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Board approves up to $1 million in bond awards for district music instruments and equipment
Summary
The board voted 6–0 to award vendors up to $1,000,000 from the district’s March 10, 2020 bond for instruments, risers, stands and other music equipment; the administration said the allocation prioritizes equity of access, instructional impact and long‑term value across elementary through high school music programs.
The Birmingham Public Schools Board approved a package of vendor awards not to exceed $1,000,000 to purchase instruments, risers, chairs, stands and other music equipment from multiple suppliers, the board was told.
Ms. Imperio presented the process to the board, describing an RFP posted in January, an evaluation period between February and April, and an allocation process informed by the district’s music teachers. The presentation said the committee prioritized equity of access across schools, instructional impact, long‑term value and frequency of use when deciding purchases.
"We began this process in November of 2025," Ms. Imperio told trustees, outlining selection criteria that included instrument quality, vendor capacity to deliver and pricing. She said vendors were selected by specialty—no single vendor supplied every category—and called out Winger as the vendor chosen for risers and chairs.
Trustees asked whether the purchases would touch every school; Ms. Imperio said the plan "touches every single school in every area of our music department" and that band, choir, orchestra and elementary vocal music all received allocations to balance breadth and need.
The board voted to introduce and then approve Resolution 78, authorizing awards for the music RFP in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000; the motion passed 6 to 0.
The presentation included an itemized allocation breakout by program (elementary vocal music, choir, orchestra, band, shared items such as stands and risers) and said the final vendor list reflected specialty suppliers for different instrument groups. Ms. Imperio and bond committee members said the goal was to standardize instrument quality across schools and replace items that had reached the end of their usable life.
Trustees thanked the music teachers and bond committee for a collaborative selection process. The board did not specify a timeline for delivery in the resolution presented at the meeting.
