Teachers Union Gives Korenstein Late $80,000 Boost : Campaign: Cash infusion pushed school board member’s total contributions from about $50,000 to $130,000, more than doubling her war chest.

The Los Angeles teachers union and its members gave more than $80,000 in cash and services in the past two weeks to help reelect school board member Julie Korenstein, a last-minute boost that more than doubles her campaign fund, according to campaign reports filed Friday.

Contributions from United Teachers-Los Angeles and its affiliate, Political Action Council of Educators (PACE), pushed Korenstein’s total campaign contributions from about $50,000 to $130,000, according to the report required of last-minute donations greater than $1,000.

Korenstein, 49, is seeking election Tuesday to a third term on the Los Angeles Unified School District board. The race is to represent the mid-San Fernando Valley in District 6, which was created in reapportionment last year.

Former city schools principal Eli Brent, 67, has mounted the biggest challenge among the three candidates running against Korenstein in the race.

Brent, at the beginning of the month, was close to neck-and-neck with Korenstein, having raised $44,500. He reported no contributions over $1,000 in the past two weeks, records show. He could not be reached for comment on the latest Korenstein campaign report.

The race had shaped up as a battle between unions representing teachers and administrators. Brent is president of the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles--a union representing principals and other middle managers. He had reported receiving more than $15,000 in contributions from administrators--including former city schools Supt. Bill Anton--the administrators union and a union representing clerical and other workers.

Altogether, the teachers union has contributed about $110,000 of Korenstein’s total even though she supports the movement to break up the school district--a plan the union opposes.

“Sure, that is an absolute big issue,” said Inola Henry, chairwoman of PACE. “But so is our contract and the support she’s given us in 95% of the issues.”

Korenstein has enjoyed support from the teachers union since she was first elected to the board in 1987. Her campaign consultant, Parke Skelton, said the money will be used mostly to mail brochures to voters.

Also running is Lynne Kuznetsky, 47, a schoolteacher, and Richard David (Ricc) Bieber, 40, a self-employed electrical contractor.

School board member Mark Slavkin--who is seeking election in District 4, which stretches from Porter Ranch in the West Valley to Los Angeles International Airport--reports a single contribution of $1,000 in the late filing report submitted Friday.

He holds a strong edge on fund raising over his two challengers, who are both from the Valley: Douglas Laskin, a schoolteacher, and Judy Solkovits, a past president of the teachers union.