Quick look: The second annual State of the Student Forum brought together education and community leaders from across Orange County to explore findings from the latest State of the Student report, examining trends in student achievement, well-being and school climate and discussing how those insights can help support students and families.
Data can tell us what is happening. Understanding why requires conversation.
That was the focus of the second annual State of the Student Forum, hosted by the Orange County Department of Education on Monday at its Conference Center in Costa Mesa.
About 150 education and community leaders representing 58 organizations across Orange County attended the event to explore findings from Orange County’s latest State of the Student report and discuss what they mean for local students, families and communities.
Now in its sixth year, the State of the Student report examines countywide trends in academic achievement, school climate and engagement, and behavioral health using data from the California Department of Education and the California Healthy Kids Survey.
The forum, held for the second consecutive year, was designed to help participants better understand the findings and consider how they relate to their own communities. Parents, school and district leaders, community partners and school board members were among the attendees on Monday.
“We believe data is most valuable when it helps us see beyond the numbers,” said Dr. Diane Ehrle, OCDE director of Continuous Improvement and Leadership Development. “Behind every data point is a student, a family, and a story.”
Progress and disparities
The most recent State of the Student report highlights encouraging progress across Orange County. Graduation rates reached a record high, while attendance, school climate and student well-being indicators continued to improve. At the same time, there are persistent disparities among some student groups, underscoring the need for continued collaboration and targeted support.
One of this year’s key themes focuses on the connections between students’ experiences at home, in their communities and at school. The report found strong relationships between students’ satisfaction with their family life and where they live and outcomes such as academic achievement and attendance, reinforcing the importance of partnerships that extend beyond the classroom.
“Part of our goal with this report and in partnering with Community Schools for the State of the Student Data Forum event is to help make data more digestible for our community, so we can use it to engage in conversations about how we can best support our students and communities,” said Aubrey Roy, OCDE coordinator of Evaluation and Continuous Improvement.
Driving conversations
Throughout the morning, participants examined the findings and engaged in discussions about how they connect to local experiences and priorities. Organizers emphasized that the report is intended to serve as a starting point for dialogue and action, not simply a collection of statistics.
“This report is just part of the story,” Roy said. “It is a tool to be used to generate curiosity and drive conversations within our community about how can we partner together to support our students and families.”
As attendees shared perspectives from schools, nonprofit organizations, local agencies and families, the forum highlighted a central message of this year’s report: Supporting student success requires strong connections among schools, families and communities.
“Every student has a story,” County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean said, “and every data point in this report helps tell those stories. While it’s important to identify broader trends, it’s equally important to remember that behind every number is a student seeking connection, opportunity and the support needed to thrive.”