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Monterey County Education Digest



CTA Chapters Band Together to Leverage Districts for Higher Pay, Smaller Classes, More Resources

02/04/2025

The California Teachers Association's "We Can't Wait" campaign plans to use the power of 32 union chapters to increase pressure on school districts to raise salaries, increase staffing and add resources for students.

Spotlight on the Fort Ord Reuse Authority

02/03/2025

Read on for more information about the Fort Ord Reuse Authority and the birth of Cal State Monterey Bay.

MPUSD Superintendent to Resign

01/31/2025

Appointed in June of 2014, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Superintendent PK Diffenbaugh announced he will be resigning the position at the end of the school year. Read on to learn more.

Federal Judge Dismisses Case Claiming Community College Diversity Policies Infringe on Academic Freedom

01/31/2025

Plaintiffs claimed that being evaluated on their commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility principles is unconstitutional and has a chilling effect on their free speech rights.

More CSU Budget Cuts Proposed

01/29/2025

Struggling with prior cuts, California State University calls latest proposed budget cuts unacceptable. Read on to learn more.

Will New Bond Funds Be Enough to Rebuild LA Schools — And All of California’s Other Crumbling Schools?

01/21/2025

Some schools destroyed years ago in the Sonoma and Butte fires are just now reopening. The long, expensive process of rebuilding in LA may eat up much of the money voters approved in November for school repairs statewide.

Fact Check: Did Gavin Newsom Really Help Create 625,000 New Job Opportunities in California?

01/20/2025

In 2018, Newsom promised to add 500,000 new apprenticeships in the decade after taking office. The state is making progress, but how much depends on the definition of “apprenticeship.”

Monterey Bay Aquarium Executive Director Steps Down

01/15/2025

Founding Executive Director Julie Packard announced she was transitioning into a leadership role on the Monterey Bay Aquarium Board of Trustees. Read on to learn more about next steps.

Small California Schools Brace for Layoffs as Congress Slashes Funding for Rural Education

01/13/2025

Federal funding for rural schools goes to 39 California counties. School districts in those communities consider the money a lifeline.

Can California Keep ICE Away From Schools? Lawmakers Want to Try as Crackdowns Loom

01/02/2025

California legislators want to limit deportation actions at schools, but they can’t ban immigration officials.

Why Income and Tense Politics Are Limiting Access to Civics Classes in California

12/18/2024

All high school students are required to take civics, but a lack of money can limit opportunities. And in some communities, parent objections pressure teachers to avoid certain topics.

California Workforce Fund Targets Programs Solving Problems

12/17/2024

Child care centers throughout California struggled to find people with the right credentials to look after their babies, toddlers and preschoolers. At the same time, many people who wanted to become early childhood educators faced difficulties in earning the credentials.

Here’s How California Plans to Get Millions of Adults Without College Degrees Into Better Jobs

12/16/2024

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “Master Plan for Career Education” seeks to help the nearly 7 million adults in California who lack college degrees by giving them college credit for their work experience and by changing the requirements on some state jobs.

How CA Ban on Bilingual Education Still Hurts Schools

12/08/2024

It has been eight years since California voters repealed a 1998 law directing public school districts to essentially eliminate their bilingual programs. But the fallout from the state’s vacillating history of bilingual education has led to California falling short of providing a quality education not only to non-English speakers but also to students who want to be bilingual.

Monterey Audubon Society Names First Executive Director

11/28/2024

Meet Shannon Connor, the first ever executive director of the Monterey Audubon Society, and learn more about group and their plans for the future.

Attendance Is a Bright Spot in the Latest California School Dashboard

11/21/2024

Chronic absenteeism dropped to 20% last school year, but that is still higher than the pre-pandemic rate of 12%.

California State University Increases Its Graduation Rates but Is Falling Short of Its Ambitious Goals

11/21/2024

Cal State has a goal to graduate 40% of its freshmen within four years. It now graduates 36% — it’s highest rate ever. On other goals, the system is further behind.

CA Colleges Grapple With Free Speech

11/20/2024

As California public universities try to balance campus safety with students’ right to protest, community colleges are squaring off in court with students and staff who argue that the schools are violating their freedom of speech, explains CalMatters community college reporter Adam Echelman.

Fewer Kids Are Going to California Public Schools. Is There a Right Way to Close Campuses?

11/14/2024

Declining enrollment, the end of pandemic relief funding and uncertain state funding are forcing school districts to make some difficult decisions.

UC Faces Half-Billion-Dollar Budget Shortfall and Eyes Tuition Increase for New Nonresident Students

11/13/2024

The University of California anticipates more than a $500 million budget gap next summer, so It’s considering a $3,402 jump in tuition for new nonresident students next fall. Meanwhile, the system is planning billions in construction projects.

California Schools Brace for Trump’s Attacks on Immigrants, Trans Students and ‘Woke’ Curriculum

11/13/2024

More than 115,000 children in California were undocumented in the most recent census count, and it’s estimated almost half of California children have at least one immigrant parent.

Introducing University Corporation

11/11/2024

An introduction to the nonprofit University Corporation which funds new facilities and various services on the CSUMB campus.

Candidate Profiles: Pacific Grove Unified School District Board of Trustees

10/25/2024

An introduction to the candidates running for seats on the Pacific Grove Unified School District Board of Trustees in the November election.

Candidate Profiles: Carmel Unified School District Board

10/23/2024

An introduction to the eight candidates running for four seats on the Carmel Unified School District Board of Trustees in the November election.

Lack of Candidates Means Many Californians Won’t Vote for School Board

10/21/2024

More than half of the school board races in 49 counties analyzed won't appear on the November ballot because either no one is running for the seat or a single candidate is unopposed.

California Banned College Legacy Admissions. Will It Change Who Gets In?

10/17/2024

A new state law bans private colleges from considering an applicant’s ties to family members who are alumni or donors. California’s public universities don’t use legacy admissions.

Candidate Profiles: Monterey Peninsula College Board of Trustees

10/08/2024

An introduction to the candidates running for seats on the Monterey Peninsula College Board of Trustees in the November election.

A Look at Monterey Peninsula and Pacific Grove School Bonds

10/04/2024

The Monterey Herald explains the bonds on the November ballot for the Monterey Peninsula and Pacific Grove Unified School Districts.

California Bans Legacy Admissions at Colleges. The End of Affirmative Action Is a Reason Why

09/30/2024

California’s private nonprofit colleges will no longer be able grant students an admissions advantage if their parents donated to or went to the same college after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law this morning banning the practice.

Vomiting, Cramps and Lethargy: As Heat Rises, California Kids Are Sweltering in Schools With No Air Conditioning

09/30/2024

An estimated 1 in 5 schools has no air conditioning and another 10% need repair. Underfunded schools struggle to keep classrooms cool as heat waves intensify. “It’s a hot mess,” one teacher says.

Election Guide: Proposition 2 $10 Billion Education Bond

09/27/2024

The Mercury News guide to the Proposition 2 $10 billion bond to build and repair public schools.

Only 1 in 5 California Community College Students Makes It to a University, Audit Says

09/24/2024

Community colleges are designed to help students get an associate degree and transfer to a four-year university. Most community college students never graduate or transfer, a state audit found.

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