THE COMMITTEE ON EFFECTIVE SCHOOL GOVERNANCE, a broad-based group of civic leaders, is holding community forums next week to explore needed reforms in the district in anticipation of the April 13 LAUSD School Board election.

Forums are scheduled for the four contested board seats: District 1, which covers South and Central Los Angeles; District 3, which covers Hollywood, Silver Lake, West Hollywood, mid-Wilshire and parts of North Hollywood; District 5, which covers Northeast Los Angeles and the eastern San Fernando Valley, and District 7, which covers Watts, the Harbor and the South Bay. The forums will start at 7 p.m. to allow parents and others who work to attend.

The first forum is scheduled Monday, April 5 at Nightingale Middle School, 3311 N. Figueroa St. in Cypress Park. First-term incumbent David Tokofsky is scheduled to meet challenger Yolie Flores Aguilar.

The second debate is set for Tuesday, April 6 at Walter Reed Middle School, 4525 Irvine Ave. in North Hollywood. Two-term incumbent Jeff Horton is scheduled to engage Caprice Young, an IBM executive.

The third debate will be Thursday, April 8 at Fleming Middle School, 25425 Walnut St. in Lomita. Incumbent George Kiriyama is scheduled to debate Mike Lansing, a former parochial school teacher who runs the San Pedro Boys and Girls Club.

The fourth debate, scheduled for Friday, April 9 at the Foshay Learning Center, 3751 S. Harvard Blvd., near USC. Incumbent Barbara Boudreaux is scheduled to meet Genethia Hayes, the executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.