OCDE Newsroom

An aerial view shows emergency crews cooling a large industrial storage tank with water at the site of the Garden Grove chemical leak as mist rises from the facility.

Garden Grove chemical leak: Compromised tank continues heating as evacuations remain in place

Staff reports May 23, 2026

Sierra Vista Middle School students Aryan Shah, Krish Marfatia, Kaito Yamashita and Davis Barbee win the Stephenson Family Award for Sports History at the NHD-CA contest earlier this month.

Orange County claims state-leading honors at National History Day, sends 21 students to finals

Madeline Gray May 22, 2026

Students participating in the OC GRIP program gather at Angel Stadium before the Los Angeles Angels’ May 19 game against the Oakland Athletics.

Weekly roundup: Sports Illustrated highlights OC GRIP mentorship event at Angel Stadium, and more

Vicky Nguyen May 22, 2026

From left, Rebekah Rylant of Don Juan Avila Middle School in the Capistrano Unified School District, Rolando Vivar of Fulton Middle School in the Fountain Valley School District and Pam McShea of Dysinger Elementary School in the Centralia Elementary School District were recognized with 2025-26 Outstanding PAL Advisor Awards from the Orange County Department of Education.

OCDE PAL team honors six campuses, three advisors for building positive school environments

Vicky Nguyen May 21, 2026

Student from Connections at University High DHH program brings artistic ASL to school musical

Nathaniel Martinez May 20, 2026

Weekly roundup: MLK inspires Anaheim students’ service projects, volunteers scoop up trash in estuary, and more

Fermin Leal January 25, 2019

Even though it was a school holiday, Anaheim Union High School District students headed to their campus or into the communities...

Students smiling at the Orange County Academic Decathlon

OC Academic Decathlon kicks off this weekend for hundreds of students

Fermin Leal January 24, 2019

Hundreds of students from 41 local high schools will participate over two consecutive Saturdays in the 51st annual Orange County...

UCI to host ‘Adventures in Physics’ show and lecture for K-12 students

Ian Hanigan January 23, 2019

UCI’s School of Physical Sciences will host a physics show and lecture for K-12 students on Saturday, Feb. 2. Adults are also welcome to attend “Adventures in Physics: From the Big Bang to Galaxies” from 1 to 3 p.m. in the...

OCDE’s Inside the Outdoors leads Upper Newport Bay clean-up

Ian Hanigan January 23, 2019

More than 200 local volunteers scooped 600 pounds of trash from the Upper Newport Bay estuary on Saturday during a...

Irvine Unified Superintendent Terry Walker

Irvine Unified has hired more than 1,100 teachers in eight years

Ian Hanigan January 22, 2019

Here’s a stat that caught our attention: The Irvine Unified School District has hired 1,156 teachers since 2011. That amounts...

An image of paper in a typewriter with the words "Orange County Education News"

Weekly roundup: Laguna district explores partnership with Irvine Valley College, L.A. teachers strike continues, and more

Ian Hanigan January 18, 2019

Laguna Beach High School could become the latest campus to offer its students college credits through a partnership with Irvine Valley College. As reported in the Daily Pilot, the Laguna Beach Unified school board heard a presentation this week about a...

VH1 campaign helps restore music education in Anaheim schools

Fermin Leal January 16, 2019

Five years ago, there were no music programs at any campuses in the Anaheim Elementary School District. Today, all 23...

Orange Unified representatives pose with shovels

Orange Unified breaks ground on second of four new science centers

Ian Hanigan January 15, 2019

Seven months after breaking ground on a new science center at Orange High School, Orange Unified leaders were at it...

Animated graphic of people and buildings

VIDEO: School accountability plans require input from parents, students and other stakeholders

Ian Hanigan January 14, 2019

School districts throughout Orange County will soon be reaching out to parents, students and community members, asking them to weigh in on critical priorities and funding decisions. Maybe your district already has. It’s all part of a statewide effort to...

Weekly roundup: Nature preserve celebrates 90th anniversary, proposed state budget boosts school funding, and more

Fermin Leal January 11, 2019

The Tucker wildlife sanctuary, tucked into the heart of Modjeska Canyon, serves as a living classroom for thousands of students...