Open the papers any day this month and you will read about Proposition 57 (the Economic Recovery Bond Act) and Proposition 58 (the California Balanced Budget Act).

But what about the other propositions on the March ballot — propositions 55 and 56?

Proposition 55 is the Kindergarten-University Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 2004. I will try to educate voters on this "forgotten" proposition and, frankly, to advocate support for the measure.

Proposition 55 is a general obligation bond for construction and renovation of K-12 school facilities and higher education facilities that will allow the state to sell $12.3 billion of general obligation bonds to provide funding for a variety of projects to build, repair and modernize K-12 schools ($10 billion) and higher education facilities ($2.3 billion). Proposition 55 does not increase taxes.

Proposition 55 is the second part of a two-part general obligation bond. In November 2002, California voters passed the first education bond (Proposition 47) of this two-part project. That money is now depleted. The Legislature and governor put this second part of an education bond measure on the March 2004 ballot and required that, should it not pass, it be placed before the voters again at the next election in November 2004.

This bond issue will provide funding for necessary education facilities to relieve overcrowding and to repair older schools. Funds will be targeted to areas of the greatest need and must be spent according to strict accountability measures. Funds will also be used to upgrade and build new classrooms in community colleges, and in schools in the California State University system and the University of California, to provide adequate higher education facilities to accommodate the growing student enrollment. These bonds may be used only for eligible projects.

By law, the state provides 50% of the money for new construction and 60% for approved modernization projects for K-12 schools. Local buy-in is not required at the community college, CSU and UC campuses. But at the community college level at least, local contribution is recommen- ded (failure to have local buy-in will mean state bond money won't be given to that campus).

Proposition 55 also provides funds to build new schools to relieve overcrowding, accommodate expected new enrollment and provide classrooms to keep our class sizes and schools smaller. California needs to build 22,000 classrooms to deal with overcrowding and increasing enrollment. More than one million California school children attend an overcrowded school or a school needing repairs. California has the third most overcrowded classrooms in the nation. Nearly 1,000 school sites (in 47 school districts across California) have schools with inadequate classroom space and student population densities in excess of 200% and sometimes 300% of California Department of Education guidelines.

Every district is eligible for its fair share of Proposition 55 funds, based on local need. No district gets more than its fair share. Proposition 55 also contains hardship provisions for those districts most in need.

• ELLEN TAYLOR is action vice president for the League of Women Voters of the Claremont Area. Reach her at etlwv@yahoo.com.