Board approves $75,000 pilot to add ethnic-studies course at comprehensive high schools

The Orange Unified School District Board of Education on Nov. 13 approved a $75,000 pilot to add ethnic-studies coursework at the district’s comprehensive high schools.

District staff summarized a substantive presentation given at the Oct. 23 meeting (with partners from UCI and site leaders). The cost — $75,000 — is intended to underwrite an additional ethnic-studies course at each comprehensive high school for the pilot year. "We're recommending that you approve this pilot course with the cost of $75,000," district staff told the board during the meeting.

Trustee Page moved the motion to approve the pilot; Trustee Glass seconded. The board approved the pilot by unanimous voice vote, 7–0.

Board members framed the vote as an initial implementation step; staff said evaluation and recommended next steps will return to the board after the pilot period. The approval does not change district graduation requirements; it funds an additional course section during the pilot year.

What’s next: staff will implement the pilot at each comprehensive high school, track student participation and outcomes, and report back to the board on lessons learned and potential scale-up.