Show Me the Money
Gov. Gray Davis authorized an education bond package April 26 that will allocate $23.35 billion to improving physical facilities of public schools throughout the state; it is the largest such package in California history.
The state will allocate $4 billion to California State University, University of California and California City College schools. An additional $651 million in lease revenue bonds will go toward expediting construction projects at those same schools.
K-12 schools will receive $21.4 billion for construction and modernization, and $400 million will go to charter schools. Another $40 million will be spent to make all schools more energy efficient.
California residents will vote on part of the bond package this November.
According to current estimates, California would need to build seven classrooms per day, seven days a week, for five years to keep pace with its growing student population.
Tuning Back In
KCSB is holding a 40th anniversary alumni reunion picnic in Oak Park on May 4, followed by an alumni open house May 5. The reunion will include many of the station’s current and former programmers from the last four decades. The event is intended to cap off the station’s yearlong anniversary celebration.
The picnic will take place from noon to 4 p.m. and will feature music played by former and current DJs, as well as archival KCSB recordings.
We’ve Got Answers
Over 100 UCSB scientists have joined together through the auspices of the university’s Materials Research Laboratory to answer questions from K-12 students.
The program, entitled ScienceLine, is operated via a website, www.scienceline.ucsb.edu, and allows K-12 students to post questions for experts. Each question is then considered and answered by a variety of different professionals from different fields.
The program focuses on schools in the Tri-County Area and has received over 400 questions to date.
Marine Reserves
Researchers Ben Halpern and Robert Warner of the UCSB Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology Dept. recently announced the results of a study involving marine reserves.
After studying 80 different reserves, the researchers found that once an area has been declared a no-take zone – an area off-limits to fishing – the local marine life flourishes much more rapidly than expected.
Halpern said he hopes the short turnaround time will make marine reserves more politically attractive to legislators who often think in the short term.
-Compiled by Josh Braun
