Rummelhoff, who has spent eight years on the school district board, announced his intention on July 6 to run for the county board of education in the upcoming Nov. 2 election. He said his experience on the San Jose school board—passing bond measures to raise money for school repairs, ending court-ordered desegregation and closing the gap between higher-performing schools and lower-performing schools—would give him a head start on dealing with county education issues.

The county board seat under contention represents Area 4—which includes Willow Glen—and is currently held by Alex Bantis, who is finishing up his second four-year term.

Rummelhoff said Bantis, a former teacher of 30 years, "really hasn't spent a lot of time understanding the San Jose Unified issues, even though that's the area he should be representing." Still, he added, "It's not about trying to remove him from office."

Bantis said he will run for re-election. In response to Rummelhoff's comments, he said, "That's a loaded statement. I don't think that's true."

Rummelhoff said his ambition for the position arises from his disappointment with the way the county tackled funding shortfalls for alternative schools and what he sees as a lack of leadership by the county board and county Superintendent of Schools Colleen Wilcox.

The county office of education implemented a "slot system" last year to transfer responsibility for covering the gap between state funding for alternative schools—about $8,000 annually per student—and the actual cost of running the programs—about $11,000 per student—from the county to the individual school districts.

Since the state froze funding levels for alternative schools in 1996, only seven of the county's original 18 programs are still in operation, and just 87 of almost 220 staff members remain. The office of education plans to close its Teenage Parent program next year and eliminate 20 more staff positions this fall.

"When the proposal first came out, I voted against it," Bantis said. "Then they lowered the amount [individual districts would have to pay] and I went along. But I had second thoughts and said that at several council meetings."

As programs have been cut, enrollment in county alternative schools has fallen off drastically, from 1,937 in the 1997­98 school year to 915 in 2003­04.

"I feel the kids lost out," Rummelhoff said. "There were a thousand other ways to solve this. At a time when budgets are so thin, it's more important for organizations to work together to maximize limited resources. I don't see a lot of work going on in that area. I'm kind of disappointed to see that."

Bantis called the opposition's statement too general. "I'd like to see what other ways there are," he said. "I'm open to suggestion and new ideas. We're working as a collaborative with the schools, districts, agencies and People Acting in Community Together."

Although he wasn't planning to file his application to run until this week, the candidate already started campaigning several weeks ago.

"The endorsement game always plays a role in this," he said. So far Rummelhoff counts San Jose Vice Mayor Pat Dando and Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jim Cunneen as supporters.

Don't count the incumbent out, Bantis said. "I have the experience, I have a good voter base, and name recognition." Congressman Mike Honda and Assemblymember Joe Simitian are backing Bantis.

Anne Gelhaus contributed to this story.