California State University Monterey Bay was the only campus in the 22-school CSU system to meet all six goals of the system’s decadelong Graduation Initiative 2025. The campus led the state in improvements to four- and six-year graduation rates for both first-time and transfer students.
Education
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Christmas Day winds up to 114 mph damage UC Lick Observatory
Powerful Christmas Day winds gusting up to 114 mph severely damaged UC Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, forcing the nearly 140-year-old facility to close while officials headquartered at UC Santa Cruz assess structural damage and begin repairs expected to take months.
Posted inEducation
Newsmakers 2025: Watsonville activist reflects on monthlong hunger strike against pesticides
Watsonville activist Omar Dieguez discusses the impact of his monthlong hunger strike against pesticide applications near schools in the Pajaro Valley and also shares more details on his work to empower youth in his community.
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Seymour Marine Discovery Center prepares for biggest exhibition update since its opening 25 years ago: See More HQ
For the first time since opening 25 years ago, the Seymour Marine Discovery Center will debut a new permanent exhibit this spring, See More HQ, designed to position the center as a collaborative hub connecting local scientists, community groups and the public around coastal resilience.
Posted inEducation
Pajaro Valley Unified school board re-approves layoffs in special meeting to allow public chance to speak
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District board re-approved 81 teaching-related layoffs during a special meeting Monday after hearing public opposition from teachers, students and parents who were previously unable to comment.
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Ideas for improving California’s school funding formula come with billion-dollar costs, report says
A report from the Public Policy Institute of California cites the costs of controversial proposals such as adjusting the formula to reflect regional differences in funding the state’s TK-12 schools.
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More adults return to college in California as inflation and job fears rise
Some community college districts in California say enrollment is up by more than 10%, though official numbers have yet to be released. Historically, college enrollment fluctuates depending on the strength of the economy.
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‘This is just the beginning of the fight’: Pajaro Valley families organize after school board votes for major cuts in staff
After the Pajaro Valley Unified School District board voted to cut up to 160 jobs, community members are organizing to do what they can to stop the district from implementing all the layoffs, which they say will be devastating to students.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
California schools that need foreign workers for teacher jobs can’t afford Trump’s new visa fee
The Trump administration is now requiring new H-1B visa applicants to pay $100,000. California school districts that depend on hiring foreign workers to fill teacher jobs, especially in special education and bilingual education, say they can’t afford the new fee.
Posted inEducation
Pajaro Valley school board votes to cut nearly 160 jobs, more than 40 in special education, during stormy meeting
In a marathon, chaotic session that ended with the room being cleared because of disruptions, Pajaro Valley Unified School District trustees voted Thursday to cut 160 jobs in an effort to stay solvent and comply with California budget requirements.