Change is constant in education.
The needs of students change. The challenges facing schools become more complex. New technologies emerge, communities grow, priorities shift. And organizations like the Orange County Department of Education? Well, we have a responsibility to evolve at the same pace.
That’s part of the thinking behind a series of organizational changes taking place here as we align our efforts around two complementary pillars — educational excellence and operational excellence.
These represent two distinct but deeply connected sides of what we do and how we do it. Together, they provide a clearer framework for how OCDE will serve students, schools and communities now and into the future.
Educational excellence
First, let’s take a look at educational excellence. This area encompasses much of the work OCDE is best known for — teaching, learning and student success.
This side of our organization partners with local school districts to strengthen instruction, expand opportunities and support educators. It also includes the schools and programs OCDE operates directly for students, including ACCESS for alternative education and Connections, which serves students with disabilities.
Under this new structure, Dr. Sandra Lee serves as deputy superintendent of educational excellence, overseeing a pair of OCDE divisions.
Educational and Student Services is now one division, led by Associate Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Benaraw. It will continue working to support districts and advance countywide educational initiatives. The second division is County Operated Schools and Programs, or COSP. Led by Associate Superintendent Dr. Maria Martinez-Poulin, COSP will support our ACCESS and Connections programs.
This structure reflects the two ways OCDE carries out its educational mission — supporting local school systems and directly serving students in our own programs. But educational excellence can’t happen without operational excellence.
Operational excellence
Behind every classroom, professional learning session, student program and district partnership are teams making sure the systems around that work are strong.
Their responsibilities are broad and essential, from managing budgets, facilities and technology to providing fiscal oversight for school districts and delivering high-speed internet access. Not to mention processing payroll for nearly 600 schools across Orange County so teachers and staff are paid accurately and on time.
Much of this work happens behind the scenes, but it touches nearly every part of public education in our county. These teams provide the infrastructure, accountability and day-to-day support that allow schools and educational programs to focus on students.
As we bring these operational functions into closer alignment, we recently introduced a new leader to support them.
Misty Key has joined OCDE as our new deputy superintendent of Business and Operations Services, providing unified leadership across this side of the organization. She brings more than two decades of experience in public education, including executive leadership roles at multiple county offices of education. I am excited to welcome her to OCDE and look forward to the experience and perspective she will bring to this work.
Putting it all together
Two pillars. One advances the educational work at the heart of our mission, while the other provides the systems and support that make that work possible. Here’s what they look like visually.
Creating the right conditions
We know organizational charts don’t improve student outcomes. That’s up to the people who make up this organization. At the same time, our responsibility is to create the conditions that help them succeed.
That same thinking is reflected in our 5-3-1 Strategic Plan, which gives us a shared framework for where we are going and how we intend to make a meaningful difference.
As we move forward, one question will always guide our decisions: How will this help us better serve students? From there, it comes down to being a trusted partner to districts, creating caring and high-expectation environments for students, and helping every OCDE employee see how their work contributes to that larger mission.
Educational excellence and operational excellence may serve as the two foundational pillars of our work, but together they lift up one universal and enduring goal: helping every student in Orange County reach their fullest potential.