The Orange County Turkish School is an informal educational and cultural institution developed by OCTAA to serve the Turkish-American community in Orange County. It complements formal education. The School's primary goals are:
To teach the Turkish language (at various levels) to Turkish-American children and adults, as well as all interested community members, emphasizing all communication skills such as speaking, writing, reading, and comprehension.
To inform students about the history, geography, and people of the Turkish nation and Turkey at a level equivalent to elementary/middle school education in Turkey.
To teach the fundamentals of Turkish culture, heritage, music, traditions, and customs.
The achievement of these goals depends on developing a robust curriculum, appointing qualified teachers, garnering community support, and continuous evaluation of the program by the OCTAA Education Committee.
The School aims to teach Turkish as a second language to enhance the language skills of children and adults of Turkish origin, and interested community members. The Turkish School will operate in alignment with the educational principles of a democratic, secular, and progressive society, and the guiding principles of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, taking schools in Turkey as its model. This School will be open to all OCTAA members and the public. The OC Turkish School encourages the development of a Turkish identity in children aged 4-12 and adults, drawing upon the historical, cultural, and ethical experiences of the Turkish people from ancient times to the present. The school curriculum includes a foundation in Turkish history, geography, culture, governance, literature, music, language, theater, and holiday traditions.