Board approves $300,000 contract for professional learning after parents press for outcome data

The Orange Unified School District Board of Education on May 7 approved a $300,000 contract with Elevated Achievement Group (EAG) to expand a district professional-learning program focused on student ownership.

The board'backed decision followed a presentation from Dr. Matt Whitmer of Educational Services, who described a spring pilot that reached roughly 440 participants, including 347 teachers and all 38 principals. Whitmer said the contract would fund continued professional learning and principal leadership sessions in 2026-27. "This contract with EAG has been intentionally designed to ensure that student-centered learning outcomes drive each and every decision around curriculum, instruction, assessment, and climate," he said.

The vote came after Crystal Miles, a public commenter, urged the board to delay approval until objective, publicly presented evidence showed measurable academic improvements from the program. "Before approving a contract of this size, the board should require objective evidence showing that the services being provided are effective, sustainable, and directly beneficial to students," Miles said, asking about pilot metrics, vetting, and whether the district issued a competitive RFP.

Trustees pressed staff on the pilot'status and data collection. Whitmer and curriculum staff described local "learning walks" used to sample classrooms and cited changes in a student-ownership rubric: in one elementary sample the district reported students categorized as "owning" their learning rose from 4.9% early in the year to 10.5% by mid-year, with a decrease in the share classified as merely "doing." Whitmer cited John Hattie'informed practices underlying the model and said the district aligned learning-walk tools to measure classroom changes.

Trustee Erickson framed the pilot as a test of application and asked staff to share both data and implementation safeguards. Whitmer said the district collects feedback after trainings and conducts learning walks to gather evidence of classroom change.

Trustee Pelley moved approval of the EAG agreement; Trustee Erickson seconded. The board approved the contract unanimously, 7-0. No specific contract performance penalties or refund terms were detailed in the presentation.

The item is slated to be implemented during the 2026-27 school year; staff said training materials and follow-up data collection would continue to be collected and reported as implementation proceeds.