A public hearing will be held tonight to discuss a proposal by two school committee members which would require the Cambridge School District to award 67 percent of all future job positions to minorities.

The plan, submitted last Tuesday by School Committee members Robin A. Harris and E. Denise Simmons, would take effect May 30 and is the most sweeping of three proposed revisions to the school district's 13-year-old affirmative action policy.

"There have been good intentions but small steps in the past 15 years," Harris said. "We want to see more tangible results."

Since 1982, school officials have been under a court order to increase the district's number of minority staff to 25 percent. In the past two years, 33 percent of new employees have been minorities, according to Regina A. Caines, affirmative action officer for the district.

"While [the court decision sets] guidelines, they are not mandates," Caines said. "They are one of many factors considered in meeting our goal."

School records show that minorities now comprise 18 percent of all faculty position in the Cambridge public schools and 20 percent of the district's overall staff, including administrators, teacher aides, custodians and support positions.

But Harris said her bill would insure that the district takes more aggressive action to secure qualified minority teachers.

"You can talk the talk, but if you don't add the quota, it won't happen," Harris said.

Committee Members Skeptical

A majority of school committee members have expressed reservations about the Harris/Simmons bill, saying it would prevent the district from securing the best applicants for various positions.

"We can't make a dent without increased efforts," said Henrietta A. Davis. "We haven't done as well as we hoped in hiring. But I'm not in favor of the quota; it's much too constraining."

Alfred B. Fantini, who has served on the school committee since 1982, praised the district's present affirmative action policy and said that it balances between increasing minority applicants and also ensuring quality education for students.

"Affirmative action is about bringing people to the table," Fantini said. "After that, we should be hiring the best people, not being told who to hire."

Fewer than 10 percent of all prospective teachers nationwide are minorities, Fantini said. As a result, it would be difficult to attract quality applicants and still meet the guidelines of the Harris/Simmons bill, he said.

"With such a small pool, it is phenomenal for us to have over 20 percent minorities in our system," Fantini said.