The winning candidates bring strong name recognition and experience to a 14-member board plagued with weighty issues, including dividing money fairly among schools and improving student academic achievement.

Two of the winners called their election a mandate for change. Donna Ikeda, who ran strongest among the six O'ahu at-large candidates, said the new board could result in a shake-up of the leadership.

"If you look at board leadership, it's been a game of musical chairs," said Ikeda, who joins three other victorious newcomers, John Penebacker, Eileen Clarke and Kim Coco Iwamoto.

"I don't see that as being healthy and I don't see that as being what people want," Ikeda said.

Along with the four board newcomers, incumbent Karen Knudsen won re-election to her O'ahu at-large seat. A second incumbent, Maui member Mary Cochran, was elected outright before the primary because she had no opposition.

Incumbents Shirley Robinson and Darwin Ching lost yesterday. Incumbent Paul Vierling lost in the primary and current board chairman Randall Yee pulled out of the board race in the primary to run for a seat in the state Senate. He lost that bid.

Ikeda has lengthy experience in the Legislature; both Ikeda and Penebacker have served on the board in the past; Clarke has had a long career in the Department of Education; and Iwamoto, an attorney, has served on the DOE Safe Schools Advisory Committee.

Penebacker, who beat Kris DeRego for the Windward seat, said voters want "progressive change."

"They're looking for members that take a very assertive position in dealing with taxpayers' funds," he said.

Knudsen said the board is filled with strong personalities and people who want to get things accomplished.

The new board, which governs the state's 284 public schools and manages a budget of more than $2 billion, will face a wide range of continuing issues, from bullying and violence in the schools to fast-tracking repairs to the aging school infrastructure.