As the room began to fill for the Orange County State of Education event on March 13, I paused for a moment to take it all in. Educators, school leaders, elected officials and community partners were all coming together, each bringing a unique perspective and area of focus.
What stood out wasn’t our different roles. It was what brought us together — the collective belief in our students and in what is possible for them.
That sense of shared purpose stayed with me throughout the day, especially as we heard from our guest speaker, Adán Correa. A Santa Ana High School graduate, Cal State Fullerton alum and advocate for the neurodivergent community, Adán is known to many from the Netflix series “Love on the Spectrum.” He shared his journey with humor, honesty and a genuine sense of joy.
Adán is a remarkable young man and the perfect speaker for our event, not just because of who he is, but because of how he got there. In his own words, he is where he is today because of the steady presence of people who believed in him and supported him, including teachers, coaches, counselors and family. It’s a reminder of something we all know and the recurring theme of my address: No one gets there alone.
That idea feels especially important right now. We are seeing real progress in Orange County’s schools — higher-than-ever graduation rates, improving attendance and expanded opportunities through career pathways and innovation.
At the same time, our work is becoming more complex. Student needs are growing, expectations continue to evolve, and schools are being asked to do more, often with fewer resources. The question, then, isn’t only how we respond to challenges. It’s how we continue building on what’s working.
For me, that means staying grounded in what matters most, like continuing to center belonging and connection so our students feel seen and supported, while staying aligned in our efforts so the work happening across classrooms, schools and districts adds up to something greater.
It also means being intentional about how we support the adults doing this work by protecting their time, reducing unnecessary burdens and keeping the focus on students. Just as important is continuing to listen, because the most meaningful insights often come directly from the students and communities we serve.
When I look across Orange County, I’m proud to say I see these efforts in action every day. I see educators showing up for students in ways that often go unseen. I see leaders making thoughtful and sometimes difficult decisions in service of their communities. I see partnerships forming that strengthen this work.
That is what progress looks like.
As we look ahead, I keep coming back to a simple question that I posed on March 13: Where can we better align our efforts so that no student walks alone?
It’s a question we will continue to answer together, not necessarily through high-level decisions but in more subtle ways like how we as educators collaborate, how we prioritize our work, and how we support students, communities and one another. Because in the end, what defines us is the consistency of how we show up for each other and for our students.
The 2026 State of Education is in the books. But the state of education? It continues to grow stronger, thanks to the collective efforts of educators, families, students and community partners.
I’m grateful to be part of this work with you.