CANDIDATES: MAYOR SHOULD HELP SCHOOLS BOTH AGREE THEY'D AID FINANCIALLY, FIND SITES.

Byline: Rick Orlov and Lisa Mascaro Staff Writers

The race between Mayor James Hahn and Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa plunged into the education issue Tuesday as both promised to do all they can to solve problems of Los Angeles' troubled public school system.

What a mayor can do, they each said, is assist the Los Angeles Unified School District in finding sites for new schools and in serving as a voice for the city in seeking more funds and demanding better performance from the school system.

Hahn appeared before the Board of Education and urged it to adopt the Small Schools Alliance pledge to have smaller schools throughout the district. He challenged Villaraigosa to a debate solely on education issues.

``I think this is a good time to have a debate on education and I am asking Mr. Villaraigosa to take this opportunity to discuss where our education system can go,'' Hahn said. ``As mayor, I think we need a unified approach to schools.''

Villaraigosa, after first deferring on the issue, said he and Hahn will debate before the May 18 runoff election and he thinks education should be given attention.

``Look, we will have debates. It's Mr. Hahn who refused to debate in the primary unless it was televised live,'' Villaraigosa said after filming an hourlong session for C-SPAN with some 36 San Fernando High School students.

``Education is one of the most important issues the city is facing and something the next mayor has to address if this is going to be a great city.''

Both Hahn and Villaraigosa had said during the primary election that the mayor could play only a limited role in education after one of their other top challengers, former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg, called for breaking up the LAUSD.

``I'm ecstatic that the issue of education has come to the forefront of the mayor's race,'' Hertzberg said. ``There is no issue more important in the city and, as mayor, you have to use the power of the office to make changes.

``I do find it hilarious that they mocked me when I first raised the issue and now it's the first thing out of the box in the runoff election.''

Hahn said he has been involved in educational issues dating back to his days as city attorney and working on a safe-schools program.

As mayor, he has worked to expand the ``L.A. Best'' and ``Beyond the Bell'' after-school programs as well as working in a partnership to find more sites for schools.

``I was a product of schools in south Los Angeles and my kids go to public schools,'' Hahn said. ``I am aware of how important education is.''

Villaraigosa, whose two school-age children attend Catholic schools, said his understanding is based on his own experiences with teachers and the United Teachers of Los Angeles union as well as his wife's experience as a public school teacher.

``A mayor has to form a partnership with the school district to hold them accountable,'' Villaraigosa said. ``We need more schools. We need smaller classrooms. We need more money to operate our schools.

``Don't let anyone fool you. If they tell you the money doesn't make a difference, look at the schools now, when we're 35th in funding and in the 1960s when we were in the top three. It makes a difference.''

Also on Tuesday, Hahn also met with residents at the Toluca Lake home of Sol and Lily Ajalat, where he heard repeated concerns about rapid development transforming the area's single-family neighborhoods. He assuring residents he cares about the San Fernando Valley.

``I've heard the frustrations that led to the vote of Valley cityhood,'' he told those gathered, saying his response was to invigorate neighborhood councils, which now number 85 citywide, and provide needed services.

``If people look around, they'll see this city's paying a lot more attention to the Valley, a lot more attention to things people are complaining about, fixing the streets, fixing the sidewalks,'' he said.

``I don't think you've had a mayor that's done more for the Valley than this mayor. Period. End of story.''

Hahn had been invited to participate in the C-SPAN program, which involves various officials talking to high school students about their life and leadership. C-SPAN officials said his office cited scheduling conflicts.

Villaraigosa related his experience as a one-time self-described ``wild child'' who dropped out of high school at one point, only to return at the encouragement of a teacher and go on to East Los Angeles College and UCLA.

``If it wasn't for my education, I wouldn't be here before you, looking to be the mayor of this great city,'' Villaraigosa said.

In addition to San Fernando High, other area schools participating in the program included High Tech High in Lake Balboa and Cleveland High School in Reseda.

The programs are scheduled to be broadcast the week of March 21-25.

Rick Orlov, [phone]

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) City Councilman and mayoral candidate Antonio Villaraigosa speaks to students at San Fernando High School about education during a C-SPAN taping Tuesday.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

(2) Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn speaks to residents gathered to discuss issues with him Tuesday at the Toluca Lake home of Sol and Lily Ajalat.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer