SACRAMENTO - A candidates forum featuring candidates running to replace Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell gave voters a rare side-by-side look at the candidates during the California State PTA's 111th annual convention today. The forum, held at the Sacramento Convention Center, was co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund and the California State PTA.

Hundreds of PTA members and others crowded a large room at the convention center as candidates Larry Aceves, Diane Lenning, Gloria Romero and Tom Torlakson answered questions submitted by audience members and posed by moderator Janis R. Hirohama, president of the League of Women Voters of California.

The forum is scheduled for broadcast on the California Channel at 7 p.m., April 30. For more information about that broadcast and subsequent airings, please visit www.calchannel.com.

everychild. onevoice.

The California State PTA has nearly 1 million members throughout the state working on behalf of public schools, children and families, with the motto, "Every child, one voice." The PTA is the nation's oldest, largest and highest profile volunteer association working to improve the education, health and welfare of all children and youth. The PTA also advocates at national, state and local levels for education and family issues. The PTA is nonprofit, nonsectarian and noncommercial.

For more information about the California State PTA, visit www.capta.org.

The League of Women Voters of California Education Fund conducts voter service and citizen education activities. It is a 501(c)(3) corporation, a nonpartisan, nonprofit education organization, which:

• Builds citizen participation in the democratic process.

• Studies key community issues at all government levels in an unbiased manner.

• Enables people to seek positive solutions to public policy issues through education and conflict management.

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