Birmingham Public Schools consists of 8 public elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 2 high schools, all of which offer full enrichment opportunities. The BPS also offers alternative programs for students who require more individualized lesson plans or have learning disabilities.
All of the elementary schools have new or updated media centers with new furnishings, electronic resources, and a video distribution system which gives each classroom access to live performances in other parts of the building and educational cable TV, as well as VHS, CD and laser disk information. Over the next four to five years, all of the elementary schools will be renovated, four of which will be rebuilt around the existing media centers.
The middle schools, Berkshire and Derby, are both to be improved and renovated over the next few years, from new windows, floors and lighting to better science, music and physical education opportunities. Berkshire and Derby offer many opportunities for young teens to explore their skills and talents through academic competitions, mentorships, the arts, intramural and interscholastic athletics, clubs and activities.
The two high schools, Groves and Seaholm, hold approximately 1,200 students each, with a typical class size of 15-25 and a graduation rate of 99%. The schools were freshly renovated in 2002, adding new state-of-the-art technology and improved learning environments to the already outstanding curriculum of each school. The schools are also set to receive renovations to the physical education areas.
Birmingham is also home to 72 different private schools of varying grade ranges, including 7 schools for kindergarten to grade 12 and 17 pre-kindergarten to kindergarten schools. Many of the schools serve as both an elementary and a middle school, teaching from kindergarten to grade 8, while others serve smaller portions such as grades 3 to 6. A list of these private schools can be found at http://www.greatschools.net
Beyond elementary, middle and high school education, Birmingham still has lots to offer. The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has a 17,600 student enrollment, offering bachelor's, master's, doctoral and professional degrees in many fields. The university's 12 schools are those of Arts and Humanities, Business, Dentistry, Education, Engineering, Health Professions, Medicine, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Nursing, Optometry, Public Health, Social and Behavioral Sciences, the Division of General Studies, and the UAB Graduate School. Birmingham and its suburbs are also home to 6 other Universities and 11 colleges, offering a full range of post-secondary educational opportunities.
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