The Orange Unified School District Board of Education on Nov. 13 adopted a framework statement — described by staff as the board’s 'why' — to guide a relaunch of the district’s Resource Optimization Coalition (OUSD ROCK).

Superintendent Dr. Rachel Menares told trustees the coalition will reconvene in December, undertake intensive data review from February through April, and bring recommendations to the board for public hearings in the spring. "We want to have you adopt the why," Menares said as she summarized the coalition’s objectives and a flexible timeline the district presented to trustees.

The board voted 7–0 to adopt the 'why' statement, with Trustee Pelley moving the motion and Trustee Glass seconding. Board members emphasized that the timeline is intentionally flexible and that future steps will include formal capacity analyses, community input, and explicit board review before any site-level actions.

During public comment, residents and parent leaders urged clearer coordination with the district’s Asset Management Committee and asked for safeguards for specific sites, notably LaVita, which speakers said has faced prolonged uncertainty over field status. District staff replied that LaVita is not currently on a formal surplus-property list and that any change would follow the board’s established 7–11 committee and public-review process.

What’s next: coalition members will continue planning over the winter; trustees and staff said they expect the coalition to present detailed data and options before the board’s spring hearings, and they pledged continued touchpoints with affected communities.