Can parents opt out of public school curriculum based on their religious beliefs?
A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision is prompting public schools to take a closer look at how…
Is ethnic studies required in California?
The short answer is not yet — and possibly not soon. In 2021, California Gov. Gavin Newsom…
What legal protections are in place for immigrant students amid changing federal policies?
With a new presidential administration in place, federal policies on immigration are shifting. Yet both the United…
Who serves students in court and county-run community schools?
As we mentioned in another post, the Orange County Department of Education is actually part of a…
What is social and emotional learning?
There’s been a lot of conversation lately about social-emotional learning, or SEL — but the term isn’t…
Are graduating seniors required to fill out college financial aid applications?
That’s more or less correct. Based on legislation that passed in 2021, it is now a requirement…
What should families and educators know about fentanyl?
The number of counterfeit pills seized by federal agents and found to be laced with fentanyl has…
Are COVID-19 vaccinations required for students to attend school?
While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added the COVID-19 vaccine to its recommended…
What are California’s Health Education Content Standards?
Just as there are state-adopted standards for English, math, science and other subjects, content standards were approved…
Is parental consent required for a student to change their gender identification at school?
We’ve received a number of questions from parents seeking to better understand what the California Education Code…
Did OCDE host school-based vaccination clinics for students?
Short version: They did not. By November 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had granted emergency-use…
Is ethnic studies the same as critical race theory?
The short answer is that critical race theory, or CRT, is not synonymous with ethnic studies. But…
How can I learn more about my school’s performance?
There was a time when a batch of standardized test scores was considered a passable snapshot of…
What warning signs are associated with suicide, and where can I turn for help?
Between 2016 and 2018, suicide was the second leading cause of death among Orange County youth ages…