Orange Unified board adopts guiding principles for district planning, launches 30‑day review of K–6 math curriculum

The Orange Unified School District board on April 16 approved a set of guiding principles and data criteria meant to steer future planning around enrollment decline, facilities and program alignment, and also advanced several fiscal and curriculum steps at its regular meeting.

Trustees voted unanimously to adopt the resource-optimization coalition’s guiding principles, which staff said are intended to direct future recommendations if the district must consolidate or reconfigure sites because of enrollment. Superintendent Dr. Manarees told the board the vote “does not mean you are approving closures today,” but provides a values-based framework — focused on equitable access to programming, safe modern facilities, fiscal stewardship and community care — for any future options the district might consider.

The board also approved two budget-related resolutions that finance staff said are largely procedural but increase transparency: the creation of a new fund (Fund 20) to separately track post‑employment benefits transactions and an interfund-transfer resolution to implement classifications in the district’s second interim report. Chief Business Officer Mr. Calderon told the board the changes were “paper and best practice” to improve tracking and control of those funds.

In curriculum business, the board authorized a 30‑day public review for Classroom Mathematics California for grades K–6. After a multi-year pilot that compared two state‑adopted programs, Ed Services recommended Classroom Mathematics California, citing its multi‑day lesson structure, assessments aligned to Smarter Balanced expectations, and targeted differentiation for English learners and students needing prerequisite skills. Lisa Green, executive director of curriculum and instruction, said pilot teachers found the program’s assessments provided “actionable data” that helped teachers target instruction. The board will consider final adoption on May 21 following the public review.

During public comment and the ensuing board discussion, teachers and parents raised questions about digital platforms connected to curriculum (notably the district’s use of the i‑Ready diagnostic and personalized pathway), multilingual family access to materials, and data‑privacy concerns; staff said Classroom Mathematics California can be used without the i‑Ready pathway and that family access will include digital demo accounts and in‑person viewing appointments.

The board carried the agenda and related motions without opposition. Trustees emphasized that the guiding principles will shape future steps and asked staff to return with community‑facing communications and further implementation details as the district moves forward.