Logo Contest Winners Selected • Easing the Path to a College Degree • Overnight Coding Event for Students • Youth Mental Health in the Spotlight • New $18M Grant for Career Pathways • Ventura County's Early Childhood Workforce is Focus of New Report • Save the Date: 2024 Equity Conference

The Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE) is pleased to announce the following winners of logo design contests for the 2024 Academic Decathlon, Battle of the Books, and Science Fair. Approximately 130 students from throughout Ventura County submitted 166 entries for the contests.   Academic Decathlon Andres Magana, Grade 9 Santa Paula High School Santa Paula Unified School District Battle of the Books Olivia Romero, Grade 3 Mesa Union School Mesa Union Sch...

Ventura County’s popular academic competitions are seeking volunteers to help present these events for local students. The Ventura County Academic Decathlon, Mock Trial, and Science Fair will be taking place next January, February and March. On average, more than 400 volunteer judges and scorers are needed to support the 2,500 students who participate. Please see below for additional information and links to online registration forms where you can sign up to volunteer.   Acade...

For the first time in its over 40-year history, the annual Ventura County Mock Trial competition is moving to weekends. Mock Trial has previously been held over four weeknights at the Ventura County courthouse and the competition often lasts late into the night. Moving the competition to weekends means students will no longer have to stay up late on school nights. It will also make transportation easier for students and their families. Parents will be less likely to need time off from work to dr...

Dr. Morales visits DC • Students Trained as Wellness Peers • Maximizing Safety in Schools • Calling All Student Artists! • Forum Highlights Fentanyl Dangers • Migrant Speech & Debate Tournament • Hispanic Heritage Month • Safe Firearm Storage Saves Lives • Multilingual Education Project • Coats Needed for Homeless Kids

Back-to-School 2023-24 • Middle School Wellness Centers • Keeping Kids Safe at School • Fentanyl Town Hall Meeting • 2023-24 Competitions & Events • Binational Program Serves Children of Migrant Farmworkers • “Stuffing the Bus” for Homeless Kids

Ventura County’s new school year kicked off on August 8 in Oak Park, the first local school district to welcome students to class for 2023-2024. By the end of the month, all 20 Ventura County school districts, serving about 125,000 students, will have started their new year.

Educational agencies on both sides of the US/Mexico border are teaming up to provide summer learning opportunities for children of migrant farm workers in Ventura County. Students in grades two through six are taking classes in math, English and computer coding at the Bilingual Summer Institute, being held this July at Somis Elementary School. A unique aspect of the program is that two visiting teachers from Mexico are incorporating cultural enrichment into the lessons to help students learn abo...

The students graduating from Ventura County high schools in 2023 had anything but a typical experience. They were in the second half of their freshman year when the pandemic forced classrooms to close. They had to adapt to distance learning and all of the challenges that went along with it. Many faced the ordeal of seeing loved ones pass away or fall ill from COVID-19. And when in-person instruction resumed, social distancing and masking became a part of their daily routines. Despite it all...

Dillon May doesn’t hesitate when asked about the biggest challenge he faced during his four years at Moorpark High School. “Definitely the pandemic was a tough one, being locked up for all of that time,” he says. “Especially during high school when it’s supposed to be the most fun years of your life.”