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MVWSD engaged Orenda Education to conduct a comprehensive, independent review of our programs and services. The study draws from analysis of student achievement data, staff and family input, classroom observations, and comparative analysis. The assessment gives us something every strong school district needs: clear data we can use to improve outcomes for students.
Good data doesn’t tell us what we want to hear—it tells us what we need to know so we can focus our time, talent, and resources where they matter most for our students.
Their report confirms many areas where our programs are serving students well, and it also highlights where adjustments will make the greatest difference. That combination is powerful.
While we have been discussing our fiscal challenges since September, the Orenda study is not specifically about budget cuts or labels—it’s about student achievement. This is bigger than the budget.
This information— and more importantly, our subsequent reflections and actions — will outlast our budget challenges.
Serving students well means regularly examining what we do, being willing to make changes, and staying focused on what helps students thrive. This assessment gives us a solid foundation to do exactly that.
This report confirms that to both improve outcomes and remain financially stable,
we must focus limited resources on the highest-impact strategies for students and examine programs that may no longer be sustainable. This means we will work to strengthen programs that are demonstrating strong impact and refine or redesign areas where the results for students are not as strong.
Now, the real work begins — with students at the center of every decision. This is how we honor our responsibility to students today and build a stronger, more sustainable future for our schools.
- Jeffrey Baier, Superintendent