Some parents are frustrated with the performance of Birmingham City Schools.  Now, they are taking action and meeting with school board members to request a change.

Community members presented a plan to the board.  They call it  "Yes We Can!"  One request includes Birmingham schools performing equal to so-called "over the mountain" schools.

They say the poorly performing schools push more people to move outside the city and that hurts Birmingham's tax base.

Charles Locke has seven grandchildren attending Birmingham City Schools.

"The county school system is known to have a higher quality school system than the city of Birmingham and I think that's deplorable," he said. 

Locke and others formed a coalition asking the school board to hear their concerns on issues like safer schools,  better curriculum and more funding.

"I would really like to see all of the funds, all of the resources be distributed equitably among all the schools," he said.

"We hear them, we're going to listen to them, and we're  going to implement what they've said," said Interim Superintendent of Birmingham City Schools Barbara Allen.  "We just don't want them to give it to us. We want continued community involvement with them."

Step one: uniting people through community events like Saturday's and hearing the concerns of parents.

"What they want is a first class education for the children of  Birmingham City Schools," Allen said.

It is not too much to ask according to her.

"We're willing to accept the challenge," Allen said.

"This has been needed for a long time and I hope that it can be perpetuated," said Locke.

Allen says the school board accepted the agreement to meet the community's requests.  Now, the school board will implement changes into its strategic plan.

Allen says the board will begin by working on the morale of Birmingham School System employees.