Focus on Education provides news about K-12 public schools for families and educators in Ventura County. It is published by the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE).
A Message from Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools
By the end of this month, nearly 130,000 students from all corners of Ventura County will have returned to class for the 2022-2023 school year. It’s hard to believe, but this is the fourth school year in a row to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The good news is that we’ve come a long way from the days of remote learning and mandatory masking. This year, students will again be learning in person, masks will be optional, and most school activities will take place without restrictions.
Ventura County students will soon have a new way to get around that won’t cost them a dime.
Starting September 1, the Ventura County Transportation Commission will launch a program that lets students ride the bus at no charge. In addition to taking the bus to and from school, students will be able to get free bus rides anywhere else they need to go for any reason.
Bus drivers will allow anyone who looks 18 or younger to board for free, but older students should be prepared to show a school ID. All public bus systems throughout the county will be participating and you can learn more at this link.
Millions of California children are receiving college savings accounts that come pre-loaded with up to $1,500 provided by the state. CalKIDS is the largest college savings program in the nation and aims to make the benefits of a college education available to children from traditionally underserved communities. The accounts are created automatically for children who qualify. To find out if your child has an account and to register for online account access, visit www.calkids.org.
High-speed internet has become a necessity of modern life, which is why the Ventura County Office of Education is supporting a statewide effort to make it available to everyone.
The California Broadband Council is spreading the word that low-income families can receive a $30 monthly discount on home internet service and a $100 discount on a computer or tablet. There are about 80,000 households in Ventura County who are eligible for these discounts that haven’t yet applied.
More information about the program is available at www.internetforallnow.org.
You may be surprised to learn that students as young as 16 can pre-register to vote in California. They can’t actually cast a ballot until they’re 18, but by pre-registering, they’ll be ready to do their civic duty as soon as they’re old enough. Pre-registration is a great way to get young people involved in the political process so they can exercise their voice on issues that affect our communities, our state, and our nation. To start the pre-registration process, visit registertovote.ca.gov.
About 3,000 Ventura County students who are experiencing homelessness received backpacks stuffed with school supplies for the start of the new school year. It was all thanks to the Stuff the Bus campaign from the United Way of Ventura County.
For the fourth year in a row, the Ventura County Office of Education's Homeless Education Program was a partner in this worthy effort. VCOE contributed backpacks and hygiene kits and provided space in our conference center where volunteers from local companies filled the backpacks.
For the second consecutive summer, students from Somis School received hands-on lessons in technology at the LMNOP Lab at the Ventura County Office of Education in Camarillo.
The Lab – whose name stands for Learning Makes New Opportunities Possible – hosted a two-week summer program for elementary and middle school students to learn about computer coding, robotics, and more.
Ventura County Board of Education trustee Dr. Ramon Flores, who works as an engineer for the Navy, secured the funding for the robotics kits the students used. He also recruited students from Santa Paula High School to work as teachers’ aids and college interns to serve as mentors at the lab.
Plans are in the works to make the lab a year-round field trip destination for students from throughout Ventura County.
Looking for a place to hold a meeting, conference, or event? The Ventura County Office of Education has a state-of-the-art conference center in Camarillo that can accommodate small groups or large conferences with seating capacities of up to 468 people. We recently launched a new online reservation system that will let you check availability and make a reservation right from your computer or phone. Learn more at www.vcoe.org/reservations.
If you want to put your skills to use to make a difference in the lives of students, a career at the Ventura County Office of Education could be a perfect fit. Find all of our current openings and apply online at www.vcoe.org/jobs. You can also sign up to receive our job alerts by email by clicking here.