[ BOARD OF EDUCATION ]

At-large

Lei Ahu Isa

Nonpartisan

Age: 60 Job: Professor of management at Hawaii Pacific University Past: Administrative experience, teaching

What qualifies you to be a Board of Education member?

I have taught for 25 years and have experience as a school fiscal/budget officer. I also have a master and doctoral degrees in education. I was also a state representative for six years and familiar with education issues.

Do you support or oppose Gov. Linda Lingle's plan to break up the statewide Board of Education? Explain.

I don't know about seven elected boards, but different district complexes might be the answer. There has to be a board that oversees the total organization so no one group becomes stronger and competes for all the funds.

Have you had any interaction with Hawaii's public schools?

Yes, I was a member of the school/community-based management group of both Maemae and Lanakila Schools.

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Darwin L.D. Ching

Nonpartisan

Age: 58 Job: Attorney Past: Board of directors for Palama Settlement and Family Services Center

What qualifies you to be a Board of Education member?

Former teacher, parent and grandparent

Do you support or oppose Gov. Linda Lingle's plan to break up the statewide Board of Education? Explain.

Yes! Reasonable people given the authority and responsibility will make sure that we all do and give our best towards education.

Have you had any interaction with Hawaii's public schools?

Former teacher, volunteered as Mock Trial teach coach for McKinley High School.

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Cec Heftel

Nonpartisan

Age: 79 Job: Broadcast station owner and executive Past: Member, U.S. Congress from Hawaii, 10 years

What qualifies you to be a Board of Education member?

A lifetime of concern for upgrading the education of our youth, including those who need special attention. I worked to develop funding and the facilities for children with learning disabilities (Crossroads of the Pacific). ...

Do you support or oppose Gov. Linda Lingle's plan to break up the statewide Board of Education? Explain.

If we do not see improvement under the existing statewide Board of Education, we may be forced to break it into local boards whose success will depend upon how we allocate funds, control classroom size ...

Have you had any interaction with Hawaii's public schools?

Yes, as a member of the Education Committee in Congress, I became familiar with the role of federal Impact Aid and Title I and problems with education in Hawaii. I provided $300,000 in scholarships for students with economic need ...

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Guy Kaulukukui

Nonpartisan

Age: 44 Job: Hawaiian leadership development consultant Past: Former chairman, education, Bishop Museum

What qualifies you to be a Board of Education member?

I am an educator and come from a family of educators. I was a social studies teacher at Kamehameha Schools, and over a dozen of my 'ohana have taught in Hawai'i schools for the past 50 years. I am a lifelong learner, and have Ph.D. ...

Do you support or oppose Gov. Linda Lingle's plan to break up the statewide Board of Education? Explain.

I support the governor's plan to break up the statewide Board of Education if it empowers families, students, and individual schools. If the plan cannot demonstrate meaningful improvements ... then it is no better than the status quo.

Have you had any interaction with Hawaii's public schools?

I have participated in career day activities at Ka'a'awa elementary and Anuenue School. I have conducted teacher in-service programs at Ka Umeke Kaeo, Konawaena Intermediate, and Moloka'i Intermediate.

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Robert R. "Bob" Midkiff

Nonpartisan

Age: 83 Job: President, Atherton Family Foundation Past: Businessman, many years of volunteer community service.

What qualifies you to be a Board of Education member?

As one of the founders of the Good Beginnings Alliance, I have seen how quality early education can improve readiness for school and future student achievement. I served six years as president of GBA.

Do you support or oppose Gov. Linda Lingle's plan to break up the statewide Board of Education? Explain.

Not at this time. I believe that the superintendent and newly elected Board of Education should be given the opportunity to carry out the reorganization schemes of Act 51.

Have you had any interaction with Hawaii's public schools?

The Atherton Family Foundation has supported the Principals' Leadership Academy and has a relationship with Dole Intermediate School.

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Garrett Toguchi

Nonpartisan

Age: 43 Job: President, Toguchi & Associates (nonprofit consulting) Past: Government, private business

What qualifies you to be a Board of Education member?

Experience. Six years on BOE chairing the Special Programs Committee overseeing Felix, Hawaiian Language/Studies and the Gifted/Talented Program. Served as executive director of large nonprofit. ...

Do you support or oppose Gov. Linda Lingle's plan to break up the statewide Board of Education? Explain.

Oppose. Governor has not shown how her plan would improve education. The governor's plan would require additional money for more bureaucracy. Those funds should be used to meet the requirements of NCLB and IDEA ...

Have you had any interaction with Hawaii's public schools?

As a BOE member, I've visited many schools on Oahu and the neighbor islands. I have been able to talk with many teachers, administrators and parents about a variety of issues.