BCS adds $2.5M in pay for principals, district leaders as enrollment falls

Birmingham City Schools is adding approximately $2.5 million a year in recurring compensation for school and district administrators, saying higher pay is needed in part to keep principals and assistant principals from leaving for neighboring school systems.

Official response and confirmed impact

The administrative pay changes come as BCS is budgeting for a decline in the student count used to determine much of its state funding, resulting in the district earning fewer state-funded teacher, assistant principal and counselor positions.

In response to questions from ABC 33/40, BCS confirmed the administrative compensation changes will cost approximately $2.5 million every year.

The adjustments cover assistant principals, principals, instructional superintendents, officers, chief officers and the district's general counsel.

BCS says it was losing administrators to neighboring districts The district says retaining school leaders is one reason for the additional spending.

“The adjustments were made in part to ensure that compensation for principals and assistant principals remains competitive,” BCS said in a written response to ABC 33/40.

BCS said it has lost several assistant principals to neighboring school systems offering more favorable salary schedules and said the changes are intended to improve recruitment and retention.

Incident background

The changes are part of Birmingham City Schools' newly approved $544.97 million FY2027 budget, which is $63.67 million larger than the previous year's spending plan.