OCDE Newsroom

Four education leaders pose at the Fullerton School District Board of Education meeting on July 27, 2026, holding a large ceremonial $525,000 check from OCDE’s Innovation Funding Initiative.

OCDE opens second round of Innovation Funding Initiative, offering up to $525,000 per project

Ian Hanigan October 7, 2026

From left, Lynne Pentecost, CEO of Schoolhaus Advisors Inc.; Sara Ludovise and Yarib Dheming of OCDE’s Inside the Outdoors; Orange County Board of Education Trustee Mari Barke; Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean; board Clerk Dr. Ken Williams; board President Tim Shaw; Inside the Outdoors Operations Manager Stephanie Smith; and Robert Demmond, associate principal with tBP/Architecture, gather for the Rancho Soñado groundbreaking.

OCDE breaks ground on new Rancho Soñado education center, marking a long-awaited return

Ian Hanigan October 6, 2026

Saddleback High School students learn about plants and growing techniques during a Sept. 21 event celebrating the school’s $10,000 Future Innovators Initiative grant from Hyundai.

$10,000 Hyundai grant supports Saddleback High’s plans for outdoor STEM learning

Vicky Nguyen October 6, 2026

Attendees pose with Carl the Collector and OCDE Language Services Coordinator Natalia Abarca, in orange, during the department’s International Translation Day celebration at PBS SoCal studios in Costa Mesa.

OCDE celebrates International Translation Day at PBS SoCal studios

Vicky Nguyen October 5, 2026

Stacey Middle School students perform El Baile de las Cintas, or the dance of the ribbons, at the City's Fall Festival Culture Night on Sept. 24 honoring Hispanic Heritage Month. (Photos courtesy of Westminster School District)

Weekly roundup: Westminster students honor Hispanic Heritage Month through music and dance, and more

Madeline Gray October 2, 2026

Five OC students present at Johns Hopkins’ Global Health Leaders Conference

Vicky Nguyen January 17, 2025

Five students from Orange County were selected to speak last summer at the Global Health Leaders Conference led by Johns...

Volunteers for Inside the Outdoors cleanup event

Inside the Outdoors’ annual cleanup honoring MLK returns

Madeline Gray January 15, 2025

Every year, more than 10,000 Orange County students learn about estuarine ecosystems and local wildlife through field trips hosted at...

Governor issues order to help students displaced by fires attend schools outside their districts

Ian Hanigan January 14, 2025

Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on Tuesday aimed at easing educational disruptions for students displaced by the destructive firestorms in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The order provides flexibility for schools and families, allowing students who have been...

Exterior view of the California State Capitol building in Sacramento

What the governor’s latest spending plan means for OC schools and communities

Ian Hanigan January 14, 2025

California began 2025 in a stronger fiscal position than it has in recent years, but challenges remain for school districts...

The academic event season has arrived. Key dates to know in 2025.

Vicky Nguyen January 13, 2025

The new year brings the excitement of academic competitions, where students can dive into challenges that test their knowledge of...

Former County Superintendent Al Mijares, visionary leader who shaped education in Orange County, dies at 71

Ian Hanigan January 10, 2025

Dr. Al Mijares, a visionary and compassionate educational leader who served as Orange County’s 11th superintendent of schools before his retirement in June, has died following a two-and-a-half-year battle with ampullary cancer, his family shared Friday. He was 71. A...

Weekly roundup: Westminster High students celebrate Vietnamese culture at Rose Parade, Orange County monitors winds and fire risks, and more

Vicky Nguyen January 10, 2025

Westminster High School’s Vietnamese American Culture Club brought their mission of promoting pride in Vietnamese culture to the national stage...

Elevated winds and fire risks persist across Orange County

Ian Hanigan January 10, 2025

The National Weather Service has extended its red flag warning for inland Orange County and the Santa Ana Mountains through...

Orange County superintendent affirms support for Los Angeles County amid devastating wildfires

Staff reports January 8, 2025

Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean issued the following statement Wednesday regarding the destructive wildfires impacting Los Angeles County: On behalf of the Orange County Department of Education, I want to express our deepest sympathy and support for...

Hmong families say goodbye to loved ones boarding a bus at a refugee camp in Thailand, reflecting both sorrow and hope as they prepare to journey to the United States. (Image created by Boon Ma Yang for the Hmong History and Cultural Studies Model Curriculum)

Educators invited to explore Hmong history and culture at upcoming conferences

Vicky Nguyen January 7, 2025

K-12 educators from across California are invited to two conferences in February and May to learn about a new model...