Tustin Trustee Race

Eight candidates, including two incumbents, are campaigning for three open seats on the board of Tustin Unified School District. Incumbent Merlin L. Henry is not seeking reelection. A look at the district and the contenders:

The District

Boundaries: Tustin, unincorporated North Tustin, part of unincorporated Santa Ana, small areas of northwest Irvine and eastern Santa Ana.

Enrollment: 14,337 in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Facilities: Three high schools, four middle schools, 12 elementary, one adult and alternative education school.

Board members: Five

The Candidates

Ann G. Albertson

Age: 35

Occupation: Bookkeeper-accountant.

Background: Vice president, district PTA-PTO Coordinating Council; former PTA president; former member, district Strategic Planning Action Team; member, school technology committee.

Major issues: Managing enrollment growth; keeping schools within walking distance; providing more local control to individual school sites; more accountability for students, teachers and adminsitrators.

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Tammie K. Bullard

Age: 33

Occupation: Homemaker; runs small desktop publishing business.

Background: Research assistant for a national education publication; helps high school students produce yearbooks; affiliaed with conservative Orange County Education Alliance.

Major issues: Raising academic standards; returning to emphasis on basic skills; lobbying state and federal govenment to return more local control to schools; opposing all campus social services and school- based medical clinics.

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Ernie Ching

Age: 48

Occupation: Attorney, adjunct professor

Background: Former chairman, Districtwide Captial Enrollment Advisory Committee; past president, middle school PTO and site council; board member, Tustin Public Schools Foundation.

Major issues: Renewing emphasis on basic learning skills; increasing academic standards and making annual assessments; creating district master plan for growth; establishing financial advisory committee.

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Todd Ferguson

Age: 53

Occupation: Science teacher

Background: Incumbent; member, Tustin Marine Base Closure Committee; educator for 25 years; Vietnam vetern.

Major issues: Managing class size reduction; returning to emphasis on phonics, reading and other basic skills; asking voters to decide whether trustees should have term limits; increasing parental involvement.

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Gail Michelsen

Age: 37

Occupation: Computer marketing manager

Background: Incumbent; 16 years of experience in computer industry; board member, North Tustin Advisory Committee.

Major issues: Managing enrollment growth without breaking up neighborhood schools; increasing teacher training and participation by teachers and community members in decision making; focusing on technology.

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Elsa J. O’Hare

Age: 42

Occupation: Telecommunications analyst

Background: Manages corporate telecommunications systems; co-founder of HELP, a nonprofit group helping abused children; organizer, Community Safety Fair for Drug- Free Environment.

Major issues: Emphasizing basic skills of reading, writing, spelling and math; managing enrollment growth and class size reduction; increasing involvment by parents, community and local business; improving relations between board and city government.

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Francine Pace Scinto

Age: 45

Occupation: Partner, real estate investment firm

Background: Extensive business and management experience; past president, Foothill Community Assn.; member, Strategic Planning Committee for Facilities.

Major issues: Raising academic standards; focusing on basic skills; managing enrollment growth; refurbishing schools; establishing master plan for district; increasing state lobbying efforts; adding foreign language classes in elementary schools.

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Kay M. Weymouth

Age: 40

Occupation: Homemaker, seamstress

Background: Administrative director, Orange County Family Impact Council; reserach assistant for national education publication; affiliated with conservative Orange County Education Alliance.

Major issues: Lobbying state and federal government to return more local control to schools; raising academic standards; exploring privatization options for district; opposing all campus social services and school-based medical clinics.

Source: Individual candidates, Orange County Education Alliance; Researched by JOHN POPE / For The Times