NEWPORT BEACH EDUCATION
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stablished in 1966, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD) is responsible for K through 12 education within the cities of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. Led by Superintendent Dr. Wesley Smith and a seven member governing school board, NMUSD oversees 32 schools and approximately 20,000 students. The district is comprised of 22 elementary schools, 2 intermediate schools, 2 middle/high schools, 2 high schools, 3 alternative education programs, and 1 adult education program (in partnership with Huntington Beach Adult School.) The district also recently launched a new, 100% virtual school, called Cloud Campus. NMUSD’s distinctions include having the second lowest class size average in the country throughout their award-winning schools and district programs. The district
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NEWPORT BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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is made up of California Distinguished Schools, Gold Ribbon Schools, Title I Academic Achievement Schools, Honor Rolls Schools, National Blue Ribbon Schools, California School Board Association Golden Bell Awards, and more than 150 CIF Championship schools. With well-trained and highly motivated staff, strong instructional leaders, high expectations and well-defined rules of behavior for students, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District and surrounding educational institutions can take pride in their high aspirational standards. Students also benefit from significant parent involvement and a wellinformed and involved community that encourage and support them year-round. For those who want to continue their education and earn an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree, Orange Coast College (OCC) allows students to complete lower division coursework online. Known for one of the highest transfer rates to four-year universities, OCC is an excellent resource for those in need of affordable, comprehensive courses. A community college, Orange Coast’s 164-acre Costa
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Mesa campus was founded in 1947, and has grown into one of the nation’s largest, most respected community colleges with enrollment of more than 25,000 students each semester. Ranked first out of Orange County’s community colleges in terms of the number of students who transfer to both University of California and California State University systems, OCC features exceptional facilities and the latest in technology. With more than 135 academic and career programs that students can choose from, OCC is also offers one of the nation’s largest and most acclaimed public nautical programs. Notably, at the OCC Waterfront Campus on West Coast Highway, the college has created a newly opened, state of the art, maritime training facility where students can train on the water, get their hands dirty and practice scenarios in the simulator to gain experience in vessel handling, navigation, radar, leadership, and other critical skills needed on the job. Vanguard University of Southern California is a private, non-profit Christian university of liberal arts and professional studies. With more than 30 undergraduate degrees and emphases in 15 different departments, Vanguard University also offers adult-learning programs in its professional studies department and features six graduate degrees. Ranked #46 in the Regional University West, Vanguard University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. US News and World Report also ranked them #21 in Best Colleges for Veterans and #33 in Best Value Schools. Fortunately, Newport Beach is contiguous to one of the most prestigious public universities in the nation. Founded in 1965, the University of California Irvine’s mission is to catalyze the community and enhance lives through rigorous academics, cutting-edge research, and dedicated public service. Altogether, UCI offers 87 Bachelor’s Degrees, 84 Masters and 53 Doctoral Degrees. US News and World Report recognized them as a top 10 public university and Sierra Magazine has listed them as a Top 10 Cool School 12 years running. As an added bonus, UCI creates over $7 billion annually in economic impact in Orange County. ◆
NMUSD oversees 32 schools and approximately 20,000 students