At a meeting of the Birmingham Community Charter High District, staff presented a multi-part update on the district's BBA program, reporting current enrollment, staffing, student outcomes and the program's funding position.

The presentation, led by Isaac (staff member), said the program enrolled 71 students this school year after opening with five students during the COVID period. Isaac said, "the goal of BBA is to help students that are not able to function or come to a traditional school." He described students in the program as including those with medical needs, students who need flexible schedules to work, and students with high anxiety who prefer an online setting.

School staff and board members discussed academic offerings and supports. Isaac said BBA partners with Accelerate Education to deliver coursework and on-demand tutoring and that students can access AP, CTE and dual-enrollment classes. Staff reported a 100% graduation rate for BBA students last year and said the program offers wraparound supports, tutoring and opportunities to participate in campus activities and athletics when students follow campus rules.

Financial presenters and Isaac described funding that hinges on average daily attendance (ADA) calculations used for state apportionment. Staff reported a net loss of about $61,000 for fiscal year 2023–24 if ADA remained low and said the program's March "P-2" ADA reporting number (used for next-year funding) was 45.84 last year while a target ADA of roughly 49.5 would have eliminated the deficit. Christine (staff member) said the program's finances improve if enrollment and attendance are higher earlier in the school year because P-2 uses the March snapshot.

Staffing and operations details: presenters said BBA currently has three supervising teachers (two full time, one part time) and one counselor who provides mental-health supports. Isaac said some curriculum was developed in-house for English and science but the school relies on Accelerate Education for many online courses while it builds capacity to create more of its own coursework. Staff noted NCAA vetting is required for some courses used for athletic eligibility.

Board members and staff discussed assessment results and sample-size limits. Presenters reported higher math results for BBA students than English, and they said small cohort sizes mean percentage rates can swing widely year to year; staff said they will add targeted English supports and include raw counts with percentages in future reports.

The board heard several operational priorities: increasing early recruitment and referrals to raise P-2 ADA; continuing the MOU-based enrollment expansion; and producing a three-year plan for the BBA program. Staff said they will continue outreach to counselors, teachers and families and use wait lists and recruitment events to try to increase early-year enrollment.

Why it matters: BBA is funded through the district's general apportionment and its per-student funding and program sustainability depend on both enrollment and documented attendance. Staff framed BBA as a program intended to keep students in the district system who otherwise might be placed elsewhere.

What's next: staff said they will finalize the three-year plan, continue recruitment, provide additional English instruction supports and return with updated financial projections tied to projected March ADA.