Santa Cruz County Office of Education

06/09/2026

The Santa Cruz COE was thrilled to join the 51st annual Santa Cruz Pride Parade and Festival on Sunday, marching alongside our community and sharing resources with students, families, educators, and partners. 🌈

As the largest LGBTQ+ Pride celebration on the Central Coast, Santa Cruz Pride is a powerful reminder of the visibility, belonging, and support every student deserves. We’re grateful to the Pride organizers, volunteers, partners, and thousands of community members who make this celebration so special each year.

Learn more about our work supporting LGBTQ+ students and families: sccoe.link/lgbtq

06/03/2026

Dylan Turzak has rehabilitated elephants in Zambia, published a children’s book about upcycling and led a $37,000 fundraising event. Her next big achievement is graduating high school.
Read more below

06/02/2026

Karen Sanchez, a 17-year-old senior at Harbor High School, has won a scholarship through the Santa Cruz County Community Foundation. The “Live Like Leo” scholarship, designed for students who intend to study abroad, will award Sanchez $10…
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06/01/2026

Congratulations, Jonathan! Your leadership and spirit make all of Santa Cruz County proud. 🎓

Pajaro Valley High School senior Jonathan Escobar, once a shy student who faced bullying in middle school, will graduate this week after four years as a prominent campus leader, cheerleader and class president. This fall, he's going to UC Davis to study biology or political science. https://lookout.co/pajaro-valley-highs-spirit-of-the-school-graduates-after-four-years-of-leadership/story

05/28/2026

We are still feeling the joy from Sunday’s 27th Annual Black Graduation Celebration. 🎓

This year’s Black Grad was the largest to date, honoring 25 graduates from high schools across the county, surrounded by hundreds of loved ones, educators, mentors, and community members.

This celebration is a powerful countywide tradition rooted in nearly three decades of community leadership, love, and advocacy.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026. You make Santa Cruz County stronger, and we are so proud of you. 👏

Thank you to the Countywide Black Student Union, NAACP Santa Cruz County, Second Saturday Network, Reggie Stephens Foundation, and each of the sponsors, partners, students, speakers, performers, families, and community members who make this celebration possible.

05/26/2026

Graduation season has begun! 🎓

El Nido seniors kicked off graduation ceremonies today for the Santa Cruz COE’s instructional programs, with most Santa Cruz County high schools set to celebrate commencements over the next two weeks.

Located at Centro Avance in Watsonville, El Nido offers a small learning environment where students complete standard coursework, explore the arts, enroll in Cabrillo College courses, and take part in a wide range of off-campus learning opportunities. We are so proud of all that this small but mighty class has accomplished, and all they are yet to achieve.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026! 🎉

05/21/2026

Congratulations to Amelie, Adi, Anastasia, and Brandon for representing Santa Cruz County at the 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix! 🌎🔬

ISEF is one of the world’s premier student science competitions, bringing together more than 1,700 young scientists, engineers, and innovators from around the globe.

A special congratulations to Adi Menon, who earned a Special Award from the Patent and Trademark Office Society for his Autonomous Wildfire Suppression Robot. 🤖🔥

We are so proud of these students and the curiosity, creativity, and determination they brought from the Santa Cruz County STEAM Expo to the international stage. ✨

Read the full story: https://sccoe.link/4nKxPVd

05/19/2026

High school students interested in leadership, civic engagement, or learning how school boards work are invited to apply for this summer’s Student Trustee Academy!

This free, in-person program covers public speaking, ethics, decision-making, school budgets, and the responsibilities of school board members. Priority is given to incoming student trustees, but all high school students interested in school governance and leadership are encouraged to apply.

Sessions are 2-5 p.m. June 16, 18, 23, 25, 30, and July 2 at Cabrillo College, Aptos Campus, with a final board presentation on July 16. Students who complete all sessions will receive an iPad.

Apply today: https://sccoe.link/trusteeacademy

05/15/2026

As the 56th Annual Juvenile Court, Community, and Alternative School Administrators of California (JCCASAC) Conference comes to a close in San Francisco, the Santa Cruz COE is grateful to have helped host this year’s gathering in partnership with JCCASAC and California County Superintendents.

Under the theme "Bridges to Belonging," educators and partners from across California came together to strengthen the work of court, community, and alternative education programs and reaffirm a shared commitment to ensuring every young person is seen, supported, and connected.

A special thank you to our featured speakers and workshop hosts, the JCCASAC Board, Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools and the California County Superintendents, sponsors, and the educators from across the state who brought their energy and dedication to this powerful week. We are especially grateful to the Golden State organization for its generous support, and to Golden State Warriors alum and 2015 NBA Champion Festus Ezeli for volunteering his time to share his own story of belonging and help us celebrate this year’s JCCASAC Teacher of the Year honorees -- including Santa Cruz COE’s own Marissa Kluzniak.

We are also proud to recognize Dr. Jen Izant Gonzales, JCCASAC Chair-Elect and Senior Director of Alternative Education at the Santa Cruz COE, for her extraordinary leadership in helping bring this conference to life.

Thank you to everyone who joined us. We leave inspired by the people across California who continue to build bridges of belonging, opportunity, and hope for students. 💙

05/12/2026

📣 The Santa Cruz COE is proud to announce Cabrillo College as the 2026 Santa Cruz County Community Partner of the Year! 🎓

🏆 Cabrillo College

Founded in 1959, Cabrillo College serves nearly 15,000 students each year through more than 100 academic and career technical education programs, providing vital pathways to degrees, certificates, transfer opportunities, career advancement, and lifelong learning.

Cabrillo has been an extraordinary partner in supporting TK-12 students, families, and educators across Santa Cruz County. From strengthening the high school-to-college transition and expanding dual enrollment and career pathways, to welcoming 4th grade students for campus tours and co-sponsoring programs such as Building Alliances in Indigenous Education, the Latino Role Models Conference, and the Youth Civics Summit, Cabrillo continues to help students envision, access, and succeed in postsecondary education.

Cabrillo College will be formally recognized at the May 21 meeting of the Santa Cruz County Board of Education as part of the 2026 Educator of the Year Awards.

🔗 Learn more about Cabrillo College and all this year’s honorees: sccoe.link/educatorsoftheyear