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

Inside the Outdoors Traveling Scientist program

Weekly roundup: KCAL News features Inside the Outdoors, CSU system pilots direct admission program, and more

Vicky Nguyen October 25, 2024

Sixth-graders at Cook Elementary School in the Garden Grove Unified School District recently welcomed Inside the Outdoors staff and their...

WATCH: New campus garden blooms at Reilly Elementary to enhance learning and sensory experiences

Ian Hanigan October 24, 2024

Smell the plants. Feel the plants. If a plant comes out of the dirt, put it back in. Welcome the...

Niche Best Schools Oxford Preparatory Academy - Saddleback Valley and Orange County School of the Arts

Two OC charter schools rank in top 10 of 2025 Niche Best Schools list

Vicky Nguyen October 24, 2024

Two Orange County campuses have earned national recognition in an annual ranking of charter schools. Niche, a platform that analyzes and compares schools across the United States, evaluates nearly 100,000 institutions based on academic performance, parent and student feedback, and...

WATCH: Los Alamitos students shed light on Anne Frank’s story through traveling exhibit

Madeline Gray October 22, 2024

Los Alamitos High School senior Sydney Forsyte has always felt a personal connection with the story of Anne Frank. As...

Fullerton Union High School makes a splash with aquatic center debut

Ian Hanigan October 21, 2024

Once the ceremonial ribbon was cut, Fullerton Union High School Principal Jon Caffrey officially declared his campus’ new pool open...

Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary School student Emily Aguesse welcomes the NASA Moon Tree to campus on Oct. 14. (Saddleback Valley Unified School District)

Weekly roundup: NASA ‘Moon Tree’ planted by Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary students, and more

Madeline Gray October 18, 2024

Orbiting the moon twice and returning to Earth, a giant sequoia sapling has made a permanent landing at Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary School in Lake Forest. NBC 4 Los Angeles reported the Saddleback Valley Unified School District school was initially...