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OCDE's Inside the Outdoors program and OC Waste & Recycling accept the Excellence in Recycling Public Education award at the National Waste & Recycling Industry Conference January 21. (Courtesy of OC Waste & Recycling)

Weekly roundup: Inside the Outdoors earns national recognition for recycling education curriculum, and more

Madeline Gray January 30, 2026
Members of the Troy High School Science Olympiad team pose with their first-place trophy at the 2026 MIT Science Olympiad Invitational.

Troy High School Science Olympiad team takes first place at MIT Invitational

Ian Hanigan January 29, 2026
25th US Poet Laureate Arthur Sze will serve as keynote speaker at the 16th annual Creative Edge Lecture at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. (Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress)

US Poet Laureate Arthur Sze will take the stage at 16th Creative Edge Lecture

Madeline Gray January 29, 2026
A student-created display at McAuliffe Middle School shows handwritten reflections on paper stars and astronaut cutouts under the message, “The legacy I want to leave at McAuliffe is …”

Forty years after Challenger, McAuliffe Middle School reflects on a lasting legacy

Ian Hanigan January 28, 2026
Kay Nakauchi being recognized at December 2025 HBUHSD Board Meeting.

After 68 years of service, Kay Nakauchi retires from HBUHSD

Nathaniel Martinez January 28, 2026
Westminster School District officials including Superintendent Dr. Gunn Marie Hansen and Johnson Middle School Principal Daniel Owens cut the ribbon on the opening of the Helping Hands Food Pantry. (Courtesy of Westminster School District)

Weekly roundup: Westminster food pantry offers helping hand to families, Los Alamitos cheer to represent US at finals, and more

Madeline Gray November 14, 2025
As the holiday season approaches and families feel the strain of rising food costs, the Westminster School District has expanded...

State releases updated California School Dashboard and new data showing student progress

Ian Hanigan November 13, 2025
The state has released the 2025 California School Dashboard and new data showing steady gains in graduation rates and attendance. The dashboard uses color-coded visuals to help families and educators track progress and identify areas for improvement at the school and district levels.
MTSS logo

With support from OCDE and Butte County, a familiar framework is helping L.A. County schools recover from last year’s wildfires

Ian Hanigan November 12, 2025
OCDE and the Butte County Office of Education are partnering through California’s Multi-Tiered System of Support framework to help Los Angeles County schools recover from the Eaton and Palisades fires.
A high school student wearing headphones and holding an acoustic guitar sits at a microphone in a recording studio during the Fender Play songwriting workshop.

USA 250-OC songwriting competition adds new partners, $500 cash prizes for winners

Vicky Nguyen November 12, 2025
Orange County high school students can submit original songs for the USA 250-OC Theme Song Competition, with top entries earning $500 cash prizes. Supported by Fender, Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine, winning songs will be performed at a countywide July 4, 2026 celebration.

How the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act shaped inclusive education over 50 years

Madeline Gray November 10, 2025
Passed in 1975, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act guaranteed that every child with a disability has the right to a free and appropriate public education — transforming how schools support students and forming special education for generations.
Brea Olinda High School’s Masquerade show choir performs on stage under colorful lighting during the 2026 Orange County Teachers of the Year gala at the Disneyland Hotel, with guests seated at round tables throughout the ballroom.

WATCH: Orange County’s top teachers celebrated in style at Disneyland Hotel

Ian Hanigan November 8, 2025
Quick look: The 2026 Teachers of the Year gala celebrated 62 outstanding educators at the Disneyland Hotel. Hosted by OCDE and sponsored by SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, the event honored six finalists as 2026 Orange County Teachers of the Year...
New reading buddies hold “See Marcus Grow” by Marcus Bridgewater.

Weekly roundup: PYLUSD students turn the page on reading and connection, Anaheim Elementary schools unveil book vending machines, and more

Vicky Nguyen November 7, 2025
Students at Ruby Drive Elementary and Kraemer Middle School are proving that some of the best stories happen off the...
Students from Oxford Academy visit Johnson & Johnson as part of Anaheim Union High School District’s AIME program, which provides career mentoring and internship opportunities for students.

OC elementary and middle schools recognized among top campuses in U.S. News rankings

Vicky Nguyen November 6, 2025
Elementary and middle schools across Orange County have again earned top placements in U.S. News & World Reports’ latest analysis of quality campuses statewide.
Dr. Stefan Bean addresses an audience from the stage at the Small-Scale Housing Summit in Santa Ana.

Dr. Bean joins county supervisor for Small-Scale Housing Summit

Ian Hanigan November 5, 2025
County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean joined Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento and local leaders on Wednesday for the Small-Scale Housing Summit, an event focused on innovative solutions to expand affordable housing opportunities in Orange County. Hosted at the County Conference...
Five student leaders from the Orange County Youth Council pose for a photo at the Red Ribbon in Action event, held Oct. 29 at the OCDE Conference Center.

OC schools mark 40 years of Red Ribbon Week with youth-led prevention efforts

Vicky Nguyen November 5, 2025
Schools and districts across Orange County marked the 40th anniversary of Red Ribbon Week with creative campus-wide celebrations promoting healthy, drug-free lifestyles.
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