San Diego County Office of Education

Prioritizing equity and access to support systemic change: The internal Equity and Access Department provides supports for educators and staff to ensure all students, especially from underrepresented groups, have opportunities to thrive. An annual equity symposium ignites innovation in educational equity, highlighting best practices and new strategies for improvement.

Building future pathways for all: Every student is set up for post-secondary success through a College and Careers Pathway program, which prepares students for the broad range of post-high school education and career options by offering forward-thinking professional learning and technical assistance. Understanding the future importance of technology, San Diego County built an IT training partnership with San Diego City College, where high school students can earn college credit while learning applicable, real-world technological skills.

Leveraging open educational resources to close access gaps: Several districts in San Diego County have embraced open resources to lower costs and increase access for every student. The San Diego County Office of Education has hosted multiple #GoOpen summits, allowing educators and researchers to share cutting-edge resources and knowledge.

Applying education to the outdoors: The Outdoor Education program helps students make connections between their classroom learning and the natural world through hands-on activities with marine science, water quality experiments, and seed-to-table learning stations. The program’s STEM focus pairs real-world learning with an opportunity to explore the region’s natural resources.

Developing connections with community employers: San Diego County’s Work-Based Learning ePortal is a free resource for employers to connect with educators and students to share real-world learning opportunities.