Education

This school year, all California State University students were given access to an educational version of ChatGPT, a strategic step towards advancing artificial intelligence into higher education. At Cal State Monterey Bay, that decision is already being tested through grant-funded research that examines how artificial intelligence changes teaching, ethics, and career preparation.

For the fourth year, Cal State Monterey Bay has coordinated a gift drive to provide toys and household items to students who are parents.

Provost Andrew Lawson credits CSUMB's progress increasing graduation rates to a campus-wide devotion to hands-on classes and personalized academic experiences.

Major layoffs in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, local growers are unhappy with a Trump farm bailout, and new approaches for housing gain steam. That and more in this week's roundup.

The local nonprofit Encompass Community Services steps down from administering the Head Start program after 40 years. Plus, Governor Gavin Newsom announces the development of affordable housing on California state land.

Head Start programs will continue running in Santa Cruz County through the end of the month despite the government shutdown. And, a state bill was set to create the first farmland access program in California. Then it was vetoed.

A change in federal funding threatens local Head Start programs, which provide free preschool for low-income families. Plus, the City of Santa Cruz is seeking public input on the Wharf Master Plan.

Soledad Unified School district has received a nearly 3 million dollar state grant. And Monterey county wants to hear from residents about sustainable transportation options.

A new preschool opens its doors in East Salinas. And, a federal judge in San Francisco has ordered the Justice Department to defend its suspension of hundreds of scientific research grants at UCLA.

An underwhelming takeaway from a recent Moss Landing Vistra battery fire report. Plus, universal pre-K kicks off during the 2025-26 school year for Monterey Bay area families.