The Orange County Department of Education was recently featured in a Los Angeles Times article for leading the creation of the nation’s first model curricula on Southeast Asian studies, a resource designed to deepen understanding of Cambodian, Hmong and Vietnamese American histories and cultures.
Developed in response to California’s Education Finance Bill AB 167, three separate curriculum projects provide K-12 educators with lesson plans, primary sources and strategies to support students, including multilingual learners and those with special needs. The bill called for inclusive and culturally responsive teaching materials, with input from scholars, community members and the California Department of Education.
The feature — published Saturday, Dec. 7 — detailed the curriculum’s development, which aimed to prioritize community voices through listening sessions. The resulting lesson plans explore the experiences of Southeast Asian refugees and their contributions to U.S. communities.
“This project reflects the resilience of these communities and provides an opportunity to teach compassion and understanding,” said Tori Phu, a program specialist with OCDE. “Hearing these stories helps us connect with one another in meaningful ways.”
The article also highlighted OCDE’s two-day academic conference in Long Beach, where nearly 500 educators, community leaders and scholars gathered to explore the curriculum, now available for free on the California Model Curricula platform.
The Hmong Daily News also highlighted OCDE’s work, focusing on the upcoming Hmong History and Cultural Studies Conference, which will take place Feb. 28 and March 1 at the University of California, Merced, to equip educators with tools to implement the new curriculum.
Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:
- OCDE’s new 5-3-1 Strategic Plan outlines five initiatives, three support objectives and one bold goal to enhance education and innovation across Orange County.
- Katie Kee, a senior at Brea Olinda High School, created the nonprofit STEM Stitch to provide STEM resources to students in rural areas, supported by her participation in Girls Inc. of Orange County’s programs.
- Pacifica High School seniors in Garden Grove Unified hosted nearly 400 kindergartners for a day of holiday cheer during the campus’ annual Adopt-A-Child celebration.
- OCDE is inviting fathers and parental figures to Father Fest 2025 on Jan. 25 at the Fullerton Arboretum to discuss the critical role of fathers in shaping their children’s lives, with expert speakers, workshops and free childcare for elementary-aged children.
- Virginia Reischl, OCDE’s coordinator of literacy and language, spoke with Education Week about how integrating AI into existing professional development helps teachers recognize its practical benefits without adding to their workload.
- Irvine Unified School District Superintendent Terry Walker will retire in January after nearly 30 years with the district, a decision he described as the culmination of thoughtful reflection on the needs of the community and his personal journey.
- KCAL News in Los Angeles highlighted several educational programs and club offerings at Magnolia High School in the Anaheim Union High School District, including the on-campus cybersecurity pathway program and freight farm.
- The La Habra City School District is marking two years of its Passport to Learning program, designed to engage families in education through events, rewards and community collaboration.
- Alumni of OCDE’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at University High School returned to share their career journeys in fashion, animation and information technology — inspiring students with stories of overcoming barriers as Deaf Asian Americans.
- Orange County’s 30th Annual Conditions of Children report details rising rates of homelessness, mental health challenges and food insecurity among children, according to the Voice of OC.
- California’s ethnic studies mandate, set to take effect in 2025-26, remains unfunded, prompting debates over whether Gov. Newsom will allocate the necessary resources in the upcoming budget.
- The number of U.S. high school graduates is expected to peak in 2025 before declining steadily through 2041, driven by shifting demographics and declining birth rates, according to a new report by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.
- California’s recovery from a nearly 20-year bilingual education ban has stalled due to funding gaps, teacher shortages and limited legislative action, according to a CalMatters report.
- California’s SAFETY Act, effective Jan. 1, prohibits schools from notifying parents about a student’s gender identity or pronoun change without consent.
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, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.