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.
NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar joined students at Thomas Edison Elementary to launch a new outdoor STEM partnership between his Skyhook Foundation and OCDE’s Inside the Outdoors. The celebration included 3,000 donated Adidas shoes and backpacks for Anaheim students.
County Superintendent Dr. Stefan Bean was named the 2025 Community Pillar of Influence for Education, joining four leaders recognized for strengthening Orange County. He was also recently honored by the Orange County Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the California Association of Asian and Pasifika Leaders in Education.
An independent foundation has launched to help expand educational opportunities for students across the county. The Orange County Schools Bright Futures Foundation will be led by David Blair, who brings more than 15 years of nonprofit leadership experience.
Passed in 1975, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act guaranteed that every child with a disability has the right to a free and appropriate public education — transforming how schools support students and forming special education for generations.
Sunburst Youth Academy recently celebrated becoming an Orange County Impact School. The OCDE designation promotes an exchange of ideas and best practices between local schools and the county office.
