Meet our Principal
As the Principal and Chief Executive of Birmingham Community Charter High School, now beginning my eighth year, I am proud to lead a community of educators who believe in the unlimited potential of our students. As an independent charter school, we have both the opportunity and responsibility to leverage our autonomy to tailor programs to our students' unique needs — and we are relentless in refining systems that support historically neglected students, high achievers, and the large majority in between looking to be challenged and inspired.
Academic Excellence
Being well-rounded is our hallmark, but first and foremost we are an academic institution. For the Class of 2026, our graduation rate is a projected 98%, with a 94.4% university eligibility (A-G) rate, and about 50% of graduating students have passed at least one AP exam. We offer 20 Advanced Placement courses with over 1,100 students participating annually, alongside 20 concurrent college enrollment classes on our campus and university-level courses from Yale, Brown, Penn, and Howard through the National Education Opportunity Network.
Birmingham's California College/Career Readiness Indicator rates at the highest level (blue) on the state dashboard. Nearly 23% of the 2026 graduates earned the California Seal of Biliteracy, and 60.1% earned the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma.
Beyond the Classroom
Birmingham offers 10 visual and performing arts pathways, including choir and band programs that have won multiple awards at the Anaheim WorldStrides Heritage Festival. Our career pathway program spans fields from animation, whose students won Best Animated PSA at the SAFE School Film Festival, to culinary arts, where a senior recently earned an $182,000 scholarship to culinary school. Students also have over 90 clubs to choose from, plus one of the largest athletic programs in the CIF L.A. City Section, which brought home 11 city championships last year.
Supporting the Whole Student
Knowing that none of this happens if our students don't feel empowered or mentally strong, we prioritize student wellbeing: faculty are trained in social-emotional learning and trauma-informed practices, and our Multi-Tiered System of Support partners with four psychiatric social workers to proactively address student mental health.
Parent Partnership
Parent engagement is central to our work. Through Parent Square, over 1,000 unique parents and guardians communicate with faculty annually, with over 1,300 completing our annual parent survey. Feedback from that survey shaped our Parent Partnership Initiative, which continues to guide how we share achievement and budget data, follow up after meetings, and streamline meeting purpose and frequency.
Recognition
Recent recognitions include the 2022 California Pivotal Practice Award, 2022 National Education Equity Lab School of Excellence, 2023–2025 College Board AP School Honor Roll (Silver in 2024 and 2025), and 2024 California Distinguished School.
None of this would be possible without our faculty, staff, and Board of Directors, who share a commitment to continuous growth and to bringing out the best in every BCCHS student. We are proud to serve Birmingham students and families on a beautiful, safe campus, and we welcome you to schedule a visit.
Sincerely, Ari Bennett, Birmingham Class of 1989
CEO/Principal