Parents Allied for Accountability, Conduct, and Transparency
PAACT
Birmingham
Birmingham
First Community Meeting · June 1, 2026
WhereBaldwin Public Library · Jeanne Lloyd Room
WhenMonday, June 1 · 7:00 PM
RepresentingAll 13 BPS Schools
About PAACT
Who We Are
13/13
BPS Schools Represented
Families from every school in the district have joined the coalition since our founding in April 2026.
61
Days Since Founding
Founded April 2026. In that time: 3 FOIA requests filed, attended administrator and board meetings, presented to MiPTA.
Stage 1
Where PAACT Is Now
Listening and learning, building relationships, understanding how and why the district runs as it does, and gathering a full data picture of where Birmingham Public Schools stands today.
Our mission: Connect the stakeholders who shape Birmingham Public Schools — parents, teachers, administrators, community members, and board members — so that decisions about our students are made with full information, shared trust, and a culture that works for everyone in the building.
Partnership over confrontation. Data over grievance. Solutions over blame. Informed by data. Driven by trust. Built for students.
Partnership over confrontation. Data over grievance. Solutions over blame. Informed by data. Driven by trust. Built for students.
Six Weeks of Work
What PAACT Has Done
April 2026
FOIA #1 Filed · Website Launched · MiPTA Connection · Principal & Union Meetings
First FOIA for district-wide discipline records. paact-birmingham.com launches with Code of Conduct review and data. Michigan PTA board member meeting established. Meeting with Principal Noelle Davis (Greenfield Elementary) and Amy Wagner, President of the BPS Teachers Union.
May 2
FOIA #2 Filed — Received May 15 at No Charge
Four years of Panorama climate survey data across all stakeholder groups. Received in full at no cost to PAACT.
May 7
MiPTA Board Advocacy Committee Presentation
Presented PAACT's findings at the state level. Connections established with MAMA, BCS groups, and PTA Council President Meghan Jones.
May
Deputy Superintendent · Trustee Zammit · Principal Jack Gitler (Derby) · Principal Jill Ghiardi-Coignet (Harlan)
Three-hour meeting with Cory Heitsch and Trustee Zammit. Listening conversation with Jack Gitler, Derby Middle School. Meeting with Jill Ghiardi-Coignet, new principal at Harlan Elementary, May 22nd.
May 18
FOIA #3 Filed — MiPHY Survey Data
MiPHY student health survey FOIA filed. All materials archived at paact-birmingham.com.
May 27
Meeting with Board President Nicole Spencer
One-on-one meeting with BPS Board President Nicole Spencer completed.
BPS Strategic Plan 2022–2027
The District's Own Goals: How It Measures Them
Priority 1: Student Achievement
Increase M-STEP proficiency by 20%
Harlan Gr. 5 ELA▼ 14 pts since 2022
Seaholm Gr. 11 Science▼ 17 pts since 2022
Greenfield Gr. 4 Math▲ 21 pts since 2022
BCS Gr. 7 Math▲ 21 pts since 2022
BPS district, above state avgEvery grade level
Measured by: M-STEP state assessment
Priority 2: Culture of Unity & Well-Being
90% of students feel safe, valued, and prepared
Student belonging (Gr. 6–12)48% vs 90% goal
Student safety (Gr. 6–12)57% vs 90% goal
Student climate (Gr. 6–12)50% vs 90% goal
Measured by: Panorama annual climate survey
Priority 3: World-Class Talent
90% of staff feel safe, valued, and supported
District leadership (favorable)17% vs 90% goal
Feedback & Coaching35%, flat 4 years
Work is meaningful94%
Respectful of students90%
Feel effective at their job76%
Measured by: Panorama annual climate survey
The measurement tool
The district uses the Panorama climate survey to measure most of its own strategic plan goals.
PAACT obtained four years of this data through FOIA. The district publishes only district-wide averages, so families cannot see how their school compares.
The data is the district’s own. The goals are the district’s own. The gap between them is what tonight is about.
The data is the district’s own. The goals are the district’s own. The gap between them is what tonight is about.
FOIA Request #1 — Behavior & Discipline Data
What the Documentation Shows
529
Incidents logged
district-wide
district-wide
~2.5 school years · All 13 schools
6 pages
Total documentation received. Michigan law requires a 7-factor review — that only works if the history exists.
Incidents logged by school
Derby and Berkshire Middle together account for more than half of all district incidents
Middle schools
High schools
Elementary
306 / 529
Derby and Berkshire Middle combined — more than half the district total. Almost certainly a documentation gap, not a behavior gap.
Every incident
is effectively treated as a student's first. No documented history = no foundation for Michigan's 7-factor analysis.
0 expulsions
District-wide. Across two and a half years. 529 documented incidents.
PAACT Code of Conduct Analysis
Five Structural Gaps
1
Teacher removal authority: 1 day only
A teacher can remove a disruptive student for one day. After that, the building administrator decides — with no escalation requirement and no required timeline for response.
2
No staff notification when a student returns
No requirement that a teacher be notified when the student who assaulted or threatened them returns to the building or classroom. Teachers can find out when the student walks in.
3
Identical language: littering and gang violence
"Administrative alternatives through suspension" covers everything from throwing food to physical assault — with no requirement to document how or why a particular consequence was chosen.
4
Restorative practices: required but unverifiable
The Code requires documentation of restorative factors before suspension. There is no mechanism to verify compliance — for families or for central administration.
!
Michigan law supports a strong, specific code of conduct — and requires the foundation to enforce it
MCL Act 451 of 1976 does not require vague codes. It provides a clear framework for robust, enforceable student conduct policy.
§1309(2) — School boards shall adopt a policy specifying types of conduct for which a pupil may be removed. The law anticipates and supports specificity by offense.
§1310d(1) — Before any suspension, administrators shall consider seven specific factors — including the pupil's age, disciplinary history, disability status, seriousness of the violation, safety threat, whether restorative practices apply, and whether a lesser intervention would work. A documented history makes this analysis meaningful.
§1310b(5)(i) — Districts shall maintain a procedure to document every prohibited incident and report verified incidents annually. The law envisions consistent, building-level recordkeeping as the baseline.
§1310c — Restorative practices shall be considered as an alternative or addition to every suspension. The law supports restorative approaches — and expects documentation that they were considered.
§1309(2) — School boards shall adopt a policy specifying types of conduct for which a pupil may be removed. The law anticipates and supports specificity by offense.
§1310d(1) — Before any suspension, administrators shall consider seven specific factors — including the pupil's age, disciplinary history, disability status, seriousness of the violation, safety threat, whether restorative practices apply, and whether a lesser intervention would work. A documented history makes this analysis meaningful.
§1310b(5)(i) — Districts shall maintain a procedure to document every prohibited incident and report verified incidents annually. The law envisions consistent, building-level recordkeeping as the baseline.
§1310c — Restorative practices shall be considered as an alternative or addition to every suspension. The law supports restorative approaches — and expects documentation that they were considered.
FOIA #2 — Panorama Survey, 2023–2026
What the Climate Data Shows
Teacher View: District Leadership
% responding favorably, 2023–2026
District Leadership
Feedback & Coaching (35%, flat 4 yrs)
Student Belonging & Safety, Grades 6–12
% responding favorably · District goal: 90%
Belonging
Safety
90% goal
17%
of teachers rate district leadership favorably, down 12 pts in one year
48%
of secondary students feel they belong at school. The district goal is 90%.
94%
of teachers say their work is meaningful. BPS teachers are committed.
90%
of teachers say teachers in their building are respectful of students.
PAACT's Current Stage
Where We Stand Right Now
1
Building relationships across the district
Meetings with the Deputy Superintendent, board trustees, building principals, the MiPTA Board Advocacy Committee, and Board President Nicole Spencer. Every conversation builds a clearer picture of our district to inform that our next step is the right one.
2
Learning the inside of the district
Understanding how Birmingham Public Schools actually operates — where the pressure points are, who makes decisions and how — takes time and real conversation. PAACT is doing that work quietly and deliberately.
3
Gathering a full data picture
Three FOIAs. Four years of climate data. MSTEP trends. Discipline records. PAACT is assembling the complete picture of where this district stands today — so every conversation ahead is grounded in full information, with students at the center.
Tonight is part of that process. PAACT is not here with a list of demands. The data is real and the gaps are real — but the right next step is the one taken when the relationships are ready and the full picture is in hand.
Priority 4: Responsible Stewardship
The Financial Picture
Strategic Plan Goals
Grow enrollment to 8,000 students
Boldly market the district to increase student enrollment
Balance the budget annually
Increase financial accountability with focus on strategic plan priorities
Connect 90% of budget to strategic plan priorities
Generate diverse revenue streams through expanding early learning and other opportunities
Source: BPS Strategic Plan 2022–2027
Enrollment Reality
2019 enrollment
7,368
Current enrollment
~7,450
Projected by 2030
6,025
Strategic plan goal
8,000, unaddressed
The district added Junior Kindergarten in 2023-24, creating an entirely new grade of students. With that addition, enrollment is still barely ahead of 2019. Since then, the district has cut its marketing department and reduced its enrollment department.
Building Utilization: State Benchmark 85%
Source: Plante Moran Realpoint, May 5, 2026 Board Presentation
Elementary schools
69%
Middle schools
72%
High schools
73%
Every level of the district falls below the 85% state adequacy benchmark — while a $200M bond is being proposed to improve all 13 schools.
A $200 million bond is proposed for a November 3, 2026 vote, for a student population projected to fall to 6,025 by 2030. Priority I capital needs alone total $252M, already exceeding the bond amount. The 8,000-student enrollment goal from the Strategic Plan is not mentioned once in the bond presentation.
Plante Moran Realpoint
May 5, 2026
Board Presentation
May 5, 2026
Board Presentation
Plante Moran Realpoint, May 5, 2026 Board Presentation
The $200 Million Bond
The Ask
Total bond amount
$200,000,000
Total interest cost
$131,683,722
Total cost (bond + interest)
~$332M
Election date
November 3, 2026
The district says this bond carries no millage increase. That is because the 2020 bond is nearly paid off, and the new bond would roll in to replace it. Families are already paying this millage. If the bond does not pass, that debt simply rolls off — and so does the tax.
3-Series Issuance
Series 1: June 2027$70,000,000
Series 2: May 2029$70,000,000
Series 3: May 2031$60,000,000
Structured in three series issued over four years, with work intended to be completed across all 13 BPS schools.
The Gap
Total 10-yr capital need (NPV)$390M
Priority I alone (years 1–3)$252M
Proposed bond$200M
Priority I alone exceeds the bond by $52M. Something gets cut or a follow-up bond is coming. Families haven’t been told which.
Where the Money Goes (Escalated)
Elementary schools$128.9M
Middle schools$87.2M
High schools$127.0M
Early childhood (Midvale)$20.3M
Soft costs (AE/CM/contingency)$111.9M, 24¢ per dollar
Questions families deserve answers to before November 3
› Enrollment is projected to fall to 6,025 by 2030. Why are we improving all 13 schools with no consolidation conversation?
› Priority I spending exceeds the bond. What gets cut, and who decides?
› The Strategic Plan goal of 8,000 students is not mentioned once in the bond presentation. What happened to it?
› PAACT is not opposing the bond. We are asking for the full picture before families, community members, and stakeholders are asked to vote. The district no longer has a Communications and Family Engagement Department. There is no existing structure to fill this gap. That makes PAACT's role here more necessary, not less.
Governance · How Districts Are Meant to Run
What a School Board Is For
A school board's job "is not to run the schools, but to see that they are well run."
Vision
Set the direction and keep students at the center of every decision.
Structure
Hire the superintendent and build the systems to deliver that vision.
Accountability
Stay informed, review the data, and check whether the vision is actually being met.
Advocacy
Listen to families and champion the needs of every child in the district.
Source: Michigan school board roles and responsibilities (MASB)
Governance · The Board's Own Rules
What This Board Agreed To
Every Birmingham board member signs a Code of Ethics when they take office. These are not PAACT's expectations. They are the standards the board set for itself.
Stay informed
Become sufficiently informed and prepared to act on the issues before the board.
Listen to families
Respectfully listen to those who communicate with the board and seek to understand their views.
Monitor performance
Keep the board focused on monitoring how the district is actually doing for students.
Keep learning
Pursue ongoing development through state and national school board associations.
Source: BPS Board of Education Bylaws 1001 — Code of Ethics
Governance · The Gap
Where the Information Stops
A board can only govern what it knows. In Birmingham, the channels that should keep the board informed each run through one source, or stop at the door.
Silo 1
Cut off from the administration, unless they choose to share it.
Silo 2
Cut off from parents, except three minutes at a board meeting.
Silo 3
Cut off from inside the schools, day to day.
The meeting agenda is set by the board president and the superintendent together. Public comment is time-capped, must be addressed to the full board, and generally goes unanswered. Source: BPS Board of Education Bylaws 1002.
Where PAACT Fits
We can help close one of these gaps. An independent, district-wide source of information, gathered from families and grounded in public records, so the board can meet the standard it set for itself.
A Potential Proposal to the Board of Education
PAACT as the Link
The Problem We Are Solving
The stakeholders who shape this district, parents, teachers, administrators, and the board, are not consistently connected to one another. Decisions are made without the full picture. Trust erodes when information doesn’t flow.
PAACT is exploring a potential proposal to formally serve as the organized link between these groups, not as an adversary, but as a structured, credible, data-informed partner the district does not currently have.
PAACT is exploring a potential proposal to formally serve as the organized link between these groups, not as an adversary, but as a structured, credible, data-informed partner the district does not currently have.
What PAACT Could Provide
Curriculum night presentations that bring behavioral expectations and academic standards to parents in plain language, from parents, for parents
A PAACT district newsletter that reaches families across all 13 schools with consistent, factual information
PAACT voices in every school: parent representatives supporting teachers and surfacing concerns before they become crises
A structured channel for teacher feedback to reach the board, anonymously and safely, through PAACT
An annual community data report: publishing what the district collects so all stakeholders can see where the district stands
A seat at the table when the district makes decisions that affect students, bringing organized parent perspective into the room
The district’s Strategic Plan calls for “authentic engagement with students, staff, parents, families, community, and alumni.” PAACT is exploring whether it can serve as the link that helps the district deliver on that commitment, not as a watchdog, but as the organized community partner that makes it real.
PAACT's Foundation
The PAACT Parental Pledge
I, the undersigned, as a member of PAACT and a parent or guardian in this district, hereby pledge the following:
Support for Discipline
I acknowledge that the school has the authority and the responsibility to maintain order. If my child violates the student code of conduct, I will support the school's disciplinary actions at home.
Zero Tolerance for Disruption
I recognize that my child's right to an education does not include the right to infringe upon the education of others through bullying, violence, or chronic disruption.
Direct Communication
I will work in good faith with teachers and staff. I will hold my child accountable for their actions before blaming the institution.
Commitment to Safety
In return for our pledge, we ask that the Administration and Board of Education stand behind our teachers with consistent, transparent enforcement of student conduct standards, so that every child who comes here to learn has the environment they deserve.
The More We Know, the Better Off Our Students Are
Let's Build
This Together
This Together
paact-birmingham.com · paact.birmingham@gmail.com
Sign in tonight. Leave your email and you'll receive one update from me. No commitment, no obligation.
Sign the Parent Pledge at paact-birmingham.com if tonight resonated with you.
Join us June 16th at the BPS Board of Education meeting. PAACT will formally introduce itself to the board. You don't need to speak. Showing up is enough.
Tell one person. The more people paying attention to what is going on in the place where their children spend eight hours of their day, the better we all are.
Ask your child tonight who their favorite teacher is and why. If you feel comfortable, let that teacher know what your child said. After speaking with so many teachers in this district, we are at risk of losing a lot of great educators. This is a great place to start.
Informed by data · Driven by trust · Built for students
Tonight's Resource Speakers
Margaret Murray
Parent advocate and community organizer
MAMA and Wait Until 8th are here to share information and resources. There is no pressure and no agenda. Just tools that might help you make better decisions for your child.
Tonight's Resource Speakers
Hayley Cason Grobbel
Michigan Alliance for Families
Michigan Alliance for Families provides free information, support, and education to families of children with disabilities throughout Michigan. If this is relevant to your child, we encourage you to connect with Hayley tonight.
Parents Allied for Accountability, Conduct, and Transparency
PAACT
Birmingham
Birmingham
Thank you for being here tonight.
paact-birmingham.com · paact.birmingham@gmail.com
Informed by data · Driven by trust · Built for students