The Bond
$240 million.
18 buildings.
November 3, 2026.
The Birmingham Public Schools "School Facilities and Safety Improvement Bond Proposal" is on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Everything on this page comes from the district's own published documents and from state data. Sources are listed at the bottom.
What the ballot asks
The question voters will see
The ballot asks whether the district may borrow up to $240,000,000 and issue general obligation unlimited tax bonds, in one or more series, to pay for four categories of projects. The district's summary of those four categories:
| # | Project category, as listed in the ballot language |
|---|---|
| 1 | School safety and security: security camera systems, an emergency notification system, emergency radios, backup generators, and fire alarms |
| 2 | District-wide heating and cooling improvements, playground improvements addressing accessibility, and remodeling, equipping, re-equipping, furnishing and re-furnishing school buildings and other facilities, including the upgrade and expansion of the Midvale Early Childhood Center |
| 3 | Instructional technology infrastructure and equipment, including career and technical education equipment |
| 4 | Additions to school buildings and other facilities, site development and improvement, and the purchase of school buses |
The first-year levy to pay the proposed bonds is estimated at 0.84 mills. A home with $200,000 in taxable value would pay about $260 per year at the 1.30 mill average, by the district's own example. The Board of Education voted unanimously on June 23, 2026 to place the proposal on the ballot. Full ballot language: birmingham.k12.mi.us/about/bond-2026/ballot-language
Where the $240 million goes
Allocation by building and by district-wide line
The district's October 6, 2026 Bond Plan Program Update includes a table titled "Summary of Costs by Prioritization: 2026 Bond Allocation." It assigns every dollar of the $240,000,000 to one of 21 lines. Grouped:
Percentages are each line divided by $240,000,000 and rounded to one decimal. The 21 lines sum to $240,000,000.
By type of work
The same document breaks the $240,000,000 into 13 scope-of-work categories (its "Priority I Summary of Costs by Scope of Work, Escalated"). "Soft costs" is the district's own label for architect and engineer fees, construction management, and contingency.
Cost per building
What each building is allocated, and what the district says each one needs
The October 6 update also carries a 10-year capital plan: the district's full list of identified work at every building, escalated for inflation, totaling $470,465,338. The bond funds a portion of that list over the first five years (2027-2031); the district says the remaining needs, about $230 million, are pushed to 2032-2036. The right-hand column shows how much of each building's 10-year figure the 2026 bond allocation covers.
| Building | Year built | Square feet | 2026 bond allocation | 10-year identified need (escalated) | Share of need funded | Allocation per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary schools | ||||||
| Beverly Elementary | 1954 / 2005 | 65,370 | $10,498,735 | $17,725,078 | 59% | $161 |
| Bingham Farms Elementary | 1968 | 66,559 | $6,977,214 | $12,446,962 | 56% | $105 |
| Greenfield Elementary | 2008 | 64,025 | $10,201,656 | $19,234,424 | 53% | $159 |
| Harlan Elementary | 2007 | 67,340 | $6,646,029 | $18,210,706 | 36% | $99 |
| Pembroke Elementary | 1954 / 2006 | 62,808 | $9,540,572 | $16,811,248 | 57% | $152 |
| Pierce Elementary | 1927 | 82,727 | $5,049,176 | $14,343,513 | 35% | $61 |
| Quarton Elementary | 1928 | 70,980 | $6,364,922 | $13,384,522 | 48% | $90 |
| West Maple Elementary | 1968 | 116,571 | $7,025,706 | $18,940,378 | 37% | $60 |
| Grades 3-8 and middle schools | ||||||
| Birmingham Covington School (BCS) | 1965 | 138,840 | $12,256,054 | $27,055,577 | 45% | $88 |
| Berkshire Middle School | 1963 | 149,600 | $14,968,500 | $29,578,368 | 51% | $100 |
| Derby Middle School | 1958 | 142,089 | $19,987,816 | $32,275,085 | 62% | $141 |
| High schools | ||||||
| Groves High School | 1959 | 359,884 | $25,382,970 | $59,193,389 | 43% | $71 |
| Seaholm High School | 1951 | 474,463 | $36,715,635 | $71,198,124 | 52% | $77 |
| Other buildings | ||||||
| Midvale Center (Early Childhood) | 1957 | 35,360 | $23,555,838 | $23,921,012 | 98% | $666 |
| Transportation | 2003 | 17,500 | $4,273,832 | $14,553,917 | 29% | $244 |
| Facilities Building | 1953 | 11,522 | $702,233 | $2,353,197 | 30% | $61 |
| EAC (administration) | 1959 | 23,600 | $512,877 | $2,171,148 | 24% | $22 |
| BATP (Adult Transition) | Varies | 14,940 | $168,003 | $1,351,499 | 12% | $11 |
| District-wide lines (not tied to one building) | ||||||
| District-wide technology | $25,504,890 | $51,451,332 | 50% | |||
| District-wide safety and security | $12,043,825 | $12,620,342 | 95% | |||
| District-wide furniture, fixtures and equipment | $1,623,516 | $11,645,516 | 14% | |||
| Total | 1,964,178 | $240,000,000 | $470,465,338 | 51% | ||
Year built, square feet, 2026 bond allocation, and 10-year escalated totals are copied from the October 6, 2026 Bond Plan Program Update. "Share of need funded" and "Allocation per sq ft" are PAACT calculations (allocation divided by the 10-year figure; allocation divided by square feet), rounded. The 10-year figures carry the district's own notes: "Costs and priorities subject to change" and "Costs shown are escalated." Midvale's allocation includes a $4,302,605 classroom addition, the only new construction in the plan.
The 13 schools, side by side
Enrollment
How many students the district serves
Fall student counts (full-time equivalent) as the district has presented them to the Board of Education: the September 2023 Facility Assessment Update for 2012-13 through 2022-23, the state's Bulletin 1014 for 2024-25, and the district's August 25, 2026 facilities presentation for 2025-26.
| School year | Fall count (FTE) | School year | Fall count (FTE) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | 8,375.42 | 2019-20 | 7,945.53 |
| 2013-14 | 8,266.97 | 2020-21 | 7,473.59 |
| 2014-15 | 8,144.54 | 2021-22 | 7,283.81 |
| 2015-16 | 8,069.36 | 2022-23 | 7,227.22 |
| 2016-17 | 8,136.67 | 2023-24 | not stated in these sources |
| 2017-18 | 8,073.97 | 2024-25 | 7,350.22 |
| 2018-19 | 7,985.95 | 2025-26 | 7,250 (chart label) |
2012-13 through 2022-23: BPS Facility Assessment Update presented to the Board, September 12-13, 2023, "Enrollment (FTE-History)" slides, Fall Count column. 2024-25: Michigan Department of Education Bulletin 1014. 2025-26: "BPS Total Fall FTE Enrollment" chart (source CEPI) in the district's August 25, 2026 Facilities Utilization and Bond Planning presentation, which reproduces images from the March 17, 2026 Board meeting; the value is the label printed on that chart. The same slide states that enrollment has declined 13.4% since the FY2013 peak, that the FY2021 COVID-driven loss was significant, and that the overall decline is based on birth rates. The 8,000-student goal appears under "Responsible Stewardship" in the district's 2022-2027 Strategic Plan.
Students by building, Fall 2025
From the district's August 25, 2026 Facility Summary Table. This column counts students instructed in general education classrooms, including special education students who take part in general education instruction, as of Fall 2025. The district notes that the Groves figure includes Wee Care. The 13 figures total 7,034.
Building utilization
How full each building is, by the district's own study
On August 25, 2026 the district presented revised utilization figures for every school. The method: count the general education classrooms in each building, multiply by an assumed class size (24 students in JK-5, 26 in grades 6-8, 27 at Covington, 28 in grades 9-12) to get capacity, then divide Fall 2025 enrollment by that capacity. Rooms dedicated to art, music and computer labs, resource rooms, and preschool and GSRP rooms are excluded from capacity. The district's slide notes that the industry standard for facility utilization is 85%.
What changed between May and August
The August presentation includes the district's own side-by-side comparison of the May 5, 2026 figures and the revised figures.
| Elementary, May | Elementary, Aug. | Middle*, May | Middle*, Aug. | High school, May | High school, Aug. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General education classrooms | 167 | 167 | 106 | 106 | 110 | 110 |
| Current enrollment | 3,305 | 2,963 | 1,967 | 1,941 | 2,237 | 2,130 |
| Capacity | 4,416 | 4,008 | 2,756 | 2,789 | 3,192 | 3,080 |
| Utilization | 69% | 74% | 72% | 70% | 73% | 69% |
*Middle includes all grades at Covington. The district's slide also shows total classroom counts of 231 (elementary), 140 (middle) and 165 (high school; 142 in May). It notes that classroom counts vary year to year with enrollment and programs, while the total facility footprint, 18 buildings and roughly 1,964,000 square feet, does not change. A separate slide lists three different per-classroom capacity figures in use: the BPS teacher contract maximums (28 to 35 students depending on grade), the facility utilization assumptions above (24 to 28), and Department of Treasury figures (20 to 22.5) that apply only to a bond prequalification application the district does not use.
The 85% standard
What 85% full would look like at each school
Two ways to read the same gap, using the district's August 2026 capacity figures. First: how many students each building would hold at 85% of its capacity, compared with Fall 2025 enrollment. Second: holding enrollment where it is, how many general education classrooms each school would need to be 85% full, compared with how many it has. Both are PAACT arithmetic on district numbers. Classrooms needed are rounded up to the next whole room.
| School | Gen. ed. rooms | Capacity | Students at 85% | Fall 2025 enrolled | To reach 85% | Rooms beyond 85% need |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary schools | ||||||
| Beverly Elementary | 14 | 336 | 286 | 293 | 7 students above 85% | 1 more classroom needed |
| Bingham Farms Elementary | 22 | 528 | 449 | 353 | 96 more students | 4 classrooms |
| Greenfield Elementary | 18 | 432 | 367 | 228 | 139 more students | 6 classrooms |
| Harlan Elementary | 22 | 528 | 449 | 317 | 132 more students | 6 classrooms |
| Pembroke Elementary | 18 | 432 | 367 | 324 | 43 more students | 2 classrooms |
| Pierce Elementary | 25 | 600 | 510 | 560 | 50 students above 85% | 3 more classrooms needed |
| Quarton Elementary | 17 | 408 | 347 | 387 | 40 students above 85% | 2 more classrooms needed |
| West Maple Elementary | 31 | 744 | 632 | 501 | 131 more students | 6 classrooms |
| Grades 3-8 and middle schools | ||||||
| Birmingham Covington School (BCS) | 33 | 891 | 757 | 616 | 141 more students | 6 classrooms |
| Berkshire Middle School | 35 | 910 | 774 | 698 | 76 more students | 3 classrooms |
| Derby Middle School | 38 | 988 | 840 | 627 | 213 more students | 9 classrooms |
| High schools | ||||||
| Groves High School | 57 | 1,596 | 1,357 | 1,114 | 243 more students | 10 classrooms |
| Seaholm High School | 53 | 1,484 | 1,261 | 1,016 | 245 more students | 10 classrooms |
| All 13 schools | 383 | 9,877 | 8,395 | 7,034 | 1,361 more students | 56 classrooms (net) |
Three schools (Beverly, Pierce, Quarton) are already above 85%; for them the last two columns show how far above the standard they are and how many more classrooms they would need to be at 85%. The net classroom figure (56) subtracts those six from the 62 classrooms beyond the 85% requirement at the other ten schools. Capacity, classroom counts and enrollment: district Facility Summary Table, August 25, 2026. The 85% figure is the district's stated industry standard; the state recommendation cited in the district's 2023 materials was also 85%.
Bond allocation per student
The 2026 allocation divided by each school's enrollment
This is a PAACT calculation, not a district figure: each school's 2026 bond allocation (October 6, 2026 update) divided by its Fall 2025 general education enrollment (August 25, 2026 Facility Summary Table). Rounded to the nearest $100.
Midvale is not shown. Its $23,555,838 allocation is for an expansion intended to serve more children than are enrolled today, so a per-child ratio is not comparable. Across the 13 schools, $171,614,985 divided by 7,034 students is about $24,400 per student.
Timeline
How the proposal got to the ballot
- March 10, 2020Voters approve the district's previous bond, $195,000,000, for improvements at every school.
- January to April 2023A Facility Assessment Committee facilitated by Plante Moran Cresa meets, reviews enrollment and building capacity, and generates considerations for the Board. Findings go to the Board at a study session on September 12-13, 2023.
- May to July 2026Plante Moran Realpoint and the district's bond team refine a 10-year capital plan into a bond plan. Board updates on June 16 and June 23, 2026.
- June 23, 2026The Board of Education votes unanimously to place the $240,000,000 proposal on the November 3 ballot.
- August 25, 2026The district presents revised facility utilization figures, stating that errors were found in the May 5 figures following an outside inquiry. The same presentation says bond-funded projects would run over the next five years (2027-2031), with other identified needs pushed to 2032-2036, and that a BPS Resource Utilization Committee "with broad representation across the district" is to be formed in fall 2026 to make recommendations on the district's use of financial, staffing and facility resources. It also states that changes "resulting from factors such as facility consolidation or enrollment change," if approved by the Board, may result in reallocating bond resources among buildings.
- July to October 2026Ballot information campaign. Board updates on October 6 and October 20, 2026. The October 6 update is the document that publishes the building-by-building allocation used on this page.
- November 3, 2026Election day.
Sources
Every number on this page, and where it comes from
- Bond Plan Program Update, October 6, 2026 (Board of Education packet, Birmingham Public Schools / Plante Moran Realpoint). Facility list with year built and square footage; "10-Year Capital Plan, Summary of Costs by Scope of Work (Escalated)," total $470,465,338; "Summary of Costs by Prioritization, 2026 Bond Allocation," total $240,000,000; "Priority I Summary of Costs by Scope of Work"; ballot language; pre-bond planning schedule. District PDF
- Bond 2026 page and ballot language, Birmingham Public Schools website. birmingham.k12.mi.us/about/bond-2026
- Birmingham Public Schools Facilities Utilization and Bond Planning, August 25, 2026 (Plante Moran Realpoint updates, final revision). Background and key assumptions; Facility Utilization by Level / Building (Fall 2025); Comparison of Original and Revised Figures; 5-Year Bond Plan by Category; Facility Investment Needs by Building; Next Steps.
- Facility Assessment Update, presented to the Board of Education at its September 12-13, 2023 study session. Enrollment (FTE-History) slides.
- Michigan Department of Education, Bulletin 1014, 2024-25. Birmingham Public Schools fall pupil count 7,350.22 FTE.
- MI School Data, Student Enrollment Counts Report, Birmingham Public Schools, fall count day, all students, by grade; Developmental Kindergarten (the state's category for Junior Kindergarten) reported for 2025-26. Retrieved September 30, 2026. mischooldata.org
- Junior Kindergarten, Birmingham Public Schools enrollment services page. birmingham.k12.mi.us/enrollment-services/junior-kindergarten
- Birmingham Public Schools Strategic Plan 2022-2027, Responsible Stewardship, enrollment goal of 8,000 students.
- C&G Newspapers, July 13, 2026, and Downtown Newsmagazine, July 2, 2026: the June 23, 2026 board vote and the district's $260-per-year example for a home with $200,000 in taxable value.
Where this page shows a calculation (share of need funded, allocation per square foot, allocation per student, percentages of the total), the inputs and arithmetic are stated next to it. If you find an error, email paact.birmingham@gmail.com and it will be corrected.