The two incumbents and one challenger say ensuring fiscal responsibility, providing a living wage to employees and raising student test scores are some of the issues they will push if elected Nov. 4 to the Oxnard School District board.

Incumbent Albert "Al" Duff said the elementary district's five-member board has had to make some tough decisions to curtail spending because of state budget crunch, which could mean a funding loss this year of about $4 million.

Duff, 73, said he wants to see the completion of building projects he supported under a bond measure approved by voters in 2006. Under the $64 million bond, new buildings were built at Kamala and Curren schools that opened recently.

The bond is also being used to build another elementary school at Fifth Street and South Patterson Road, which will be completed next year and be named Juan Soria, said Duff, a retired civil engineer.

Duff and the other incumbent running for two open seats, Denis O'Leary, said providing enough classroom space for teachers also will be important when the district transitions all of its schools from a multi-track to a single-track schedule. In a multi-track system, multiple groups of students attend school at different times.

"We had so many students and teachers who had to share classrooms," Duff said. "As a board member, I want to continue to maintain and attract highly qualified teachers and administrators. As a board, we thought we could improve the quality of education by providing more facilities."

O'Leary said he is pleased the board recently approved living wages for employees. District officials adopted a living-wage policy in September but put off actual salary raises until next year. The board set a minimum wage of $10.12 per hour for employees. Playground supervisors, however, are the only group making less than that now. The policy will take effect July 1 and is expected to cost the district about $107,000, officials said.

O'Leary said that if re-elected, he would push to require any outside agency that does business with the district to provide a living wage to its employees.

"I truly believe improving the living wage condition would also help parents and their children to do better in school," said O'Leary, a teacher in the Rio School District.

Increasing state and federal test scores is another issue all three candidates hope to address if elected. The district currently has 16 schools not meeting federal test-score goals.

The challenger, business owner Aurelio Jauregui, said the district can do a better job of preparing students for tests and providing a successful path to high school.

Jauregui said there should be more focus on student achievement and professional development.

He also said the district should look at other innovative programs, such as bilingual education, that have succeeded in nearby districts.

"We need a better accountability system, which should include the district and the community," Jauregui said. "The primary goal should be student achievement."