teachers and administrators from every secondary school, was reviewed by the District Curriculum Council, and was posted for public review for over two weeks. Administration noted the current science materials are 10 to 15 years old depending on the course, with the normal review cycle having been disrupted by COVID. Estimated six-year cost across all three: roughly $900,000, about $150,000 per year. (Resolution 75) 7-0
Food service contract renewed. The board renewed the district's contract with Chartwells School Dining for 2026-27, year three of a potential five one-year contracts running through June 2029, reflecting the 3% increase built into the original contract. Per the resolution, the program requires no General Fund subsidy. (Resolution 76) 7-0
Oakland Schools budget supported. State law requires every local district board to review the intermediate school district's proposed budget each spring and formally support or disapprove it. The board adopted the support resolution for the proposed FY27 Oakland Schools General Fund budget. Trustees who attended the budget briefing noted Oakland Schools provides services BPS students use, including career and technical education programming. The vote is advisory. (Resolution 77) 7-0
Oakland Schools board election. For the June 1 Oakland Schools Board of Education election, the board designated Trustee Hochkammer as its voting representative and Trustee Zammit as alternate, and directed them to vote for Gary Hauff, a former Troy schools trustee and the only candidate who filed for the single six-year seat. (Resolution 78) 7-0
Consent agenda. The board accepted the consent agenda: the monthly personnel report, the financial report through April 30, and minutes from the April 21 regular meeting and May 5 study session. Notable from the financial report: the district has collected 78% of budgeted General Fund revenue and committed 71% of budgeted expenditures with two months left in the fiscal year, the amended budget remains balanced with minimal use of fund balance, and a final budget amendment comes to the board in June. The personnel report included eleven retirements effective June 30. (Resolution 74) 7-0
Discussed
Beverly Elementary incident. Superintendent Roberson opened her report by addressing community questions about the incident at Beverly Elementary: she received the disposition of the investigation shortly before the meeting, would review it that evening and into the morning, and said the district would communicate to the community at that time.
Instructional technology rules are being rewritten. Administration presented the draft revision of the district's Acceptable Use regulation (8001-AR), developed through the District Curriculum Council, for implementation in 2026-27. The draft sets weekly screen time limits (no more than 2.5 hours in K-2 and 5 hours in grades 3-5, and less than 4 hours per teacher in grades 6-12), prioritizes print for extended reading, prohibits games and entertainment platforms during the school day including indoor recess and days with substitutes, requires dual approval of all classroom apps by the technology and student learning departments, bars social media during the school day, blocks YouTube at elementary with safeguards at secondary, codifies the district's existing AI guidance into regulation, and preserves accessibility accommodations for students with IEPs and 504 plans. A community survey on the draft drew 94 responses as of the meeting, from a district-wide send; early trends showed parents leaning toward "not strong enough," teachers split, and administrators "about right." The survey remained open through May 25, with the council meeting May 28 to finalize.
i-Ready is getting an early review. Administration announced that i-Ready, adopted in 2022 and not normally due for review for several more years, will get an early review in response to national conversation about the platform. A design team of 18 to 20 teachers from every building convenes May 29. Administration drew a distinction between the i-Ready Diagnostic, which fulfills state benchmark assessment and screening requirements, and the separate online instruction lessons, which BPS uses 30 to 45 minutes per week and which can be dropped independently of the diagnostic. Asked whether the online lessons improve outcomes, administration said district data shows students using the recommended time do somewhat better than those who do not, and that weighing that benefit against the screen time is exactly the question the team will take up. Outcomes could range from continuing to discontinuing to further analysis.
Public comment. Six community members spoke. Three addressed the Beverly Elementary incident and antisemitism, asking the district to adopt policies for reviewing materials at school events, update the Code of Conduct to cover adult visitors and define antisemitism, attach clear consequences to bias incidents, and add education for students; one of these speakers also celebrated Quarton's weekly bike bus, now 100 to 150 riders strong under a Safe Routes to School grant. Two speakers addressed the technology rules, asking the district to enforce limits through blocking rather than teacher policing, classify YouTube as social media, reconsider whether Chromebooks should go home, and prioritize handwriting. One speaker asked the board to adopt a bell-to-bell cell phone ban for all grades, beyond the new state law's instructional-time restrictions.
Recognitions and reports. The board recognized DECA students from Seaholm and Groves who competed at the international conference in Atlanta, including 29 qualifiers between the schools, and the Groves forensics team, state champions for the first time since 2017; per the coaches, Groves won state titles in forensics, theatre, and debate this year, a first for any Michigan school. Seaholm junior Khalil Wahab was recognized for publishing a children's book whose proceeds fund his nonprofit supporting disadvantaged children. Dr. Lanissa Freeman was introduced as the new Director of Special Services, returning to BPS, where she supervised early childhood and elementary special education from 2013 to 2017, after serving most recently as a deputy superintendent in Southfield. In board comments, trustees reported that all three state budget proposals currently include a $250 per-pupil increase (to $10,300) with a push for legislators to pass a budget by the July 1 statutory deadline, and that the NEXT senior center's new building at 400 Lincoln has city-approved floor plans with construction expected to begin around September. The board thanked its graduating student representative, headed to the University of Michigan. The meeting ended with the board entering closed session at 8:34 p.m. for collective bargaining strategy, as permitted under the Open Meetings Act.
Coming Up
The board meets next for a study session on Tuesday, June 16 and a regular meeting on Tuesday, June 23, both at the Education & Administration Center. Expected in June, per this meeting's materials: the final FY26 budget amendment, adjustments to the bond fund budgets, and adoption of the FY27 budget. Also ahead: the District Curriculum Council finalizes the technology regulation (May 28), the i-Ready design team begins its review (May 29), and the superintendent's promised communication on the Beverly Elementary investigation. Agendas post in advance on the district's board page, and every regular meeting and study session includes public comment.
