• Latest News
  • Featured
    • Notes from Dr. Bean
    • OC fire update
  • About the OCDE Newsroom
  • Subscribe for updates
  • OCDE.us
  • About OCDE
  • County Superintendent of Schools
Oxford Academy eighth-grader Aaryan Balani explains how his AI-powered invention helps treat people with intermittent strabismus. (Courtesy of ABC7)

Weekly roundup: ABC7 spotlights Oxford Academy eighth-grader’s AI tool for eye alignment condition, and more

Madeline Gray May 1, 2026
Katrina Edmunds is presented with the Outstanding Career Awareness Educator Award.

OCDE now accepting nominations for Outstanding STEM Educator awards

Nathaniel Martinez May 1, 2026
Dr. Stefan Bean speaks on a stage during The Wooden Floor’s Step Beyond Annual Breakfast, with blue lighting, curtains and a podium in the background.

County superintendent shares message of resilience and support at Step Beyond Annual Breakfast

Ian Hanigan April 30, 2026
Briseyda Cabrera Mejia of Estancia High School poses with family members after being recognized as a 2026 AVID Senior Standout.

2026 OC AVID senior standouts earn $431,000 in scholarships

Vicky Nguyen April 30, 2026
2027 Orange County Teacher of the Year Ryan Healy receives a $25,000 check from the William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation while receiving congratulations from Superintendent Dr. Bean and his Marco Forster Middle School musical theater students.

OCDE announces 2027 Orange County Teachers of the Year with surprise visits

Staff reports April 29, 2026
A sound engineer adjusts equipment while a high school student sits with an acoustic guitar in a recording studio.

Orange County high school students invited to submit original songs for USA 250-OC competition

Vicky Nguyen September 29, 2025
Orange County high school students can enter the USA 250-OC Theme Song Competition by submitting an original song of 250 seconds or less in one of eight genres. Top entries will earn cash prizes and be performed at a countywide July 4 celebration.
Corona Del Mar Middle School eighth-grader Sam Daniel Salhpour is named a finalist in the 2025 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge for his project on renewable energy production. (Courtesy of Society for Science)

Weekly roundup: Corona del Mar eighth-grader named Junior Innovators finalist, Brea student to mark TEDx talk milestone, and more

Madeline Gray September 26, 2025
Thirty middle school students nationwide were selected as finalists in the 2025 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge — including...

Fullerton Joint Union High School District brings together student trustees for inaugural countywide summit

Ian Hanigan September 25, 2025
Student board members from across Orange County gathered in Fullerton last week for the inaugural Student Board Member Summit, a first-of-its-kind event to connect, collaborate and build a countywide network of student leaders.
Dr. Stefan Bean speaks on stage at the SBHIP Partners Appreciation Luncheon

Orange County partners celebrate progress in student mental health

Ian Hanigan September 24, 2025
Orange County education and health leaders gathered to celebrate local progress tied to a statewide initiative that has expanded student mental health services. Speakers pointed to new wellness spaces, added clinicians and stronger referral systems, while pledging to sustain and grow these supports.
Acaciawood Preparatory Academy students Lucas Menendez, left, and Poiema Bernier at school. The pair earned the $2,000 Outstanding Middle School Project Award in the 2025 Discovery Award competition.

Orange County students earn national award for documentary on housing desegregation

Vicky Nguyen September 23, 2025
Two Acaciawood Preparatory Academy students received the $2,000 Outstanding Middle School Project Award in the 2025 Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes Discovery Award competition for their documentary on Doss v. Bernal, an early Orange County case that challenged housing segregation.
A red Fender Stratocaster guitar is pictured in the foreground as high school students sit at tables in a studio during the Fender Play songwriting workshop.

OC students find their voice at Fender Play workshop as countywide songwriting contest is unveiled

Ian Hanigan September 20, 2025
More than 30 students took part in Orange County’s first free Fender Play songwriting workshop on Saturday at OC Music & Dance in Irvine. The event also launched a new competition inviting local high schoolers to write original songs in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
Fullerton School District students participate in a STEM Nation competition on district-issued iPads during the 2025 FSD Fest.

Weekly roundup: Fullerton School District earns Apple Distinction status for all campuses, report shows gains at community schools, and more

Vicky Nguyen September 19, 2025
The Fullerton School District has become the only district west of Texas to have all of its campuses recognized as...
A graduate in a red cap and gown receives a medal and framed certificate on stage during CCPA’s June 2025 graduation ceremony

OCDE program offers adult learners a new pathway to a high school diploma — and it’s free

Ian Hanigan September 17, 2025
College and Career Preparatory Academy, OCDE's free charter school for students ages 16 to 25, has launched a new 155-credit graduation pathway for adult learners that maintains academic rigor while making diplomas more attainable.
The recommended reading lists for the STEAM reading challenge include picture books like "Cicada Symphony" by children's book author Sue Fliess.

Fourth STEAM Race to Space Reading Challenge adds new partners ahead of launch

Madeline Gray September 16, 2025
Before kicking off on Oct. 3, the annual S.T.E.A.M. Race to Space Reading Challenge has welcomed three new science-focused partner organizations to offer unique prizes, educational supports and new ways to inspire young readers.
Mobil phone displaying the Directory website

Check out the new digital OC Schools Directory

Ian Hanigan September 15, 2025
OCDE’s Communications and Media Services team has reimagined the Orange County Schools Directory as a continuously updated online resource. It's available at directory.ocde.us.
Load More
101.ocde.us

Follow on Instagram

Categories

  • 5-3-1 Strategic Plan
  • Academic competition
  • ACEs Aware
  • Alternative education
  • Artificial intelligence (AI)
  • Arts
  • Assessments and testing
  • AVID
  • Budget
  • Career technical education
  • COVID-19
  • Deeper Learning Podcast
  • Distance learning
  • District news
  • Early learning
  • Education in the news
  • Elementary schools
  • Featured
  • Featured topics
  • FutureCurrent podcast
  • Health
  • High schools
  • History
  • Honors and awards
  • Inside the Outdoors
  • Instruction and curriculum
  • Language services
  • Local Control Funding Formula
  • Mental health
  • Middle schools
  • MTSS
  • OC District Pulse
  • OC Pathways
  • OCDE in 30 Seconds
  • One Billion Acts of Kindness
  • Professional development
  • Safety
  • Science
  • Special education
  • State standards
  • STEM
  • Student profile
  • Summer programs
  • Superintendent Stefan Bean
  • Teachers
  • Technology
  • Top stories
  • Uncategorized
  • Weekly roundup
  • Workshops and trainings

200 Kalmus Drive 
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

P.O. Box 9050 
Costa Mesa, CA 92628-9050

(714) 966-4000

Website publishing policy
Non-discrimination policy
Social media policy

Contact

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

If you’re a member of the media in need of information about the Orange County Department of Education, please email communications@ocde.us or call 714-966-4475.

Tags

academic competition ACCESS acts of kindness Al Mijares career exploration college and career readiness Dr. Stefan Bean education contest education in the news education news Inside the Outdoors kindness1billion OCDE ocde weekly roundup OC Pathways Orange County Department of Education project based learning STEM top stories Weekly Roundup
  • Latest News
  • About the OCDE Newsroom
  • Subscribe for updates
  • OCDE.us
  • About OCDE
  • County Superintendent of Schools
Type to search or hit ESC to close
See all results