Josie P. Patterson, parent of a Cambridgeport sixth grader, expressed support for D'Alessandro, formerly the superintendent in Fort Myers, Fla.

"I think she has a lot of experience in dealing with equity issues and distribution of resources," Patterson said.

Still, Turkel said she believes the committee must address the performance disparities among Cambridge's 15 elementary schools.

"In this little tiny city, 6.5 square miles, we have schools that are not doing well," she said.

Patterson's 11-year-old son, Jamie, complained about his school's "messy" bathrooms and inadequate technological resources.

"I think we need more computers," he said. "We have one in each classroom, and then we have a couple of junky, old Apples."

Committee member Simmons said she recognizes that budget resources could be apportioned to achieve higher efficiency.

Accordingly, Simmons said she convinced the committee to submit this year's budget to an audit. Three-quarters of the committee's current $87.2 million budget goes to paying teachers' salaries.

Low Voter Turnout

Issues facing the new committee include finding a home for the Cambridgeport School, currently located in temporary quarters.

Robb W. Johnson, a Cambridge parent active in local politics, said he is concerned about "finding a permanent home for Cambridgeport."

Malenfant noted that, despite low overall voter turnout, "turnout in the Maynard school district was high because there's been controversy about relocating the Cambridgeport school into the Maynard School."

The incumbents voted on this move last term, specifying that planning efforts should occur this year to smooth the school merger.

Another factor may have contributed to lower turnouts.

Although the Alliance is somewhat more conservative than the CCA, the resolution of the previously divisive rent-control issue has brought the two parties together, Turkel said. "They are [now] very similar in ideology," she said.