Madera Unified School District (MUSD) serves a diverse community where most families, including a significant Spanish-speaking population, rely on mobile devices for digital connectivity. This insight shaped our approach to redesigning websites for Madera High School, Madera South High School, and Matilda Torres High School, ensuring they were both functional and deeply accessible.

The Challenge

These projects required us to solve three key challenges:

• Mobile-First Usability: Create websites intuitive and easy to navigate for users with varying levels of digital literacy
• Bilingual Accessibility: Make Spanish-speaking families feel equally represented in the digital experience
• School Identity: Reflect the unique spirit of each school while maintaining consistency across the district

Our Approach

The existing websites struggled with outdated navigation, desktop-only functionality, and a lack of inclusivity for Spanish-speaking families. We began by mapping out a mobile-first framework, focusing on clear, intuitive layouts that prioritized frequently accessed content.

Beyond Responsive Design: True Digital Equity

What distinguished this project was our commitment to genuine digital equity. Rather than treating mobile and bilingual features as technical afterthoughts, we placed them at the center of our design process:

• Testing with Real Families: We conducted usability testing with parents across different digital literacy levels, educational backgrounds, and preferred languages
• Navigation Built on Real Behavior: Analytics revealed that 83% of visits focused on five key areas—calendars, contacts, news, enrollment, and lunch menus—so we built navigation around these priorities
• Culturally Responsive Design: We incorporated visual elements and content structures that resonated with the cultural contexts of the diverse community, not just translated text

This approach demonstrates how digital design can actively bridge socioeconomic and cultural divides when user needs drive technical decisions.

The Results

The redesigned websites are more than digital platforms—they’re tools of empowerment. By addressing the real-world needs of MUSD families, these sites now serve as welcoming, functional, and accessible entry points for the entire school community.