• 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
OCDE Prevention Education Coordinator Stephan Lambert speaks with an attendee during the department’s Thrive Resource Fair on Sept. 25, 2025, at the OCDE Conference Center in Costa Mesa.

Weekly roundup: OCDE staff featured in Educational Leadership article on student digital wellness, and more

Vicky Nguyen September 11, 2026
Person viewing OCDE’s redesigned website on a laptop and smartphone, showing the site’s responsive layout across desktop and mobile devices.

OCDE launches redesigned website with fresh look and improved user experience

Ian Hanigan September 10, 2026
Los Alamitos High School students work behind the microphones during the school’s first student-produced live varsity football broadcast on Sept. 4.

Los Alamitos High students take the controls for first live sports broadcast

Vicky Nguyen September 10, 2026
Mendez Fundamental Intermediate School students in the Santa Ana Unified School District earn special certificates and prizes for completing the 2025 STEAM Race to Space Reading Challenge. (Courtesy of Mendez Intermediate)

Blue Origin astronaut to help launch fifth STEAM Reading Challenge

Madeline Gray September 9, 2026
Attendees make their way to sessions during OCDE’s AI Forward Summit on Aug. 3 at the department’s Conference Center in Costa Mesa.

OCDE Connected Leadership Conference to bring district professionals together Oct. 20

Vicky Nguyen September 9, 2026
THHS Thrift Store

Trabuco Hills High opens on-campus, student-run thrift store

Nathaniel Martinez October 10, 2025
Trabuco Hills High School recently opened Monty and Millie's Exchange, an on-campus thrift store designed and operated by students. The store teaches retail and customer services skills while giving students a unique shopping experience.
OC Pathways launches a new CTE Credential for industry experts to share their expertise with students.

WATCH: Industry experts bring workforce skills to the classroom through CTE Credential

Madeline Gray October 9, 2025
Industry professionals with real-world expertise can now earn a teaching credential through OC Pathways' program, opening the door to share their skills with students while shaping the future workforce.
Eighth-grade students from Valadez Middle School Academy read "Piper Chen Sings" with first graders from Melrose and Rio Vista elementary schools during the 15th annual Read for the Record event on Oct. 26, 2024. The celebration, part of a worldwide literacy campaign, promotes the importance of early reading and language development.

OC students outperform peers statewide, nearing pre-pandemic levels in English

Vicky Nguyen October 9, 2025
Orange County students once again outperformed their state and regional peers on California’s annual assessments, with English language arts scores nearly returning to pre-pandemic levels and similar gains in math and science.
Natalia Abarca, coordinator of OCDE’s Language Services unit, welcomes guests to the 2025 Interpreters and Translators Conference.

OCDE’s Interpreters and Translators Conference spotlights communication for families

Vicky Nguyen October 8, 2025
The Orange County Department of Education hosted its ninth annual Interpreters and Translators Conference Oct. 3–4 at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, bringing together language professionals for two days of training, networking and recognition.
A note from Dr. Bean

Dr. Bean: What do you get a country turning 250?

Stefan Bean October 6, 2025
What do you get a country turning 250 years old? It’s not a question we ask often — or even...
U.S. Department of Education building exterior

Weekly roundup: Four OC students named U.S. Presidential Scholars, Brea Olinda schools participate in attendance challenge, and more

Vicky Nguyen October 3, 2025
The U.S. Department of Education has announced the 2025 class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for graduating high school seniors. Among the 161 students recognized nationwide are 10 from California, including four from Orange County....

Shutdown won’t immediately impact most federal school funding in Orange County

Ian Hanigan October 1, 2025
Most programs that rely on federal support in Orange County schools won’t be impacted by this week’s government shutdown — at least in the short term.

OCDE to launch Innovation Funding Initiative to fuel bold ideas in OC school districts

Ian Hanigan October 1, 2025
OCDE is launching the Innovation Funding Initiative to invest in bold ideas from Orange County school districts that address unmet needs and strengthen student outcomes. Districts may apply beginning Dec. 3 for awards of up to $525,000 to support three-year projects, with the first grantees expected to be announced in early 2026.
Westminster High School students perform onstage during the Saturday program.

Vietnamese American Experiences Model Curriculum Conference draws more than 400 participants

Vicky Nguyen September 30, 2025
More than 400 educators and community members attended the Vietnamese American Experiences Model Curriculum Conference Sept. 26–27 in Garden Grove, featuring 26 sessions, three community tours and keynote presentations.
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.
Load More
101.ocde.us

Categories

  • 5-3-1 Strategic Plan
  • Academic competition
  • ACEs Aware
  • Alternative education
  • Artificial intelligence (AI)
  • Arts
  • Assessments and testing
  • AVID
  • Budget
  • California MTSS
  • 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 school sports
  • High schools
  • History
  • Honors and awards
  • Inside the Outdoors
  • Instruction and curriculum
  • Language services
  • Local Control Funding Formula
  • Mental health
  • Middle schools
  • 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
OCDE logo

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 Anaheim Union High School District career exploration college and career readiness Dr. Stefan Bean 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