California education officials today released a list of the state's 188 worst-performing schools. Their purpose is to fulfill the requirements of new state and federal laws that require radical changes in schools that chronically fail to raise student achievement. We discuss the schools with the executive director of Policy Analysis for California Education, a research center based at UC Berkeley, Stanford and USC.
Host: Cy Musiker
More info:
- List of schools, identification criteria used and more : at CDE.ca.gov

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

A controversial new law was proposed in San Francisco this week. Mayor Gavin Newsom introduced what's called a 'sit/lie law' that would ban sitting or lying on public sidewalks anywhere in the city.
Host: Kelly Wilkinson
Guests:
- Bob Offer-Westort, civil rights organizer for the Coalition on Homelessness
- Peter Keane, professor at Golden Gate University Law School
- Ted Lowenberg, president of the Haight Ashbury Improvement Association
More info:
- KQED's Forum: "Sit/Lie Laws"

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

It's been a day of impassioned protest around the Bay Area and California as students of all ages, parents, and teachers took to the streets and schoolyards to voice dissatisfaction with continuing cuts to public education. Host Kelly Wilkinson presents a round-up of today's action. KQED's Nina Thorsen, Tara Siler, Oanh Ha, Jon Becker, Kelly Mahan, and Tracey Scharmann contributed to our report.
Host: Kelly Wilkinson
More info:
- Photo slideshow : See images from protests around the Bay Area.
- Listen to the Forum discussion

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

A blue-ribbon commission appointed by state Treasurer Bill Lockyer to investigate the impacts of closing Toyota's carmaking operation at NUMMI issued a report today arguing that the state and federal governments should take steps to ensure the plant remains open. Host Kelly Wilkinson interviews UC-Berkeley labor economist Harley Shaiken, a member of the panel, about the report.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

A new poll out today shows a majority of Californians want to try and close the state's epic budget deficit with spending cuts -- instead of tax hikes. The latest Field Poll surveyed more than 1,200 residents. Unsurprisingly, the poll finds that voters are unhappy with the state government. We talk with Tyche Hendricks, KQED's Governance Editor, about the findings and what they mean for the future of the state.
Host: Kelly Wilkinson
Guests:
- Tyche Hendricks, governance editor, KQED
More info:
- Field Poll : Latest poll that finds that voters favor spending cuts over tax increases to reduce state budget deficit.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

A UC Berkeley biologist published new research today showing that Atrazine, a widely used herbicide, is making male frogs sterile or female. Integrative biology professor Tyrone Hayes has been doing research on Atrazine for more than a decade. He's also recently published research showing that Atrazine is contributing to a decline in the number of amphibians world-wide.
Host: Cy Musiker
Guests:
- Tim Pastoor, principle scientist for Syngenta
- Tyrone Hayes, professor of integrative biology at UC Berkeley
More info:
- KQED's Forum: "Pesticide Threatens Frogs"
- Read Professor Hayes' abstract via the National Academy of Sciences : at PNAS.org

Get the Flash Player to see this player.