As the Director of Special Education for Birmingham City Schools, Pamela Wimbish ensures that students with disabilities identified under IDEA receive the appropriate services and supports as outlined in their Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). A major challenge for the district was ensuring that schools document services with fidelity, initiating appropriate progress monitoring systems, and maintaining timelines.
Before implementing Brolly, the district relied on paper documents to track services, and a structured process for documenting progress was not in place. This lack of consistency made it difficult to outline student progress and contributed to an increase in legal cases.
Why Brolly?
When looking for a solution, the ease of use for teachers and the ongoing support provided to the district made Brolly stand out.
Birmingham City Schools At-a-Glance
- 19,869 Students
- 20 PreK-5 Schools
- 7 PreK-8 Schools
- 8 Middle Schools
- 7 High Schools
- 3 Specialty Schools
- 15.6% Students Receiving Special Education Services
- 3.83% Students Receiving Gifted Services
- 10% English Language Learners
Implementation & Adoption
When Birmingham City Schools introduced Brolly to its staff, there was some reluctance from teachers at first, but very quickly, Brolly became a key part of the district’s accountability measures. Now, three years in, teacher feedback remains consistently positive, with staff sharing how much easier it has made documentation.
Some common responses include:
“This has made documenting so much easier!”
“It has become a part of my daily routine. I love it!”
Impact & Results
Since implementing Brolly, Birmingham City Schools has seen improvements in compliance, efficiency, and transparency.
According to Pamela Wimbish:
- Brolly has helped improve IEP compliance and special education management.
- Principals now utilize Brolly reports to monitor service provision.
- The ability to monitor student progress and make data-driven decisions has been a game-changer.
Looking Ahead
As Brolly continues to support Birmingham City Schools, Wimbish sees it becoming “a part of our framework not only to support students but teachers in their work.”
For districts considering Brolly, she continues, “It will provide you the necessary tools to embed in your compliance practices.”
Birmingham City Schools’ experience demonstrates how Brolly helps districts build structured, reliable documentation processes—ensuring students receive services while giving educators the tools they need to track, monitor, and report with confidence.
