Weekly roundup: Educators gather in Merced to explore Hmong history, OC schools join nationwide Read Across America celebrations, and more

Vicky Nguyen
Hmong Model Curriculum Conference
Attendees of the Hmong History and Cultural Studies Model Curriculum Conference examine traditional Hmong tapestries during a breakout session at UC Merced on Feb. 29.

More than 200 educators, scholars and community members from across California and beyond gathered at the University of California, Merced, for the first Hmong History and Cultural Studies Model Curriculum Conference, held Feb. 28 and March 1.

Hosted by the Orange County Department of Education, the two-day event provided an in-depth look at the newly developed Hmong History and Cultural Studies Model Curriculum, which offers K-12 educators lesson plans, primary sources and strategies for effective teaching. The curriculum was developed in collaboration with scholars, community members and the California Department of Education as part of Assembly Bill 167.

model curriculum conference merced

For Dr. Marika Manos, OCDE’s history and social science manager, seeing the conference come to life was deeply meaningful. 

“Being the lead of the Hmong History and Cultural Studies Model Curriculum has been an incredible honor,” Dr. Manos said. “The UC Merced conference was like a dream come true. We had the opportunity to showcase the scholarship and ways of knowing of Hmong American people.”

She added that sharing the curriculum with educators and scholars in the Central Valley was both moving and rewarding, and she expressed gratitude for those who collaborated with OCDE over the past three years.

The event drew coverage from The Merced Focus, which highlighted the conference’s role in bringing national attention to Hmong history and culture in K-12 education.

The Merced conference is the first in a series of events supporting the implementation of the Hmong model curriculum. A second conference is set for May 2 and May 3 at the Piccadilly Inn Airport in Fresno.

For more information on the curriculum and upcoming events, visit the OCDE Model Curriculum webpage.

Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:

Inside the Outdoors Traveling Scientist program
  • Huntington Beach city leaders joined students at Peterson Elementary on Friday for the school’s annual Read Across America event, celebrating literacy with guest readings and community participation.
  • The OC Pathways Showcase, hosted by OCDE, highlighted career technical education with hands-on exhibits, student demonstrations and industry partnerships, drawing 707 attendees to explore more than 50 career pathways across 15 industry sectors.
  • Orange Coast College’s Harry and Grace Steele Children’s Center will significantly reduce its childcare services starting July 1 due to financial deficits, cutting enrollment from 105 to 48 children and eliminating infant, toddler and Pre-K classes.
Winners of the 2025 Orange County Spelling Bee
  • The Anaheim Elementary School District’s Board of Education voted 3-2 to remove Trustee Mark Lopez, citing state law prohibiting dual office-holding, after he was elected to the North Orange County Community College District’s Board of Trustees
  • A former NFL punter was fired from his role as a freshman football coach at Edison High School after Huntington Beach Union High School District officials cited a social media post they said suggested violence, according to an OC Register report.
  • More than 40 percent of California’s class of 2024 took an Advanced Placement exam during high school with 28.2 percent earning a passing score, according to new data from the College Board.

This is the part where we encourage you to keep up with local education news stories by bookmarking the OCDE Newsroom, subscribing for emailed updates and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.