OCDE Newsroom

From left, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, Raelene Velasquez, Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Aller, Sunburst Youth Academy Director Lt. Col. Sarah Rambo, Principal Dinah Ismail, OCDE Executive Director of Special Education Dr. Amita Cloke and OCDE Manager of Human Resources Support Services Lorena Villa pose for a photo during the 2026 California Classified School Employees of the Year recognition ceremony in Sacramento.

Sunburst Youth Academy paraeducator honored as California Classified School Employee of the Year

Vicky Nguyen May 26, 2026

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.

Chemical tank update: Officials reduce evac zone; some schools to reopen Tuesday

Staff reports May 25, 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

OCDE seeks applications for grants to help implement academic and behavioral supports

Ian Hanigan February 15, 2017

The Orange County Department of Education is accepting applications from school districts, charter schools and county offices of education for training...

Four Nicolas Junior High School seventh- and eighth-graders who recently earned honorable mention in the Congressional App Challenge

Nicolas Junior High School students honored for building smartphone app

Ian Hanigan February 14, 2017

Their initial task? To come up with an innovative concept for a smartphone app. But a team of middle school girls...

Woodbridge High School's Academic Decathlon team

Woodbridge High team earns top honors at the Orange County Academic Decathlon

Ian Hanigan February 10, 2017

Irvine’s Woodbridge High School has punched its ticket to the California Academic Decathlon in March with an impressive win in this year’s Orange County Academic Decathlon. Rounding out a raucous awards ceremony Friday night at Santa Ana High School’s Bill Medley...

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

Weekly roundup: OC music teacher honored, young violinist gets a big stage and more

Ian Hanigan February 10, 2017

This week, we learned that Tesoro High School music teacher Keith Hancock will get to attend this year’s Grammy Awards after...

And the Music Educator Award goes to … Keith Hancock of Tesoro High School

Ian Hanigan February 8, 2017

Choral music teacher Keith Hancock of Tesoro High School has emerged from 3,300 nominees to win the 2017 Music Educator Award presented...

A mother and daughter are greeted at OCDE's Child Care Services program

VIDEO: OCDE’s Child Care Services program helps parents subsidize cost of care

Ian Hanigan February 8, 2017

Need help caring for your child while you’re at work or school? Among the many services offered by OCDE, the department’s Child Care Services program helps subsidize child care payments for eligible Orange County families. The program is funded by...

State program reimburses groups that provide meals to low-income students

Ian Hanigan February 6, 2017

The application window is open for California’s Summer Food Service Program, which reimburses organizations that offer free meals to low-income...

Weekly roundup: A landmark court case remembered, Newport-Mesa talks term limits and more

Ian Hanigan February 3, 2017

It’s Friday, Feb. 3, which is welcome news if your name is Phil Connors. And for everyone else, here’s our weekly roundup...

Community Home Education Program library

VIDEO: OCDE program provides parents with the tools to educate their children at home

Ian Hanigan February 2, 2017

If you’re not familiar with OCDE’s Community Home Education Program, it bundles an array of resources designed to help parents who choose to educate their children at home. CHEP dates back to 1988 and currently serves about 600 Orange County students from transitional...

Mijares: Di sản của một vụ kiện quan trọng tiếp tục tồn tại sau bẩy mươi năm.

Ian Hanigan January 31, 2017

Vào năm 1943, Gonzalo và Felicitas Mendez đã làm điều mà nhiều gia đình ở Quận Cam vẫn làm hàng...