The race for three Board of Education O'ahu at-large seats will result in at least one new member on the board even if both incumbents are re-elected to another term.

O'ahu at-large members Lei Ahu Isa and Garrett Toguchi face a slate of four challengers — some familiar and some not so familiar. Because longtime board member and former U.S. Rep. Cec Heftel has chosen not to seek re-election to his at-large seat, at least one new person will join the public school system's governing body.

The group of four challenging Ahu Isa and Toguchi for the three O'ahu at-large seats includes three prominent candidates — former BOE Chairman Randall Yee, former state Rep. Terrance Tom and former BOE member K. Darrow Aiona. Political newcomer Janis Akuna is also seeking office.

SEEKING TRANSPARENCY

Ahu Isa, who is completing her first term on the board, says she's seeking re-election in order to continue to push for more transparency and accountability from the public school system.

With the state Department of Education dealing with deep budget reductions, Ahu Isa said, she's concerned that cuts are being made without any clear long-term vision or goal.

"Where's the comprehensive plan for the whole school system?" Ahu Isa said. "I've never seen one."

She also said she's concerned that the school system is not "responsive to the community."

For example, she pointed to recent controversy over some $1 million spent to send educators to Florida for a national education conference.

"It was never communicated to the board or the community the importance of the trip," Ahu Isa said.

That left the DOE vulnerable to criticism about that decision, she said.

Likewise, Toguchi, who has served on the board for 10 years, says he's running to continue his work of strengthening transparency when it comes to the DOE's finances.

PROGRAM EVALUATION

In 2007 Toguchi championed a policy that required the DOE to evaluate programs every five years.

"Every dollar that gets spent needs to be analyzed. If something is not working, we need to redirect that money elsewhere," Toguchi said.

He said he sees his role on the board as an active one, proposing changes, questioning education leadership and affecting policy.

"The board has been very passive. I'm wanting to take more of a leadership role and be more proactive in questioning the things that the DOE is doing," Toguchi said.

Recently, Toguchi asked the DOE to research how much money could be saved if the public school system were to shave two days off its calendar. Toguchi said the option should be looked at if it would result in significant savings, especially during times of budget cuts.

"I do take a pro-active approach to coming with ideas and policies that have a positive impact on the schools," Toguchi said.

K. Darrow Aiona, who served on the BOE from 1976 to 1995, said he decided to run because he felt there was a need for a Native Hawaiian voice on the board.

"I'm very frustrated with the school system and not seeing Native Hawaiians doing well," he said.

MORE HAWAIIAN STUDY

Aiona said he'd like to see more Hawaiian language and history in the classroom and would also like to see the DOE's Kupuna Program strengthened. That program puts Hawaiian elders in the classrooms to teach music, culture and language.

Aiona, who taught sociology and religion at Leeward Community College for 29 years, also said students are not being prepared to handle the rigors of college course work or the work force.

"They were coming (to KCC) and had to take remedial courses," Aiona said. "These kids were right out of high school. They weren't prepared."

Former state Rep. Terrance Tom, who served as in the state House from 1982 to 1998, said schools are underfunded. Tom said he would resist calls for budget cuts from the governor.

"I would do what I can to fight for dollars that we need for our kids," he said.

While Tom said DOE's so-called weighted student formula attempts to get money to the school level, there isn't enough money in the formula to go around.

He said he would ask the governor to spare education and cut everywhere else.

"If you don't provide the necessary dollars to kids, what happens when that kid suffers? You can't return what you've taken away from that child," he said.

'MOVING FORWARD'

Former BOE Chairman Randall Yee is looking to return to the board after he decided in 2006 to run for the state Senate. He says he brings experience and a knowledge of how DOE's bureaucracy works.

"I was on the board from 2002 to 2006, and I felt that we were really moving forward," he said.

During that time, the board began implementing the weighted student formula, which gave control over school budgets to principals and school community councils. The board also implemented a unified school calendar during that time.

"A lot of good things were happening to make the system more streamlined, shifting to locally based decisions rather than centrally located," he said.

BUDGET CUTS OPPOSED

As for one of the most pressing issues — budget cuts — Yee said he would approach the governor and ask for "an exception regarding cuts to the DOE."

Janis Akuna, a financial planner and investment management analyst, says she entered the race for the board hoping to make a difference. This is the first time Akuna has sought public office.

"A lot of people say they are concerned about education and public schools, yet not a lot of people step forward to do much about it," Akuna said.

"The BOE is where I thought I could make a difference, and contribute skills that I can bring to the table," she said.

Akuna said she supports the intentions of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation and the state's Reinventing Education Act. But she said both have been underfunded mandates.

"Since No Child Left Behind went into place, we have seen improvement. But the concern is, are we developing kids to their fullest potential?" she said.

Akuna also said the school system should seek more private money for programs in light of recent budget cuts.