Birmingham City Schools Superintendent’s Contract Extended
In a significant decision made during a board meeting on Tuesday, the Birmingham City Schools board members voted to extend Superintendent Mark Sullivan’s contract for at least another three years. This comes after a period of notable achievements in the district, particularly during the challenging days of the pandemic. The vote ended with a 6-2 majority in favor of renewing Sullivan’s contract, which includes an annual salary of $300,000—a figure that places him among the highest-paid superintendents in the state of Alabama.
Positive Growth Amid Challenges
Sullivan has been at the helm of Birmingham City Schools since August 2020, following a long career spanning nearly three decades as both a teacher and administrator. His starting salary was approximately $231,000. His leadership has not gone unnoticed; after a recent evaluation, Sullivan received a commendable score of 3.57 out of 4, reflecting that he is performing “above expectations.” One of the most impressive stats to come out of his tenure is a remarkable 19 percentage-point increase in reading scores among students. With creative interventions, including intersessions during school breaks, Sullivan has demonstrated a commitment to helping students recover academically from the impacts of the pandemic.
A Community-Focused Approach
Community members at the meeting described Sullivan as an incredibly “visible” and “hands-on” leader. According to parent Hazel Boykin, Sullivan has consistently shown that he is invested in not just the success of the schools but also in the well-being of the students and staff. “Our schools are moving forward,” she said, to applause from audience members. “He knew there was a problem in the school system, but thank God, he brought it out.”
It’s important to note that the evaluation process for school superintendents in Birmingham now has a unique twist. Aside from the traditional evaluations based on surveys from board members and direct reports, the Birmingham board has recently included student achievement as a key component. “There’s more scrutiny than what a lot of other school districts deal with in the state,” said Board President Jason Meadows, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to improve the district.
Rising to the Occasion Financially
Despite many districts across the state facing severe budget woes and making cuts to stay afloat, Birmingham City Schools is currently in good financial standing. Enrollment numbers, which had been on the decline for some time, are beginning to show signs of recovery. District leaders plan to rely on local funding to maintain vital intervention programs and continue providing stipends for special education teachers and other hard-to-fill roles through the fiscal year 2025.
Divided Opinions on Salary Increase
While most board members celebrated the vote to extend Sullivan’s contract, a couple, Neonta Williams and Derrick Billups, expressed reservations. They acknowledged Sullivan’s progress but argued that there wasn’t enough data to justify such a significant salary increase. Williams mentioned some staff members feeling frustrated and disengaged, advocating for more accountability measures in future evaluations. “There’s no question, I support Dr. Sullivan,” Billups noted. “But I think we’ve been very inefficient and haven’t had the level of dialogue necessary.”
On the contrary, other board members felt that this increase was crucial for keeping the Birmingham district competitive with larger school systems. As Member Sherman Collins Jr. put it, “You pay people in the direction that you want them to go.”
Looking Toward the Future
As Sullivan gears up for a co-teaching role at Harvard University next week, the community remains optimistic about the future. “We have a lot of great things on the horizon to improve our district,” Sullivan shared during the meeting. Though the road ahead remains challenging, the collective efforts of board members, educators, and community stakeholders are geared toward ensuring that Birmingham City Schools continues on this upward trajectory.
