She said yesterday that she enjoyed her experience on the board but wanted to work full-time on her husband's campaign in the 2nd Congressional District against U.S. Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawai'i.

"I want to help him and be his specialist on education," said Gabbard, who added that she would continue to serve as a school volunteer.

In a statement announcing her decision, Gabbard said she would work with her husband, now a member of the City Council, to bring more federal attention to education and to "maximize the benefits of worthy programs such as No Child Left Behind."

The federal law requires that schools make annual progress so that all students are proficient in core subjects by 2014.

Case has asked the U.S. Department of Education to look into Hawai'i's performance under the law. Sixty percent of the state's schools failed to make annual targets in the 2002-2003 school year.

Gabbard, an at-large member of the school board, is the third board member not to seek re-election this year. Sherwood Hara, who represents Kaua'i, and Shelton Jim On, an at-large member on O'ahu, also will not run again.

Meanwhile, former congressman Cecil Heftel announced Sunday that he would run for an at-large seat on the board rather than challenge school board member Denise Matsumoto in the board's Honolulu district.

"After talking with Denise, I realized that the experience she gained from serving 16 years on the BOE is valuable, and besides, we both have similar goals. I believe collectively we will achieve much together," Heftel said in a statement.

Seven of the 13 elected seats on the board are up for election this year; three at-large on O'ahu and seats representing Honolulu, Leeward, Kaua'i and the Big Island. The filing deadline for candidates is today.

Troy Hashimoto, a senior at King Kekaulike High School on Maui, was sworn in yesterday as the new student member of the board.