Gov. Gavin Newsom’s May Revision proposal includes a one-time $50 million investment to continue support for California’s Multi-Tiered System of Support framework. Led in part by OCDE, the statewide approach helps schools better coordinate academic, behavioral, social-emotional and mental health supports for students.
Two Anaheim Elementary School District campuses were named finalists in the 2026 Conga Kids Dance Championship, while AESD Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Yadira Moreno received a Visionary Award during the May 7 event at L.A. Live.
Students from Valadez Middle School visited the Frank R. Bowerman Landfill in Irvine through Project Zero Waste, a partnership between OCDE’s Inside the Outdoors program and OC Waste & Recycling that connects classroom learning to real-world sustainability practices.
Sloane Keane, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the OC and IE, recently appeared on the FutureCurrent podcast to share how meaningful mentorship relationships can open doors for young people and expand access to opportunity.
Orange County students were recognized for their impactful, peer-selected films on mental health through the first-ever Youth Choice Awards on May 1, a new student-led addition to the Directing Change Film Contest. Several of the winning films will move on to the statewide competition, amplifying youth voices and promoting awareness across California.
Henry Miller, a music teacher at Sierra Vista Middle School in Irvine Unified School District, has been named a 2027 CMA Foundation Music Teacher of Excellence.
University High School finished seventh in the nation at the 2026 United States Academic Decathlon National Competition in Garden Grove, earning Rookie of the Year honors in Division 1 and multiple individual medals.
