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Take 5 - August 2026
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Take 5! is a monthly spotlight of promising practices happening at county offices of education throughout the state, rotating the five that are featured and the focus areas covered. The map coordinates with the location of the stories featured this month from across our state.
You can view past bright spots by clicking the link at the bottom of this page.
Specialized Services for Blind/Visually Impaired Students Helps Them Reach Their Full Potential
The Placer County Office of Education (PCOE) provides specialized vision services to students who are blind or visually impaired across Placer County, helping ensure they have the access, skills and confidence to succeed in school and beyond.
PCOE’s team of teachers of the Visually Impaired, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, Braillists, and instructional support staff serve approximately 112 students receiving vision services, including 38 students receiving orientation and mobility instruction.
Through individualized support, students develop essential skills in Braille, assistive technology, accessible learning, safe travel, independence and self-advocacy. These services help students fully participate in their education while building the skills to confidently navigate their schools and communities.
The impact goes beyond access. PCOE Vision Services empowers students to build independence, advocate for themselves and reach their full potential.
CYBHI in Marin County Ensures Students Get the Support They Need
Three Marin districts, Miller Creek, Novato Unified, and San Rafael City Schools, have joined year two of California's Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), a state program letting schools bill health insurers for on-campus mental health services. The Marin County Office of Education (MCOE) will administer it locally.
The partnership among MCOE and Marin school districts is the result of more than two years of planning and preparation. After the initiative launched in 2024, California county offices of education applied to serve as regional implementation leaders through a cohort model. MCOE was selected as part of the second cohort, positioning Marin County to be among the first Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in California to build the systems necessary to support participating school districts.
The initiative helps offset budget pressure, especially after Marin lost $14.5 million in federal grant funding for school counselors in 2025 (now in litigation). Statewide in year one, districts recovered $2.2 million of $2.7 million in claims across 34 health plans, serving about 37,000 students.
Former Kern County Alternative Ed Student Finds Purpose in a Full-Circle Return
Katarina Osdale, once a student in Kern County Superintendent of Schools' (KCSOS) RISE program, has come full circle by joining KCSOS's new dining operation at California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) as a student employee. When Aramark ended its contract 18 months ago, CSUB partnered with the nonprofit KCSOS to run campus dining, prioritizing food quality and student jobs over profit.
Osdale's path was shaped by hardship: her mother's death when she was nine led to substance use, expulsion from high school, and over a decade struggling with addiction after earning her GED. Three and a half years ago, she entered recovery, later earning an associate degree in sociology from Bakersfield College before transferring to CSUB.
Now a mother balancing school and her son's schedule, Osdale works in KCSOS's Central Kitchen and 'Runner Market, finding pride and belonging in an environment that embraces rather than stigmatizes her past. She hopes to eventually pursue a career in youth advocacy and substance abuse counseling.
New State Funding Could Expand Los Angeles County's Community School Network to Over 1,600 Schools
The Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) community school network could grow from roughly 500 to over 1,600 schools under new state funding for the California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP). Starting in the 2026-27 school year, AB 126 provides $1 billion in ongoing state funding to sustain and expand the community school model, which unites schools, families, and community partners to address barriers to learning.
Schools with more than 65% unduplicated pupil counts and at least 10 enrolled students may qualify for $75,000 to $400,000 annually, depending on enrollment. LA County Superintendent Dr. Debra Duardo called it an "extraordinary opportunity" to expand support for students and families.
Local educational agencies must opt in by November 1, 2026, for eligible sites not already receiving funding. LACOE is hosting an informational webinar on August 31, with a state webinar following on September 23. LACOE's Community Schools Initiative and Greater LA Regional Transformational Assistance Center will provide ongoing guidance to districts through implementation.
Hip-hop Pioneer Shares His Story with Orange County Students in Juvenile Hall
Hip-hop pioneer Grand Wizzard Theodore joined a Zoom webinar with Orange County Department of Education to speak with students from ACCESS Area 4 sites at the Youth Guidance Center and Orange County Juvenile Hall. It's the third interview in a series inspired by the former Careers Without Borders program, which connects students with notable figures.
Theodore shared how he accidentally invented the record scratch in 1975 at age 12, discovering the technique in his Bronx home after his mother told him to turn down his music. He went on to help bring hip-hop and DJing into the mainstream alongside Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, and his turntables were later featured by the Smithsonian.
Theodore urged students not to let their circumstances define their futures, emphasizing hard work and education: "Go to school, learn everything you can possibly learn." The interview series continues September 4 with actor Luis Guzmán.
