OCDE Newsroom

Students from Dr. Jonas E. Salk School in the Centralia School District perform during last year’s Orange County Arts and Disability Festival, raising their arms to form heart shapes with their hands.

OC Arts and Disability Festival marks 50 years, calls for entries

Vicky Nguyen January 20, 2026

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

Sue Parks stands at a podium addressing an audience during the Be Prepared OC Summit at the UC Irvine Beall Applied Innovation Center.

OCDE joins countywide leaders to strengthen local disaster preparedness efforts

Ian Hanigan January 14, 2026

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

Governor’s budget proposal increases education funding while warning of long-term fiscal pressures

Ian Hanigan January 12, 2026

All OC school employees will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations starting March 1

Ian Hanigan February 23, 2021

[This post has been updated with the latest information as of Monday, March 1, 2021.] Based on the latest state...

Black History Month virtual forum will examine equity, opportunity and inclusion

Ian Hanigan February 21, 2021

Orange County Superintendent Dr. Al Mijares will host a virtual forum this Thursday, Feb. 25 in recognition of Black History...

Weekly roundup: New state guidance for high school sports, vaccine shipping delays, and more

Nichole Pichardo February 19, 2021

The California Department of Public Health on Friday released new updates to its guidance for youth and high school sports, allowing play to resume across many parts of California if certain health and safety protocols are met. The updated guidance...

Irvine’s University High School wins its first Orange County Academic Decathlon

Ian Hanigan February 17, 2021

Orange County has a new Academic Decathlon champion — and the makings of a crosstown rivalry. Irvine’s University High School...

OC Zoo lends a helping hand, and a few furry friends, to Inside the Outdoors

Nichole Pichardo February 16, 2021

Months after the devastating Bond Fire claimed the home of OCDE’s Inside the Outdoors program, kindness continues to pour in...

OCDE seeks nominees for annual music and arts administrator awards

Nichole Pichardo February 15, 2021

The Orange County Department of Education is currently seeking nominations for the Orange County Music and Arts Administrators — or OCMAA — awards. The annual event celebrates local leaders who’ve gone above and beyond to provide excellence for students while...

Weekly roundup: OCDE and partners unveil mental health toolbox, teacher pens acclaimed novel, and more

Ian Hanigan February 12, 2021

Seeking to buffer some of the pandemic’s impact on children and teens, the Orange County Department of Education has collaborated...

Students participate virtually in National History Day-Orange County competition

Ian Hanigan February 11, 2021

More than 200 young historians representing 25 schools will once again showcase their original websites, papers, documentaries, performances and exhibits...

#Kindness1Billion: Newhope Elementary student’s Make-A-Wish request is loud and clear

Ian Hanigan February 9, 2021

Vivian Nguyen could have asked for virtually anything. But the Newhope Elementary School fifth-grader used her wish to help others. Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Vivian, 10, recently requested a new sound system to amplify the voices of student performers in...