Your grassroots efforts are very much appreciated. Lowering of this vote requirement for local school bond measures was a long-time PTA priority. PTA played a major role in the campaign to pass this constiitutional amendment. While the address focused primarily on California's current energy crisis, the Governor still calls education his first, second and third priority. And most importantly, our hard work is paying off.
Test scores are up.
Student confidence is higher. Public support is growing. All across the state, we are turning higher expectations into better student achievement. The Governor announced that his education efforts in the next year will focus on more teacher training, more emphasis on algebra, and a longer school year for middle school students. He also proposed to expand the Healthy Families Program in order to provide health insurance for 290,000 low-income working parents.