The greatest hope for the Valley's future is sitting in the Valley's classrooms. It is there that our schools are training the people who will develop the next big thing in technology, diagnose our cancers, design our buildings, bring the most brutal of criminals to justice, comfort us with music, dance and art.

On June 3, voters will have an opportunity to approve school bonds to support the growth of Central Unified School District, West Hills College and Kerman Unified School District. The Bee recommends "yes" votes on all three.

Central Unified School District

Central Unified's Measure E, a $152 million bond, would build four new schools -- including a new high school -- and refurbish other campuses. Measure E calls for $230 million in projects, with $80 million coming from matching state funds. Projects would be completed over the next 10 to 12 years.

Central has 14,195 students studying on 18 campuses and stretches for 88 square miles, mostly west of Highway 99. Since 2003, enrollment has ballooned by 20%, at least 400 students a year, and officials expect an additional 4,000 students by 2013.

Measure E would cost property owners in the district a maximum of $60 per $100,000 of assessed value annually.

Kerman Unified School District

Kerman Unified voters are asked to approve Measure K, a $24.9 million bond to build an elementary school, vocational and technical education classrooms at Kerman High School and a multipurpose room at Liberty Intermediate School. The district, which covers 140 square miles, has about 3,800 students studying at seven schools.

If the bond passes, the district will be eligible for $8 million in state matching funds. The bond would not represent an additional tax but extend the current bond assessment of $53 per $100,000 assessed valuation annually.

West Hills Community College District

West Hills Community College District is requesting approval of Measure Q to provide for $11.8 million in improvements to the Firebaugh center and other facilities in the northern area of the district. The money would be used to construct classrooms and a library, renovate classrooms and buildings, buy land and improve energy efficiency and access to computers and technology. Passage also would make the district eligible for state matching funds.

Only voters in the northern third of the district will be voting on the bond, which will cost an additional $19.85 per $100,000 assessed valuation annually.

Vote "yes" on Central's Measure E, Kerman's Measure K and West Hills' Measure Q.