Birmingham, AL – Birmingham would close 18 of its 65 schools under a proposed plan by city schools superintendent, Dr. Stan Mims. The consolidation plan, released yesterday, also would allow the construction of 2 new schools in the city.
Mims told members of the Birmingham City School Board that the closures are necessary to cope with a decline in the school-age population. A consultant projects by 2017, the school system will have 20,000 students, down from the 28,393 it has today. Birmingham city schools have lost more than 1,300 students since last year. Its peak enrollment was 70,000 in the 1970s.
One board member fears combining schools will create more discipline problems, but Mims thinks it will make for a richer education experience.
The board could vote on the plan by February.
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