Incoming L.A. Mayor Stumped for Oversight of Education System

Antonio Villaraigosa was elected mayor of Los Angeles last week, besting incumbent James K. Hahn in a race that often saw the two Democrats competing over who could better promote improvement in the city’s schools.

Mr. Villaraigosa, a City Council member, took 59 percent of the vote in the May 17 runoff election, which saw him matched once again with Mr. Hahn, who beat him to the mayor’s office in 2001. This time around, Mr. Hahn lost big, garnering 41 percent of the vote.

The candidates began devoting more attention to education in mid-March, shortly after a March 8 election gave no candidate the majority, and set Mr. Hahn and Mr. Villaraigosa...