Monterey County has 11 schools ranked in the state's bottom 5 percent for academic achievement and 45 more are close to the bottom. Three of its 24 districts are under some sort of state supervision. And whoever is superintendent of schools for the next four years, county schools are sure to face additional financial and academic challenges given the precarious state of California's educational system.

Monterey County Superintendent of Schools Nancy Kotowski, vying for a second term, is asking voters to return her to the job to "continue the good work we've started."

"We have some challenges, but we are putting in place systems that are bringing our schools to the 21st Century. And good change takes time," Kotowski said.

Her challenger, Salinas City Superintendent of Schools Donna Alonzo Vaughan, says the county cannot take four more years of "reactive" leadership when so many local schools are failing.

On June 8, county voters will decide which road to take.

A graduate of the University of Southern California, Kotowski has worked at the Monterey County Office of Education since 1992, most recently as associate superintendent of curriculum and instruction from 2003 to 2006.

On her website and in debates against her opponent, she lists four elements of her campaign as the pillars of success for Monterey County schools: fiscal accountability, student achievement, effective leadership, and student safety and health.

In the last four years, she

said she has met important milestones to achieve those goals: the budget of the county Office of Education is sound, she prevented a fiscal crisis in King City, she has established programs to attract and retain qualified