>>> next on kqed newsroom, will california schools make the grade with kcurriculum requirements. controversy one year later and how robin williams helped make san francisco a comedy empire. >> god, it's good to be home. i'm not lying. i can't lie to you. it's not nice to be home with the birds to wake up. >>> good evening and welcome to kqed newsroom. i'm thuy vu. kids will be put to the test with policy changes. the funding formula devised by jerry brown puts local districts in control how they spend education funding and provides money for low-income students and english learners. the national common core standards takes full effect this year. they drastically change how students are taught and tested. joining me now for an explanation are california state school board president michael kurst and jill tucker. michael, let's begin with you, the new so-called local control funding formula is a traumatic shift for school districts. can you explain how it works and why is it needed? >> the old system of financing was a historical accretion back to the 19 60s. it did not adjust for

and welcome to "kqed newsroom." eye thuy vu. we dedicate tonight's program to the california criminal justice system that affects prisoners serving life sentences. 15 years to life, 25 years to life, mostly for murder. under governor jerry brown's administration a record number of so-called lifers are being granted parole. the governor's office says this has nothing to do with the need to reduce prison overcrowding. instead they insist the trend is driven mostly by court rulings that make it harder to deny parole. scott shafer takes a look at a no program aimed at addressing the growing number of lifers getting out. >> reporter: hundreds of inmates mere at solano prison in vacaville are hoping for a second chance, and officials think the key is rehabilitation. >> hurt people. >> reporter: these prisoners are doing sentences like 25 years to life, some for the most heinous crimes imaginable. >> the hurt that we carry, we take it out on somebody else. >> reporter: they don't know if they'll ever get out. still, they're trying to u

>>> next on "kqed newsroom" -- >> i support moving in a new direction, taxing, regulating for adults this drug. >> lieutenant governor gavin newsom makes the case for legalizing marijuana as polls show shifting attitudes. >>> money woes force the sacramento philharmonic orchestra and opera to scrap their upcoming season. why some art companies fail and others thrive in a turbulent economic climate. >>> and at the state capitol, the legislature tackles hundreds of bills before the end of the session, including assisted living reform, a controversial water bond, and california's cap and trade system. ♪ >>> good evening, welcome to "kqed newsroom," i'm scott schafer, thuy vu is off tonight. as colorado and washington surge ahead, polls show a growing number of americans support legalizing pot. four years ago, california voters rejected a statewide ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana use, but plans are under way to put the question before voters again in 2016. governor jerry brown opposes the idea, but lieutenant governor gavin newsom is chairing a task force to study the i

. >>> good evening, and welcome to kqed newsroom. i'm tui vu. e-mails revealing a close relationship between pg&e and the public utilities commission are leading to calls for the removal of the state. pg&e was hit with a 28-count indictment to look into the cause of the pipeline blast in san bernardino. he killed eight people, leveled several homes and destroyed a neighborhood. she loretta lynch is a corporate influence. >> you've been a long time influence in the state of california. what troubles you most about the e malils that went back and forh between the public utilities commission and pg&e? >> it shows there are cozy relationships with the regulated entity. instead of cracking a whip and making sure every dime that's spent is just and reasonable, they are telling them how to spend the money. >> you're describing a lap dog. is that what's happened? >> it's absolutely a lap dog and now a toothless tiger. if anything, they're in the same cage. it's a real problem when the puc both pressures its line employees not to go after documents, not

. >>> next on "kqed newsroom" -- >> i support moving in a new direction taxing regulating for adults this drug. >> lieutenant governor gavin newsom makes the case for legalizing marijuana as polls show shifting attitudes. >>> money woes force the sacramento philharmonic orchestra and opera to scrap their upcoming season. why some art companies fail and others thrive in a turbulent economic climate. >>> and at the state capitol, the legislature tackles hundreds of bills before the end of the session including assisted living reform, a controversial water bond, and california's cap and trade system.

p >>> up next, a special edition of kqed newsroom making a bet on rehabilitation for prisoners serving life sentences. >> i committed first degree murder back in 1982. >> california has some 26,000 lifers behind bars. now more, many more, are being paroled due to changes in the criminal justice system. do they pose a risk to public safety? >> in my humble opinion, some of these parolees are ticking timebombs. >> will rehabilitation work? >> a strong public safety interest in making sure they're prepared when they do get released.

. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com >>> next on kqed newsroom, will california schools make the gradersy one year later and how robin williams helped make san francisco a comedy empire. >> god, it's good to be home. i'm not lying. i can't lie to you. it's not nice to be home with the birds to wake up.

. >>> next on kqed newsroom, will california schools make the grade with kcurriculum requirements. controversy one year later and how robin williams helped make san francisco a comedy empire. >> god, it's good to be home. i'm not lying. i can't lie to you. it's not nice to be home with the birds to wake up.

. >>> up next, a special edition of kqed newsroom making a bet on rehabilitation for prisoners serving life sentences. >> i committed first degree murder back in 1982. >> california has some 26,000 lifers behind bars. now more, many more, are being paroled due to changes in the criminal justice system. do they pose a risk to public safety? >> in my humble opinion, some of these parolees are ticking timebombs. >> will rehabilitation work? >> a strong public safety interest in making sure they're prepared when they do get released.

. >>> next on "kqed newsroom" -- >> i support moving in a new direction, taxing, regulating for adultsdrug. >> lieutenant governor gavin newsom makes the case for legalizing marijuana as polls show shifting attitudes. >>> money woes force the sacramento philharmonic orchestra and opera to scrap their upcoming season. why some art companies fail and others thrive in a turbulent economic climate. >>> and at the state capitol, the legislature tackles hundreds of bills before the end of the session, including assisted living reform, a controversial water bond, and california's cap and trade system.

. >> be >>> up next, a special edition of kqed newsroom making a bet on rehabilitation for prisoners serving life sentences. >> i committed first degree murder back in 1982. >> california has some 26,000 lifers behind bars. now more, many more, are being paroled due to changes in the criminal justice system. do they pose a risk to public safety? >> in my humble opinion, some of these parolees are ticking timebombs. >> will rehabilitation work? >> a strong public safety interest in making sure they're prepared when they do get released.