• Latest News
  • Featured
    • Notes from Dr. Bean
    • OC fire update
  • About the OCDE Newsroom
  • Subscribe for updates
  • OCDE.us
  • About OCDE
  • County Superintendent of Schools
OCDE Prevention Education Coordinator Stephan Lambert speaks with an attendee during the department’s Thrive Resource Fair on Sept. 25, 2025, at the OCDE Conference Center in Costa Mesa.

Weekly roundup: OCDE staff featured in Educational Leadership article on student digital wellness, and more

Vicky Nguyen September 11, 2026
Person viewing OCDE’s redesigned website on a laptop and smartphone, showing the site’s responsive layout across desktop and mobile devices.

OCDE launches redesigned website with fresh look and improved user experience

Ian Hanigan September 10, 2026
Los Alamitos High School students work behind the microphones during the school’s first student-produced live varsity football broadcast on Sept. 4.

Los Alamitos High students take the controls for first live sports broadcast

Vicky Nguyen September 10, 2026
Mendez Fundamental Intermediate School students in the Santa Ana Unified School District earn special certificates and prizes for completing the 2025 STEAM Race to Space Reading Challenge. (Courtesy of Mendez Intermediate)

Blue Origin astronaut to help launch fifth STEAM Reading Challenge

Madeline Gray September 9, 2026
Attendees make their way to sessions during OCDE’s AI Forward Summit on Aug. 3 at the department’s Conference Center in Costa Mesa.

OCDE Connected Leadership Conference to bring district professionals together Oct. 20

Vicky Nguyen September 9, 2026
Interior shot of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

Orange County leaders to gather for civic literacy panel ahead of nation’s 250th anniversary

Madeline Gray June 5, 2026
Education, business and civic leaders will convene June 11 for The Power of Civic Literacy panel discussion hosted by OC Forum, featuring Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean, California National Civics Bee champion Arlo Fravien and other county officials.

Education funding gets a boost, even as fiscal uncertainty persists

Ian Hanigan June 4, 2026
California's May Revision brought good news for schools, with higher revenues boosting education funding and proposed investments in special education. At the same time, OCDE leaders cautioned that enrollment declines and long-term fiscal uncertainty will require continued planning in the years ahead.
The eight recipients of the 2026 Angels Scholar awards pose for a photo at Angel Stadium. Each student received a $10,000 college scholarship through the Angels Baseball Foundation.

Orange County AVID honors 68 eighth-grade standouts, awards eight $10,000 scholarships

Vicky Nguyen June 1, 2026
Sixty-eight AVID 8th Grade Standouts representing schools across 15 Orange County districts were recognized May 13 at Angel Stadium. Eight students were also named 2026 Angels Scholars, earning $10,000 college scholarships through the Angels Baseball Foundation.
Nicolas Jr. High students from the Construction Academy stand inside the new 192-square-foot Tiny Home they helped construct at the May 22 ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Courtesy of Fullerton School District)

Weekly roundup: Nicolas Jr. High students build hope through Fullerton’s growing Tiny Home Project, and more

Madeline Gray May 29, 2026
Students from Nicolas Jr. High’s Construction Academy helped unveil the Fullerton School District’s third Tiny Home Project on May 22,...
Orange County Youth Council students

Orange County Youth Council students launch Season 2 of ‘Keep in Mind’ podcast

Nathaniel Martinez May 28, 2026
Quick look: The Orange County Youth Council has launched the second season of “Keep in Mind,” a podcast on substance...
Kari Adams speaks onstage at the 2025 Thompson Policy Institute Summit on Disability and Inclusion at Chapman University, standing in front of a presentation screen displaying the words “Inclusive Leadership.”

OCDE, Chapman University partner to strengthen inclusive leadership for students with disabilities

Ian Hanigan May 27, 2026
Quick look: OCDE and Chapman University’s Thompson Policy Institute on Disability are partnering to strengthen inclusive leadership practices for current and future school administrators. The collaboration aims to help schools better support students with disabilities while advancing equitable access to...
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.

Chemical tank update: Evacuation orders lifted as officials declare no further risk to public

Staff reports May 26, 2026
Emergency crews have been working to stabilize a compromised storage tank containing methyl methacrylate at a Garden Grove aerospace facility...
Lainie Rowell, Dr. Stefan Bean and David Blair stand together on the set of the FutureCurrent podcast studio at the Orange County Department of Education.

FutureCurrent: Bright Futures Foundation leader David Blair discusses student-centered innovation

Ian Hanigan May 26, 2026
Quick look: On the latest episode of FutureCurrent, Bright Futures Foundation Executive Director David Blair discusses his unconventional path from...
From left, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, Raelene Velasquez, Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Aller, Sunburst Youth Academy Director Lt. Col. Sarah Rambo, Principal Dinah Ismail, OCDE Executive Director of Special Education Dr. Amita Cloke and OCDE Manager of Human Resources Support Services Lorena Villa pose for a photo during the 2026 California Classified School Employees of the Year recognition ceremony in Sacramento.

Sunburst Youth Academy paraeducator honored as California Classified School Employee of the Year

Vicky Nguyen May 26, 2026
Sunburst Youth Academy paraeducator Raelene Velasquez was recognized in Sacramento on May 20 as one of California’s 2026 Classified School Employees of the Year and as the state’s nominee for the national RISE Award.
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
Quick look: Twenty-one young local historians are headed to nationals next month after a standout performance at the National History...
Load More
101.ocde.us

Categories

  • 5-3-1 Strategic Plan
  • Academic competition
  • ACEs Aware
  • Alternative education
  • Artificial intelligence (AI)
  • Arts
  • Assessments and testing
  • AVID
  • Budget
  • California MTSS
  • Career technical education
  • COVID-19
  • Deeper Learning Podcast
  • Distance learning
  • District news
  • Early learning
  • Education in the news
  • Elementary schools
  • Featured
  • Featured topics
  • FutureCurrent podcast
  • Health
  • High school sports
  • High schools
  • History
  • Honors and awards
  • Inside the Outdoors
  • Instruction and curriculum
  • Language services
  • Local Control Funding Formula
  • Mental health
  • Middle schools
  • OC District Pulse
  • OC Pathways
  • OCDE in 30 Seconds
  • One Billion Acts of Kindness
  • Professional development
  • Safety
  • Science
  • Special education
  • State standards
  • STEM
  • Student profile
  • Summer programs
  • Superintendent Stefan Bean
  • Teachers
  • Technology
  • Top stories
  • Uncategorized
  • Weekly roundup
  • Workshops and trainings
OCDE logo

200 Kalmus Drive 
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

P.O. Box 9050 
Costa Mesa, CA 92628-9050

(714) 966-4000

Website publishing policy
Non-discrimination policy
Social media policy

Contact

Thanks for visiting the OCDE Newsroom. Questions and story suggestions should be sent to communications@ocde.us.

If you’re a member of the media in need of information about the Orange County Department of Education, please email communications@ocde.us or call 714-966-4475.

Tags

academic competition ACCESS acts of kindness Al Mijares Anaheim Union High School District career exploration college and career readiness Dr. Stefan Bean education in the news education news Inside the Outdoors kindness1billion OCDE ocde weekly roundup OC Pathways Orange County Department of Education project based learning STEM top stories Weekly Roundup
  • Latest News
  • About the OCDE Newsroom
  • Subscribe for updates
  • OCDE.us
  • About OCDE
  • County Superintendent of Schools
Type to search or hit ESC to close
See all results