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.

Chemical tank update: Evacuation orders lifted as officials declare no further risk to public

Staff reports May 26, 2026

Lainie Rowell, Dr. Stefan Bean and David Blair stand together on the set of the FutureCurrent podcast studio at the Orange County Department of Education.

FutureCurrent: Bright Futures Foundation leader David Blair discusses student-centered innovation

Ian Hanigan May 26, 2026

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

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

An image of a student holding a notebook

OCDE’s College and Career Preparatory Academy offers a path to graduation and much more

Ian Hanigan February 8, 2016

Kirstie Suarez’s family moved several times when she was in high school, bouncing between California, North Carolina and Florida before...

What is California MTSS? Here’s your four-minute primer (video)

Ian Hanigan February 5, 2016

As we’ve mentioned here before, education offers more than its share of buzzwords, acronyms and jargon, but some are definitely worth...

Youth from OCDE’s Friday Night Live program host town hall meeting on underage drinking

Ian Hanigan February 3, 2016

Student leaders from the Santiago de Compostela Church Youth Ministry’s Friday Night Live chapter are getting ready to host a special town hall meeting on Saturday, Feb. 6 to discuss the dangers of underage drinking, as well as potential preventative measures. Working...

Kristin Rigby, a program specialist in charge of academic events

OCDE in 30 Seconds: We break down the Orange County Academic Decathlon in half a minute

Ian Hanigan February 3, 2016

What is the Orange County Academic Decathlon? Well, if you’ve got 30 seconds, we’ll tell you. “OCDE in 30...

In the news: Career pathway programs on the rise, a bankable opportunity in Anaheim and more

Ian Hanigan January 29, 2016

It’s that time again. Here’s a week’s worth of local education stories you might have missed. California’s teacher shortage is likely...

Students in a gym taking part in a previous Super Quiz Relay

Area high school teams prep for the 48th annual Orange County Academic Decathlon

Ian Hanigan January 28, 2016

Over the next two Saturdays, more than 500 students from 43 local high schools will participate in the 48th annual Orange County Academic Decathlon, which concludes with the rousing Super Quiz Relay on Feb. 6. Schools will once again be...

Orange County Friday Night Live secures grant to combat underage drinking

Ian Hanigan January 26, 2016

For the second straight year, the Orange County Department of Education has been awarded a sizeable grant to support the efforts...

Parenting OC magazine is looking to recognize exemplary teachers in Orange County

Ian Hanigan January 25, 2016

Does your child have a star teacher? Or do you work with an educator who is doing extraordinary things in the...

In the news: Project Zero Waste honored, kindergarten vaccination rates rise and more

Ian Hanigan January 22, 2016

It’s Friday, Jan. 22, and the OCDE Newsroom has got a new batch of education headlines for the week. Click through to catch up on stories you might have missed.

Students use a Fit Kid Center in Santa Ana

OCDE teams with community partners to open a new Fit Kid Center in Santa Ana

Ian Hanigan January 21, 2016

This week, Lydia Romero-Cruz Elementary School in Santa Ana became the latest Orange County campus to host a ribbon-cutting ceremony...