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Kari Adams speaks onstage at the 2025 Thompson Policy Institute Summit on Disability and Inclusion at Chapman University, standing in front of a presentation screen displaying the words “Inclusive Leadership.”

OCDE and Chapman University partnership aims to strengthen inclusive leadership in schools

Ian Hanigan May 27, 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: 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
toddler girl talking

Researchers find strong link between vocabulary at age two and later school success

Staff reports September 2, 2015
A recent study found that children with larger oral vocabularies at age two had better math and language skills and fewer behavioral problems when they entered kindergarten. The study was published in the journal Child Development. [...]
Students using a computer

High School Inc. program leverages local businesses to promote college and career readiness

Ian Hanigan August 31, 2015
The High School Inc. program at Valley High School in Santa Ana may have raised a few eyebrows when it announced that students who entered as sophomores had posted a near-perfect graduation rate of 98.5 percent in 2014. But graduation statistics only tell part of the story. What’s perhaps most unique is this school-within-a-school’s approach to blending college and career readiness. Click through to learn more.
Newspaper

In the news: Exit Exam requirement eliminated, educational funding restored and more

Staff reports August 28, 2015
It’s Friday, Aug. 28, and we bring you some headlines of interest from the past week. Click through for education news stories.
Attendance Awareness Month badge

Attendance Awareness Month launches in September

Staff reports August 28, 2015
All schools in Orange County will be back in session in September, making it a great time to emphasize the importance of not missing school. It is critical that schools intervene early to identify and address the issues that contribute to chronic absenteeism. [...]
high school diploma and hat

California High School Exit Exam no longer a barrier for Class of 2015 graduates 

Staff reports August 27, 2015
Thousands of students that had been unable to graduate due to the cancellation of the July California High School Exit exam are now exempt from that requirement. Yesterday, Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 725. [...]
Code.org and OCDE logos

Free training to help teachers introduce computer science to elementary school students

Staff reports August 25, 2015
The Orange County Department of Education and Code.org are hosting a free workshop for K-5 educators interested in teaching computer science. The one-day workshop will take place on September 12 at the OCDE offices in Costa Mesa. [...]
Newspaper

In the news: Physical education lawsuit, classifying childhood trauma and more

Staff reports August 21, 2015
It’s Friday, Aug. 21, and here are a few news stories from this past week. Click through for this week's headlines.
JPL SpaceSHIP title card

Santa Ana high schoolers complete internship at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (video)

Ian Hanigan August 19, 2015
Perhaps you've been following the story of eight students from Santa Ana who earned the rare opportunity to be interns at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. On the day before they completed the program, we dispatched a video crew to talk about their experiences.
tablet in front of textbooks

Digital instructional materials are here, but classroom equity rules still apply

Staff reports August 18, 2015
As school districts in California continue their transition to new educational standards, they may be purchasing new instructional materials for students, and many are looking at digital materials. While the way instructional materials are delivered may change, what hasn’t changed are the laws that require those materials be distributed equitably – along with the California Constitution’s guarantee of a free public education.[...]
Newspaper

In the news: Education legislation, delayed test scores and more

Staff reports August 14, 2015
It’s Friday, August 14, and it’s been a busy week in education news. Click through for headlines from this past week.
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