OCDE Newsroom

Weekly roundup: Three OC campuses named 2026 Model Continuation High Schools, and more

Madeline Gray March 13, 2026

County Superintendent Dr. Stefan Bean speaks from the stage to a seated audience during the Orange County State of Education event

OC State of Education: Dr. Bean delivers a message of progress, partnership and shared responsibility

Ian Hanigan March 13, 2026

Megan Arthurton of the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District stands with her award after receiving the Irene Schoepfle Lifetime Achievement Award for Music at the 2026 OCMAA Awards.

Spotlight shines on arts educators, advocates at 2026 OCMAA Awards

Vicky Nguyen March 12, 2026

Students give a presentation on the ethics of AI at last year's Student and Community Voice AI Summit.

Students, educators to share real-world AI classroom experiences at Student and Community Voice AI Summit

Nathaniel Martinez March 12, 2026

A photo from 1893 showing students at Garden Grove School

OCDE’s origin story dates back to this day in 1889

Ian Hanigan March 11, 2026

California has extended its college financial aid deadline to April 2

Ian Hanigan March 12, 2025

College-bound students have an extra month to apply for state financial aid after the California Student Aid Commission extended the...

Los Alamitos High School students win first place in the "mental health" and "through the lens of culture" categories at the 2024 Directing Change Film Program and Contest awards on May 21. (Courtesy of Los Alamitos Unified School District)

OCDE’s student-led SAMH program transforms mental health awareness across OC

Nathaniel Martinez March 12, 2025

Five years ago, OCDE’s Youth Development program asked itself how it could create a mental health program for students that...

group photo of Outstanding STEM educators

OC STEM Initiative seeks nominations for 2025 Outstanding STEM Educators

Vicky Nguyen March 10, 2025

The OC STEM Initiative, in partnership with the Orange County Department of Education and Cox Communications, is inviting community members to nominate exceptional educators for the 2025 Outstanding STEM Educators awards. This recognition program honors individuals who advance STEM education...

Weekly roundup: Educators gather in Merced to explore Hmong history, OC schools join nationwide Read Across America celebrations, and more

Vicky Nguyen March 7, 2025

More than 200 educators, scholars and community members from across California and beyond gathered at the University of California, Merced,...

Dr. Bean: Inside the Outdoors celebrates 50 years of learning, discovery and renewal

Stefan Bean March 6, 2025

For five decades, Inside the Outdoors has served as a gateway to discovery, inspiring generations of students to connect with...

IUSD Sierra Vista MS Science Olympiad Team

Top Orange County teams advance to Southern California Science Olympiad

Vicky Nguyen March 5, 2025

Six middle schools and six high schools from Orange County will advance to the 2025 Southern California Science Olympiad, set to take place on April 12 at Caltech. The competition brings together top-performing teams from across the state to showcase...

Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean, OCDE director of career education Kathy Boyd and more celebrate the 12th annual OC Pathways Showcase with students from 16 local school districts.

WATCH: Hundreds of participants connect with Orange County’s career pathways

Madeline Gray March 4, 2025

Orange County students took the stage to present their career-ready technical skills and innovative projects at the OC Pathways Showcase...

Winners of the 2025 Orange County Spelling Bee

V-I-C-T-O-R-Y: Seventh-grader wins Orange County Spelling Bee in 14 rounds

Ian Hanigan March 1, 2025

Orange County has a new spelling bee champ. Seventh-grader Sydney Tran from El Rancho Charter School took home the title...

Weekly roundup: Santa Ana promotes healthy eating with eco-friendly food truck, Loara High in Anaheim opens WellSpace, and more

Madeline Gray February 28, 2025

“La Trokita Verde” — Spanish for the little green truck — will begin serving plant-based meals to students on campuses across Santa Ana Unified School District just in time for National Nutrition Month. On Wednesday, Feb. 26, Santa Ana Nutrition...