Annual Education Report (AER) for 2021-2022

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) offers anyone the right to request access to public documents or information. Within the Birmingham Public Schools, requests can be made to FOIA Coordinator, Lauren Mbereko.  

Parties interested must file a Freedom of Information Act request in writing (emails accepted). In the request, please be as specific as possible detailing the information being sought.

Contact
The request should be directed to:

Lauren Mbereko
FOIA Coordinator
31301 Evergreen Road
Beverly Hills, MI 48025
lmbereko@birmingham.k12.mi.us
248.203.3010

Charges and Fees 

The charge for retrieval of documents is based on an hourly rate of $15.06.  Copies are charged at $0.10 per copy. The first $20 of a fee must be waived for a person who is receiving public assistance or presents facts showing inability to pay because of indigency. Remittance for FOIA fees should be made payable to Birmingham Public Schools.  

For more information regarding charges, processing time, etc., review Policy 7001 (Search 7001) of the Birmingham Public Schools Board of Education bylaws and policies.

Emergency Drill Reporting

As a public school, BPS is required to have emergency practice drills. The requirements state: 

• Must have a reasonable spacing interval between each drill.
• One drill must take place during a lunch or recess period when a significant number of students are gathered but not in the classroom.
• Documentation of each school safety drill will be posted on its website within 30 school days after the drill is completed.

Fire Drills:
5 are required; 3 drills must be completed by December 1.

Tornado drills:
2 are required; 1 must occur in March.

Lockdown/Shelter in Place drills:
3 are required; 1 must occur by December 1 and 1 must occur after January 1.

Click to view the completed emergency drill notices page.

Drill completion notices are updated continuously throughout the year, as more drills occur.

Title IX, Title VI, Section 504 and Nondiscrimination

The Board of Education is committed to maintaining a learning/working environment in which all individuals are treated with dignity and respect, free from discrimination and harassment. There will be no tolerance for discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information, disability or age. The District prohibits harassment and other forms of discrimination whether occurring at school, on District property, in a District vehicle, or at any District related activity or event. The Superintendent will designate compliance officers and develop and implement regulations for the reporting, investigation and resolution of complaints of discrimination or harassment.

Click for the Birmingham Public Schools adopted procedure for addressing complaints of discrimination.

Section 504

The principal purpose of Section 504 of the Rehibilitation Act of 1973 (commonly referred to as "504") is to assure that students with disabilities are not denied access to educational facilities, programs and opportunities on the basis of their disability.

More Section 504 information may be found here.

Notice of Asbestos and Asbestos Containing Materials in School Buildings

Each school building within the School District has been inspected for the presence of asbestos-containing materials as required by the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA).

A copy of the Building Inspection and Management Plan for each building is available in the building’s main office and at the Facility Operations Office. The plans may be inspected by members of the public and by School District employees during normal business hours. A copy of the plan can be made available upon request for a nominal fee.

Board Policy Adoption and Revision

The following is the district’s annual notice regarding policy. While the policies have been identified for annual notice, you can view all district policies by visiting our website at https://go.boarddocs.com/mi/birming/Board.nsf/Public?open&id=policies. If you have any questions about these policies or any others from our website, please contact the Superintendent's office at 248-203-3004. 

View Board of Education policies here.

5530 - SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION

The Board of Education recognizes that the misuse of drugs is a serious problem with legal, physical, and social implications for the entire school community. 

As the educational institution of this community, the schools should strive to prevent drug abuse and help drug abusers by educational, rather than punitive, means.

For purposes of this policy, "drugs" shall mean:

1. all dangerous controlled substances as so designated and prohibited by Michigan statute and/or Federal statute;
2. all chemicals which release toxic vapors and may be used as inhalants;
3. all alcoholic beverages;
4. any prescription or non-prescription drug, except those for which permission to use in school has been granted pursuant to Board policy;
5. counterfeit controlled substances or controlled substances analogues ("look-alikes" drugs);
6. anabolic steroids;
7. any other illegal substance so designated and prohibited by law.

For purposes of this policy, "drugs" shall not mean prescription or non-prescription drugs, medications, vitamins or similar substances such as pain relievers, analgesics, laxatives or cough medicines so long as such substances are possessed by students for their individual use and not for any improper purpose and the possession by the student is in accordance with Policy 5530 - Use of Medications.

In accordance with Federal and State law, the Board hereby establishes a "Drug-Free School Zone" that extends 1000 feet from the boundary of any school property. The Board prohibits the use, possession, sale, concealment, delivery, or distribution of any drug or any drug-related paraphernalia at any time on District property, within the Drug-Free School Zone, or at any District-related event.

The Superintendent or designee shall establish administrative guidelines necessary to implement this policy.

Board of Education Policies: https://go.boarddocs.com/mi/birming/Board.nsf/Public?open&id=policies

Michigan Personal Curriculum

A Personal Curriculum is an option a student or family can explore as a way to modify certain Michigan Merit Curriculum (MMC) graduation requirements.  It is intended to meet individual learning needs, allow students to earn a high school diploma, and provide preparation for life after high school.

A Personal Curriculum can be requested by a parent or legal guardian, a student of age 18, an emancipated student, or can be recommended by school personnel.  A Personal Curriculum must be supported by a parent or legal guardian, meet the individual needs of the student, and his or her post-secondary plans consistent with an Educational Development Plan (EDP).  The high school diploma then documents that the student has met the curriculum expectations and possesses the knowledge and skills necessary for postsecondary success.

State statue allows personal curriculum modifications in order to:

• Go beyond the academic credit requirements by adding more math, science, English language arts, or world language credits; or by completing a department-approved formal career and technical education (CTE) program.
• Modify the Algebra II content
• Modify, if necessary, the course requirements of a student with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
• Modify course requirements for a student who transfers from out-of-state or from a nonpublic school and is unable to meet the MMC requirements.

If you have specific questions about personal curriculum options, please contact your student's counselor or building principal.

Student Learning & Inclusion / Personal Curriculum: https://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/Page/7793

Pest Management

Birmingham Public Schools has adopted an Integrated Pest Management program. Inherent with this are the District’s efforts to reduce pesticide use as much as possible. While it may occasionally be necessary to apply a pesticide, this program does not rely on routine pesticide applications to resolve problems. We use various techniques such as habitat alteration, sanitation, mechanical means, exclusion, etc. to prevent pest from becoming a problem.

As required by Michigan law, you will receive advanced notice of non-emergency application of a pesticide (insecticide, fungicide, or herbicide), other than bait or gel formulation, which is made to the school, school grounds, or buildings. This advance notice of a pesticide application will be given 48 hours before the application by the following two methods:

1. Posting at the primary entrances to your child’s school. The entrances that will be posted are the main entrance and those that have a sidewalk that leads directly to a parking lot.
2. Posting in the common area located by the main office of the school.

Please note that notification is not given for use of sanitizers, germicides, disinfectants or anti-microbial cleaners. In certain emergencies, such as an infestation of stinging insects, pesticides may be applied without prior notice to prevent injury to students, but you will be promptly notified following any such application, via the two posting methods identified (above).

You may review the Birmingham Public Schools Integrated Pest Management program and records of any pesticide application upon request by contacting –Facilities and Operations at (248) 203-3975.

Parents or guardians of children attending the school are also entitled to receive the advance notice of a pesticide application, other than a bait or gel formulation, by first class United States mail postmarked at least 3 days before the application, if they so request. If you would like to be notified by mail, please contact the department in writing at BPS Operations, 2305 Cole Street, Birmingham, MI 48009. Please include; your name, your students name(s), mailing address and what school(s) your child or children attend and you will be put on the advance notification by US Mail list. This is an annual renewal requirement. The prior year list will be cleared on October 1st.

More information may be found on the Facilities Pest Management page.

Pursuant to Public Act 549 of 2018, the Birmingham Public School (the “District”) Board of Education has designated Dr. Mark Lineburg, Deputy Superintendent, as the District’s liaison to the Office of School Safety and the School Safety Commission.

School Safety Liaison Letter

Storm Water Management

As required by the Environmental Protection Agency, Birmingham Public Schools provides the community with information regarding the Storm Water Management Program.

Birmingham Public Schools is committed to the environment and strives to be a good steward of the land within its jurisdiction and to use appropriate Best Management Practices to contribute to the improvement of water quality within the Rouge River and Clinton River Watersheds where the district is located.

Birmingham Public Schools encourages all students, faculty, staff, parents, and visitors to get involved through opportunities provided by the local watershed groups, including The Rouge River Watershed and the Clinton River Watershed and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG).

Click here for more BPS Storm Water Management information.

Student Immunication Requirements

Immunizations are one of the most effective and scientifically proven measures to protect children from harmful diseases and death. Since 1978, Michigan law has required that each student have an up-to-date certificate of immunization at the time of registration (or no later than the first day of school) for entry into kindergarten and 7th grade, and for enrollment into a new school district, grades 1-12.

Michigan schools are required to report immunization information regardless of their mode of instruction. Any student who fails to meet the immunization requirements shall not be admitted or participate in school classes.

More information on required immunizations

District Health and Wellness page

Recommended by the Executive Director of Technology

MOVED:

WHEREAS, General. Birmingham Public Schools ("District") is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website for students, parents, employees, and members of the public. All pages on the District's website will conform to the W3C WAI's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA conformance, or updated equivalents of those guidelines. The District will continue to test future releases/updates of its website and remains committed to maintaining its compliance and serving the widest possible audience. To this end, the District will perform periodic accessibility audits of its website.

WHEREAS, Report of Accessibility Issues. If any individual has difficulty accessing the information on any page of the District's website, they are encouraged to contact the District's Web Accessibility Coordinator and advise accordingly. Upon notification, the District will provide the requested information in an alternate format and, as soon as reasonably practical, make the necessary improvements to make the information accessible online.

WHEREAS, Discrimination Complaint. Consistent with established District procedures, students, parents, employees, and members of the public may present a formal complaint regarding a violation of the Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 related to the accessibility of the District's web presence. Such complaints should be made to the District's 504/ADA Compliance Officer. If any such complaint is made to the District's Web Accessibility Coordinator, such complaint shall promptly be forwarded to the 504/ADA Compliance Officer for processing and response.

The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the District's website accessibility and non-discrimination policies.

Section 504/ADA Compliance Officer:
Executive Director of Specialized Services

Web Accessibility Coordinator:
Executive Director of Technology

RESOLVED, Birmingham Public Schools District is committed to compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 so that students, parents, employees, and members of the public are able to independently acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same benefits and services within the same timeframe as those without disabilities, with substantially equivalent ease of use. The District further seeks to ensure that those individuals with disabilities are not excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to discrimination in any District programs, services, and activities delivered online.