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4 <br /> Budget Message <br /> April 23, 2026 <br /> Orange County Board of County Commissioners <br /> Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Message <br /> Through their dedication and perseverance, our students made meaningful aca- <br /> demic gains in 2024-25 and are well-positioned to continue meeting and exceed- <br /> ing state standards. Their success is a direct reflection of the unwavering support <br /> and service of our high-quality teachers and staff, to whom we extend our sincere <br /> gratitude. <br /> The strategy of consistently supporting investments in students and the profes- <br /> sionals who serve them is yielding results that we are proud to report: OCS is Top <br /> in the State, as one of only three districts in NC (out of 115) where every school <br /> met or exceeded growth. <br /> Here are some additional high marks from the 2024-2025 state accountability re- <br /> sults: <br /> • For the first time ever, 100 percent of Orange County Schools met or exceed- <br /> ed academic growth for the 2024-2025 school year. <br /> • For the first time since 2017, five schools earned a School Performance <br /> Grade of "B," up from three in 2023-2024. <br /> • Grade-level proficiency increased by 3.5 points to 58.4% on state mandated <br /> exams. This composite performance is 3.4 points above the state average of <br /> 55.0%. <br /> • OCS four-year cohort graduation rate rebounded by eight points to 87.7%, in <br /> line with the state average. <br /> In OCS, we put into practice our shared belief that every child can be successful <br /> and deserves every opportunity to thrive. <br /> We are proud of our efforts and the results from aligning wise stewardship of re- <br /> sources with the needs of every child. We are also taking bold steps for the future <br /> in our next Strategic Plan, to continue making improvements that ensure every <br /> child is supported to reach their maximum potential. <br /> In this spirit, we present this Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget request to the Orange <br /> County Board of County Commissioners as partners who are committed to facing <br /> the challenge of fully meeting the ever-changing needs of children in our commu- <br /> nity's local public schools. <br /> 4 <br />