On Tuesday, the Birmingham Board of Education responded to an application submitted by the Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School (AAHS) in Bessemer to open a campus in the city near A.H Parker High School. The Board turned down the request.
According to The Birmingham Times, the school is rapidly reaching capacity with approximately 200 students. The first graduating class will cross the stage in May of 2025, with three of its students obtaining a private pilot’s license and several others with aircraft maintenance certification.
When the charter school idea originated, the founders petitioned the Birmingham School Board to locate the school in the district.
Mauri Robinson, Director of Operations in Finance for the school, told The Birmingham Times he understands why the school was not approved at the time.
“The original vision was to have the school in Birmingham,” said Robinson. “Unfortunately, back in 2020, when we first petitioned, we were unsuccessful. We definitely understand why Birmingham denied us at that time—we didn’t have any data.”
Despite the school’s growing enrollment and soon-to-be-graduated students, the Birmingham School Board still has objections to the application. CBS42 reported that the school system cited objections from neighbors and board members as the reason the request was denied.
“We understand that the Birmingham City School Board made their decision,” Robinson continued. “That’s been the history, so we’ve certainly been prepared for that, and though we understand and respect their decision, we’re going to move forward. Just like a plane, when it deals with turbulence, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t reach its destination. We’re committed to providing a quality educational option for the citizens of Birmingham.”
The school plans to appeal the Board’s decision.
AAHS is the first aviation-focused, free public charter school in Alabama dedicated to creating the aerospace and aviation leaders of tomorrow. The school offers a career-focused curriculum designed to give students a direct path to the aviation industry and an advanced STEM education in an intentionally diverse school community.
For more information, visit AAHS’s website.
