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.

Garden Grove chemical leak: OC school districts adjust operations as emergency response continues

Staff reports May 24, 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

Student from Connections at University High DHH program brings artistic ASL to school musical

Nathaniel Martinez May 20, 2026

A Laguna Beach Unified student uses a trash picker to sort compost during a districtwide waste audit focused on reducing landfill waste.

Orange County schools and districts recognized with 2025 California Green Ribbon Awards

Vicky Nguyen April 22, 2025

Framed by coastal hills and just steps from the Pacific Ocean, the campuses of the Laguna Beach Unified School District...

Inside the Outdoors celebrates Earth Month with community events

Vicky Nguyen April 22, 2025

Inside the Outdoors, the Orange County Department of Education’s hands-on environmental education program, is once again embracing the spirit of...

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.

OC Pathways earns state recognition in California’s career education master plan

Madeline Gray April 21, 2025

The OC Pathways program, led by the Orange County Department of Education, has been recognized in California’s new Master Plan for Career Education as a model for preparing students for success through high-quality career education and work-based learning. Released by...

Community event will honor the life and legacy of former County Superintendent Dr. Al Mijares

Ian Hanigan April 18, 2025

Educators, community members and civic leaders will gather on Tuesday, April 22, to celebrate the life and legacy of former...

Los Alamitos Unified School District staff and Los Alamitos High School CTE instructors received a national certification plaque from the Law and Public Safety Education Network. (Los Alamitos Unified School District)

Weekly roundup: Los Alamitos High School emergency response pathway named national program of excellence, and more

Madeline Gray April 18, 2025

Every school day, students in Los Alamitos High School’s emergency response pathway are gaining hands-on experience — responding to mock...

Alex Yang, program specialist at OCDE, co-leads a session titled "Empowering Young Minds: Embracing Cultural Identities in Educational Settings" on Nov. 16 during the Cambodian American Model Curriculum Conference in Long Beach.

Summer institute to help educators implement OCDE’s Model Curriculum Projects

Vicky Nguyen April 15, 2025

Educators across California are invited to attend the Model Curriculum Summer Institute, a four-day professional learning event hosted by the Orange County Department of Education. Scheduled for July 28 through July 31 at the Hilton Irvine/Orange County Airport, the institute...

From left to right, Mindy Daffron, Dr. Edgar Arce and Jason Claros of OCDE’s Crisis Response Network pose for a team photo.

OCDE’s Crisis Response Network supports schools during their most difficult days

Vicky Nguyen April 14, 2025

When the Altadena fire forced the closure of schools in the Pasadena Unified School District earlier this year, the Orange...

Dr. Marika Manos, history and social science manager at the Orange County Department of Education, waves to parade attendees with her daughters Penelope and Kalliope and husband Jesse Blomberg during the 17th annual Cambodia Town Parade in Long Beach, where she served as one of five grand marshals.

Weekly roundup: OCDE history manager honored at Cambodia Town Parade, Spectrum News spotlights Inside the Outdoors, and more

Vicky Nguyen April 11, 2025

The Orange County Department of Education’s role in developing a new Cambodian American Studies curriculum was recognized Sunday when its...

OCDE’s Educational Services revamps website to ensure easy access to resources

Nathaniel Martinez April 10, 2025

From classroom instruction to leadership development, the Orange County Department of Education’s Educational Services division offers a wealth of resources designed to support educators in every facet of their work. Whether through hands-on workshops, specialized networks or readily-available resources, teachers...

High School Voter Education Weeks aim to engage students in civic process

Vicky Nguyen April 9, 2025

High School Voter Education Weeks will be observed across California from April 14 through April 25 to promote civic learning...