Very soon, Ventura County students will begin heading back to class for the start of the 2021-2022 school year. Students in the Oak Park Unified School District are the first to return on August 9 and will be followed by their peers in the county’s 19 other school districts over the next few weeks.To say there is an unusual amount of excitement and anxiety over the start of this school year is an understatement. We’ve all been on an emotional rollercoaster since the pandemic started....

On July 1, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 104 requiring school districts to implement policies that give students opportunities to counteract the negative impact of the pandemic on academic achievement and graduation credits. The new state law includes the requirement that districts grant students the opportunity to change low grades to a "Pass" or "No Pass" option.

Seventh-grade students from Somis School will be the first to experience a new high-tech learning lab opening at the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE) in Camarillo next week. It’s called the LMNOP Lab, which stands for Learning Makes New Opportunities Possible. The lab is outfitted with large interactive displays and all of the tools students will need to complete various technology-oriented projects.  The students will enjoy a full week of interactive learning about computer ...

To help clear up any confusion regarding the California Department of Public Health's (CDPH)  guidance around mask-wearing at schools, the Ventura County Office of Education is providing the below flyers in English and Spanish. They aim to clarify when masks will be required for students and adults in a school setting. According to the CDPH, school districts are obligated to plan for and enforce the mask guidelines. Individual school districts will communicate directly with parents what...

With some Ventura County school districts already offering ethnic studies, and others considering developing courses, the Ventura County Office of Education is sharing these questions and answers about ethnic studies.

The Ventura County Office of Education has launched a new website called The Triple Threat to Teen Health that’s aimed at combatting the serious problem of teen vaping. The website is available in English and Spanish at vaping.vcoe.org. “While many may think vaping is a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes, the most popular vaping products all contain nicotine and have a high potential for addiction,” said Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. &...

 This story is part of a series of profiles the Ventura County Office of Education is presenting about outstanding graduating seniors in the Class of 2021.While many Americans are turned off by the divisive state of our nation’s politics, Alex Edgar is trying to do something about it. “Maybe we don't have to be told that things are this way because they’ve always been this way, and we can actually work to change them,” he says.Alex made a difference througho...

 This story is part of a series of profiles the Ventura County Office of Education is presenting about outstanding graduating seniors in the Class of 2021.Carissa Llamas has a bright smile that lights up the room. She’s a confident speaker who has no trouble expressing herself. And she also has autism.As she prepares to complete four years of high school at Triton Academy in Camarillo, she says she’s come a long way from a time when she was more withdrawn and less social. A...

 This story is part of a series of profiles the Ventura County Office of Education is presenting about outstanding graduating seniors in the Class of 2021.Carlos Alcantar has a lot to celebrate. In addition to graduating as Buena High School’s valedictorian with a 4.75 grade point average and being accepted to Stanford University, he also recently became a US citizen. Carlos has lived in the US since he was two years old and says it’s a huge relief to now be a citizen of th...

High school students in the graduating class of 2021 have shown incredible resilience and perseverance throughout the pandemic. They’ve adapted to distance learning and social distancing and the strange realities of returning to school during a global health emergency.