Days By Arrangement (DBAs) is a unique feature of our BEA-BPS contract.  DBAs were negotiated over 10 years ago as compensation to members when the state increased required hours of instruction. 

BEA members are permitted two self-selected vacations days each year and they can be taken for any reason.  All you need to do is fill out a DBA form available in your building or through HR office.  Note that professional development, parent teacher conference days and the first week of school year are excluded from use as days-by-arrangement. 

If you have any unused DBA's at the end of the school year, you should receive payment in your final June check at the rate of $92 per unused day.

Here is the contract language on Days by Arrangement:

• Each teacher will have two "days-by-arrangement" that s/he may take during the school year on a first come first serve basis.
• If a teacher chooses not to take one or both of their “days by arrangement”, he/she shall be paid commensurate with the base substitute pay rate in lieu of taking the “days by arrangement.  Payment shall be made at the end of the school year. 
  

Join your colleagues in supporting your BEA union!  You are the BEA!

Haven’t Signed up Yet? Join your 450 colleagues who already support our BEA union!

Click on this link MEA/BEA Membership E-dues Log in to sign up. If you need help, contact Sandy Riccardi at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 248-559-4770

Do You Miss Too Many Prep Periods By Attending PD?  

A BEA Contract Gets You Compensated!

We know that much of the professional development we choose to attend provides valuable information and training to help us become better at our craft, particularly if our BPS colleagues run the PD.   However, each time we are away from our students is more work and planning we need to do to catch up and help them. 

The BEA recognizes this dilemma and how much extra work teachers put in to plan sub days and make up missed prep periods.  So, we negotiated additional compensation for district provided or supported PD for each prep period missed beyond four:

“…if a teacher loses more than four (4) planning periods during the school year to professional development opportunities that last a half (1/2) day or more in duration, the teacher will be entitled to compensation pursuant to Article XVIII (C) (2)” ($27 an per missed prep period)

If this applies to you, print the attached form, fill it out, and send it to the HR Department to be paid for missed prep time!

As many of you know, having a mid-winter break is not a given. It exists because of the BEA-BPS Contract (see language below) negotiated by your union. Many school districts have moved away from a full week break, cutting short much-needed time for teachers and students to rest and recuperate through the long, cold winter months. Through bargaining and your support, the BEA has been able to maintain this full week mini vacation and still end the school year about the same time as other districts.

"The parties [the Birmingham Education Association and the Birmingham Board of Education] will negotiate a calendar. The calendar negotiated shall be submitted to the parties for ratification by the BEA membership and approval by the Board of Education.”