Orange County Board of Education: Meetings, Calendar, Trustees & Family Routes
The Orange County Board of Education, usually shortened to OCBE, is the five-member county board serving Orange County, California. Families and residents most often need it for county board meetings, agendas, public comment, charter matters, interdistrict attendance appeals, expulsion appeals and county-level education oversight.
OCBE is not the same as your local school district board. If you need a child’s first day of school, enrollment office, attendance boundary, school bus or daily campus issue, you usually need one of Orange County’s local school districts instead.
Orange County Board of Education quick facts
County board
OCBE has five elected members, one from each county trustee area. Members serve four-year terms.
Meeting address
Orange County Department of Education Board Room, 200 Kalmus Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
Next listed meeting
As of October 2, 2026, the next regular meeting listed by OCBE is October 7, 2026.
Meeting records
OCBE publishes agenda, minutes, video, audio and in some cases meeting transcriptions in its archive.
Wrong-board warning: “Orange County Board of Education” can be confused with Orange Unified School District, the California State Board of Education or one of the county’s other local district boards. They have different members, calendars, responsibilities and meeting systems.
OCBE, OCDE and your local school district are not the same thing
Orange County’s education system has several layers. Knowing which one controls your issue can save a lot of time.
Orange County Board of Education
OCBE is the elected county board. Its responsibilities include approving the OCDE budget, receiving the annual audit, certain charter matters, interdistrict attendance appeals, expulsion appeals and policy for county-operated programs.
Orange County Department of Education
OCDE provides regional services, district fiscal oversight, professional learning, county-operated programs and administrative support. It serves and supports school systems across Orange County.
Your local school district
Your local district usually handles student enrollment, attendance zones, school calendars, transportation, transcripts, teacher contact and its own local board meetings.
Simple rule: county appeal or county-board meeting → OCBE. Countywide education service or OCDE-operated program → OCDE. Daily school matter → your local school or district.
Orange County Board of Education upcoming meetings
The live OCBE meeting page lists regular meetings at the Orange County Department of Education Board Room, 200 Kalmus Drive in Costa Mesa. The page currently states that meetings begin at 4:00 p.m. unless noted. Always check the live meeting row before traveling because dates, times and special meetings can change.
| Date | Location | Listed time guidance | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 7, 2026 | OCDE Board Room, Costa Mesa | 4:00 p.m. unless noted | Open the live agenda for final start time, hearing items and public-comment details. |
| Nov. 4, 2026 | OCDE Board Room, Costa Mesa | 4:00 p.m. unless noted | Verify agenda, special hearings, recordings and any schedule change. |
| Dec. 2, 2026 | OCDE Board Room, Costa Mesa | 4:00 p.m. unless noted | Recheck before attending because year-end meeting details may change. |
| Jan. 6, 2027 | OCDE Board Room, Costa Mesa | 4:00 p.m. unless noted | Use the current OCBE schedule rather than a saved 2026 PDF. |
| Feb. 3, 2027 | OCDE Board Room, Costa Mesa | 4:00 p.m. unless noted | Confirm the meeting page when the date approaches. |
Live-page rule: OCBE also publishes revised and approved meeting-date documents. If a PDF and the live meeting page disagree, check the newest agenda and current meeting listing before relying on the older schedule document.
Use this page for current agendas, upcoming dates, special meetings and archived minutes, video, audio and transcriptions.
Open OCBE Meetings →How to find an OCBE agenda, minutes or recording
OCBE’s meeting archive is organized by year and meeting date. A single meeting row may include an agenda, approved minutes, video, audio and a transcription.
Open the official meeting archive
Do not start from a random PDF in search results. Open the OCBE Meetings page so you can see the correct year and meeting type.
Select the right meeting date
Match the meeting date and confirm whether it was a regular, special or other Board session.
Use the agenda for upcoming business
The agenda shows items scheduled for Board consideration. It does not necessarily prove the final outcome of an item.
Use minutes for Board action
When you need the later official meeting record, check the posted minutes rather than relying only on the agenda or a third-party summary.
Use recordings for context
Where posted, OCBE provides video, audio and sometimes transcriptions that can help you follow the discussion around a meeting item.
Current Orange County Board of Education members
The County Board has five elected members. Each trustee represents a geographic area rather than the entire county as one at-large seat.
| Trustee area | Member | Role listed | Area includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st District | Jorge Valdes, Esq. | Vice President | Fountain Valley, Santa Ana, portions of Garden Grove and portions of Tustin. |
| 2nd District | Mari Barke | Trustee | Includes Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, Seal Beach, Sunset Beach and portions of Irvine and Newport Beach. |
| 3rd District | Ken L. Williams, Jr., D.O. | Clerk | Includes Brea, Foothill Ranch, Irvine, Orange, Villa Park, Portola Hills, Yorba Linda and portions of Anaheim, Lake Forest and Tustin. |
| 4th District | Tim Shaw | President | Includes Anaheim, Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma, Stanton and portions of Garden Grove and Westminster. |
| 5th District | Lisa Sparks, Ph.D. | Trustee | Includes many South County communities such as Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Mission Viejo, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, plus portions of Lake Forest and Costa Mesa. |
Use OCBE’s official Board page and trustee-area resources when you need the current district map or an individual trustee profile.
Open Meet the Board →The County Superintendent is separate from the five-member Board
Dr. Stefan Bean serves as Orange County Superintendent of Schools. OCBE’s own description says the County Superintendent serves as the Board’s secretary and executive officer, but the Superintendent is a separately elected county education official.
OCDE’s operational responsibilities—including administration and department services—are handled by the County Superintendent and staff. This distinction matters because the Board and OCDE administration do not perform the same jobs.
Orange County Board of Education
Five elected trustees. Handles Board policy, county Board meetings, certain appeals, charter matters and other statutory Board duties.
County Superintendent / OCDE
Dr. Stefan Bean leads the Orange County Department of Education and its regional education services and operations.
How public comment works at an Orange County Board of Education meeting
The current OCBE Board page says members of the public may address the Board on agenda items and on off-agenda matters that fall within the Board’s subject-matter jurisdiction. The Board generally cannot act on an off-agenda matter unless the law allows it.
Check the current agenda first
Confirm the meeting date, time, location and whether your issue is already listed as an agenda item.
Get the request form
OCBE asks individuals who want to address the Board to complete a request form available from the Recording Secretary.
Plan a short statement
The current Board page limits comments to three minutes per person and lists 30 minutes for all comments.
Expect agenda-item timing
If you want to speak about a current agenda item, you may be asked to wait until the Board reaches that item.
Student privacy: public Board comments become part of a public meeting setting. Avoid sharing a student’s medical records, disability information, discipline details, custody documents, home address or other private education information.
There is no single OCBE academic calendar for all Orange County students
Orange County Board of Education meetings and student school calendars are different things. OCDE supports 28 local school districts, and each district publishes its own attendance calendar, holidays, breaks, minimum days and first/last-day information.
OCBE meeting calendar
Use OCBE for county Board meetings, agenda dates, hearings and meeting records.
Local district calendar
Use your school district for student attendance days, holidays, breaks, professional-development days and graduation dates.
Don’t know your district?
Use the Orange County Schools Directory to locate a school, district, department or education contact.
The official OC Schools Directory is maintained by the Orange County Department of Education and is designed for current school and district contact lookup.
Open Orange County Schools Directory →Interdistrict attendance appeals to the Orange County Board of Education
An interdistrict transfer lets a student attend a school district other than the student’s district of residence when applicable district rules allow it. The first step is normally through the involved local school districts—not directly through OCBE.
If a district denies the request and the required local remedies have been exhausted, a parent or guardian may have a right to appeal the decision to the Orange County Board of Education under California’s interdistrict attendance appeal process.
Orange County expulsion appeal timing and hearing basics
OCDE’s published expulsion appeal procedures state that a student, parent or guardian may file an appeal with the Orange County Board of Education within 30 days after the local district governing board’s expulsion decision.
After a formal appeal is filed, the county hearing is to be scheduled within 20 school days. The student is responsible for providing the written record of the local board expulsion hearing, and the parties may submit written arguments under the appeal schedule.
30-day filing window
Do not wait until the end of the school year. The published county procedure uses a 30-day period following the district’s expulsion decision.
Closed-session default
The published procedure says the appeal hearing is held in closed session unless the student requests a public meeting in writing at least five days before the hearing.
Record-review process: an expulsion appeal is not simply a second disciplinary meeting from the beginning. The county Board’s review is limited by California law and focuses on the record and specified appeal questions.
When a charter petition appeal goes to OCBE
OCDE’s Charter Schools Unit says a charter school petitioner whose petition was denied by a local school district may appeal to the Orange County Board of Education in accordance with California Education Code.
The Charter Schools Unit coordinates the review for OCBE, including appeal submissions, supporting documents, analysis and findings used in the Board’s consideration.
Find the right Orange County school district before calling OCBE
OCDE’s digital Orange County Schools Directory is often the fastest route when you know a school name or city but not the district. It is maintained by OCDE and designed to stay more current than an annual printed directory.
Search a school
Find school names, addresses, contacts and district relationships.
Search a district
Use the district listing when you need superintendent, board or department information.
Search an OCDE service
The directory also provides an A–Z route into OCDE services when your question is county-level rather than district-level.
Example: a family in Irvine normally uses Irvine Unified for the school calendar and enrollment. A family in Santa Ana normally uses Santa Ana Unified. The county Board is not a replacement for those local districts.
Board records, policies and contact requests
OCBE publishes meeting agendas, summaries of Board action, policies and meeting recordings through its official site. The Board’s Contact page also provides a route for records maintained under specified California government requirements.
Meeting records
Use the Meetings archive for agendas, minutes, video, audio and transcriptions when available.
Board policies
Use the Policies page for OCBE operating policies and featured updates such as interdistrict attendance appeals and charter-school procedures.
Student records are different: do not assume the county Board stores every student’s transcript, attendance record, IEP or discipline file. Those records generally belong with the student’s school, local district or appropriate education program.
Orange County Board of Education address and phone
Before driving to Costa Mesa: verify the current meeting agenda, start time, room information and whether your issue actually belongs with OCBE rather than your local district.
Quick fixes for Orange County education searches
“I need my child’s school calendar.”
Use the child’s local school district calendar, not the OCBE meeting calendar.
“I need Orange Unified.”
Orange Unified School District has its own seven-member Board of Education and its own meeting system. It is separate from OCBE.
“I found an old agenda PDF.”
Return to the live OCBE Meetings page and select the correct year and date.
“I want to speak at the meeting.”
Check the current agenda and request a speaker form from the Recording Secretary.
“My transfer was denied.”
First confirm that local district remedies are complete, then review OCDE’s interdistrict attendance appeal process.
“My child was expelled.”
Review the county appeal deadline immediately. OCDE’s published procedure states a 30-day appeal window from the local board decision.
“A charter petition was denied.”
Use the Charter Schools Unit’s appeal guidance rather than the ordinary Board public-comment process.
“I need a transcript.”
Start with the school or district that maintains the student’s records, not the county Board meeting office.
Do you mean the California State Board instead?
The Orange County Board of Education is a county-level board. California also has a State Board of Education that handles statewide K–12 policy matters.
Verified Orange County education links
Orange County Board of Education FAQs
Is the Orange County Board of Education the same as Orange Unified School District?
No. OCBE is the county Board of Education. Orange Unified is a separate local school district with its own Board, schools and calendar.
How many members are on the Orange County Board of Education?
The Board has five elected members representing five trustee areas across Orange County.
How long is an OCBE trustee term?
OCBE states that Board members are elected for four-year terms by voters in the trustee area they represent.
Where does the Orange County Board of Education meet?
The regular meeting location is listed as the Orange County Department of Education Board Room, 200 Kalmus Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
What is the next OC Board of Education meeting?
As of October 2, 2026, the next regular meeting listed by OCBE is October 7, 2026. Always recheck the official meeting page before attending.
What time do OCBE meetings start?
The current meeting page says 4:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Meeting-specific agendas should be checked for the final start time.
Where can I find OCBE agendas and minutes?
Use the official OCBE Meetings page. The archive can include agendas, minutes, video, audio and transcriptions by meeting date.
How do I speak at an Orange County Board of Education meeting?
OCBE asks speakers to complete a request form obtained from the Recording Secretary. The current Board page states a three-minute limit per person and a 30-minute total public-comment period.
Does OCBE publish the school calendar for every Orange County student?
No. Student academic calendars are normally published by each local school district. Use the Orange County Schools Directory if you are unsure which district serves a school.
Can I appeal a denied interdistrict transfer to OCBE?
A qualifying interdistrict attendance denial may be appealed to the Orange County Board of Education after applicable local remedies are exhausted. Use OCDE Student Services for the current procedure.
How long do I have to appeal a school-district expulsion in Orange County?
OCDE’s published procedure states that a student, parent or guardian may file an appeal within 30 days following the local district governing board’s expulsion decision.
Does OCBE hear charter school appeals?
Yes. OCDE states that a charter petitioner whose petition was denied by a local school district may appeal to OCBE under the applicable California charter-school appeal process.
Who is the Orange County Superintendent of Schools?
Dr. Stefan Bean serves as Orange County Superintendent of Schools and leads the Orange County Department of Education.
What is the OCBE phone number?
The Board lists 714-966-4012 as its contact phone number.
Is BoardofEducations.org an official Orange County government website?
No. BoardofEducations.org is an independent information resource. Use ocbe.us and ocde.us for official Orange County education information and live notices.
Best way to use this Orange County Board guide
If you need a county Board meeting, agenda, trustee area, public-comment process, interdistrict appeal, expulsion appeal or county charter matter, start with OCBE and OCDE.
If you need your child’s enrollment, school calendar, teacher, bus route, attendance office, transcript or ordinary school service, find the correct local district through the Orange County Schools Directory first.
Independent information guide: BoardofEducations.org is not the Orange County Board of Education, Orange County Department of Education, a local school district or the State of California. Official OCBE, OCDE and district sources control whenever live information differs from this guide.