OCDE Newsroom

Six students wearing red StellarXplorers shirts stand together for a team photo.

Fullerton students blast into national finals of StellarXplorers space competition

Ian Hanigan March 6, 2026

Six juniors from Fullerton Union High School have advanced to the national finals of the StellarXplorers space systems competition after finishing among the top 10 teams out of 388 nationwide. The team will travel to Denver in April to compete for the national championship.

OCDE Executive Director Kathy Boyd and Administrator Kim Goodwin pose with the OC Pathways student ambassadors at the 12th annual OC Pathways Showcase at the OC Fairgrounds.

OC Pathways Showcase spotlights student innovation and regional partnerships

Madeline Gray March 4, 2026

Quick look: Students demonstrated automotive, medical, engineering and other career skills at the 12th annual OC Pathways Showcase, an event...

OCDE's Inside the Outdoors program and OC Waste & Recycling accept the Excellence in Recycling Public Education award at the National Waste & Recycling Industry Conference January 21. (Courtesy of OC Waste & Recycling)

Weekly roundup: Inside the Outdoors earns national recognition for recycling education curriculum, and more

Madeline Gray January 30, 2026

Inside the Outdoors, OCDE’s outdoor education program, received an award of excellence from the National Waste & Recycling Association for...

Lincoln Elementary School students explore new robotics challenges in the campus' Innovation Lab. (Courtesy of Newport-Mesa Unified School District)

Weekly roundup: Newport-Mesa students discover tech skills via Innovation Lab, Valley High to host career education film screening, and more

Madeline Gray January 16, 2026

What began as a weekly activity has grown into a creative outlet for students at Lincoln Elementary School, where the...

Garden Grove Unified students in the child development pathway show what they have learned in their career courses at the 11th annual OC Pathways Showcase last year.

REGISTER NOW: OC Pathways Showcase returns to unite industry leaders with future workforce

Madeline Gray January 14, 2026

Quick look: Orange County students and families are invited to explore future career opportunities at the OC Pathways Showcase on...

OCDE’s 5-3-1 Strategic Plan lays the groundwork for 2026

Ian Hanigan December 29, 2025

Quick look: OCDE’s 5-3-1 Strategic Plan guided the department’s work in 2025, its first full year of full implementation. In...

Let’s look back at some of the top OCDE Newsroom stories of 2025

Ian Hanigan December 23, 2025

Over the past year, the OCDE Newsroom shared stories of recognition, remembrance and forward momentum across Orange County’s education community....

Huntington Beach Union High School District educators, administrators and board trustees celebrate the start of a new partnership between Edison High School and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. (Huntington Beach Union High School District)

Weekly roundup: Edison High students help endangered trout with new campus lab, and more

Madeline Gray December 19, 2025

Edison High School students will soon be raising endangered trout in a newly expanded Innovation Lab, gaining hands-on experience in...

$Title card for Math Instructional Materials Fair$

OCDE to host Math Instructional Materials Fair on Jan. 22

Vicky Nguyen December 9, 2025

Curriculum review requires careful evaluation, and the Orange County Department of Education will provide districts with a centralized opportunity to...

Innovation Funding Initiative officially launches, offering up to $525,000 for bold ideas in OC schools

Ian Hanigan December 3, 2025

OCDE’s Innovation Funding Initiative launches today, inviting districts to apply for up to $525,000 to bring innovative, student-centered ideas to life. Applications are open through Jan. 30, 2026.

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