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Author Fermin Leal

Fermin Leal

Fermin Leal serves as a communications specialist for Orange County Department of Education's Communications and Media Services Department where he works to highlight news and successful education initiatives at OCDE and at public schools across Orange County. Before joining OCDE, Fermin worked as an education journalist for 15 years, most recently at the nonprofit education news site EdSource. Prior to that, he worked for the Orange County Register. In this role, he wrote features and news articles about career and college readiness, the state’s implementation of the Common Core and Smarter Balanced exams and challenges facing students in higher education.

A graphic that reads, "OC Education Top Stories"

Weekly roundup: Climate change awareness campaigns spread across schools, OC test scores steadily improve, and more

Fermin Leal
October 11, 2019
As young people across the globe increase efforts to raise awareness about climate change, more and more school boards, PTAs and other education groups across California have taken proactive steps to tackle the... Read More
classroom instruction

New state tests show OC students continue steady growth

Fermin Leal
October 9, 2019
Orange County's public school students continued to make steady progress in English language arts and mathematics in the latest round of state tests, according to figures released today. For the fifth consec... Read More
students show off their work to attendee at OC Pathways Showcase

OCDE secures $449,000 grant for career and technical education

Fermin Leal
October 8, 2019
The Orange County Department of Education has been awarded a federal grant of $448,936 to help prepare more students in career and technical education. OCDE received the Innovation & Modernization Grant ... Read More
students hold up t-shirts

VIDEO: Costa Mesa High student’s kindness campaign inspires classmates, community

Fermin Leal
October 7, 2019
Costa Mesa High School student Rebekah Robeck wanted to spread kindness to her school and community. So she started by giving out something most teens would likely not pass up — free pizza. Rebekah began the... Read More
county superintendent hugs a teacher of the year

Trabuco Mesa Elementary teacher named a State Teacher of the Year

Fermin Leal
October 4, 2019
Mandy Kelly, a sixth-grade teacher from Trabuco Elementary School in Rancho Santa Margarita, was named Friday as one of five 2020 California Teachers of the Year. Kelly has taught sixth grade at the school i... Read More
Title for "In the news"

Weekly roundup: Tustin High tech academy leader spotlighted, six OC schools win Blue Ribbons, and more

Fermin Leal
September 27, 2019
Teacher Ed Hernandez has been compared to a real-life Tony Stark for his work heading the award-winning T-Tech Academy at Tustin High School. Hernandez was profiled recently by Fox 11 News. The segment inclu... Read More
Blue Ribbon Schools Program logo

6 Orange County schools win 2019 National Blue Ribbon

Fermin Leal
September 26, 2019
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded six Orange County public schools 2019 Blue Ribbons, the nation’s top honor for individual campuses based on academic achievement. The recipients are Acacia Elemen... Read More
Capitol building

2019 state bill tracker: 9 proposed laws that could impact education in OC

Fermin Leal
September 25, 2019
The California State Legislature is busy considering dozens of proposed education bills that could affect everything from charter schools and mental health support to when the school day should start for middle... Read More
News chalkboard graphic

Weekly roundup: Edison High teen wins scientific accolade, lawmakers agree to $15 billion bond proposal, and more

Fermin Leal
September 13, 2019
Edison High School freshman Ishan Ghosh is already conducting biomedical research most students only perform when they're in college or graduate school. Ishan, 14, ranked among the nation’s top 300 student s... Read More
Students on computers participating in online gaming

Esports guide for parents: Here are 5 answers to common questions

Fermin Leal
September 10, 2019
The 2019-20 North American Scholastic Esports Federation is beginning across many Orange County high schools and a few middle schools. The league, now in its third season, brings together thousands of studen... Read More
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Credits

Orange County Department of Education
Al Mijares, Ph.D.
County Superintendent of Schools

Contact

Thanks for visiting the OCDE Newsroom. Questions and story suggestions should be sent to communications@ocde.us.

And if you’re a member of the media in need of information about the Orange County Department of Education, you can contact Communications Officer Ian Hanigan at ihanigan@ocde.us or 714-966-4008.

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academic competition ACCESS acts of kindness Al Mijares career exploration college and career readiness education contest education in the news education news in the news kindness kindness1billion OCDE ocde weekly roundup one billion acts of kindness Orange County Department of Education project based learning STEM top stories Weekly Roundup