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The final list of declared candidates for LAUSD school board is in, and the campaigns for Districts 2, 4, and 6 — three spots currently held by those with ties to Superintendent Deasy and his “reform” agenda — will likely eclipse 2011’s races in terms of spending and nastiness. But who are the key challengers to watch?

District 2: Insiders say that UTLA could spend as much as $4 million to try and replace District 2’s Monica Garcia with Annamarie Montañez, the cousin* of former State Assemblywoman Cindy Montañez.

District 4: Steve Zimmer has at least one powerful challenger in Kate Anderson, who raised nearly $400,000 in her bid for State Assembly in 2010. Zimmer may or may not win any support from the teachers union.

District 6: The only open seat, District 6 features three equally strong challengers: Iris Zuñiga, Chief Operating Officer for the Youth Policy Institute charter school operator, Ernie Cardenas, brother of City Councilman Tony Cardenas, who was just elected to U.S. Congress, and Antonio Sanchez, who has ties to both Mayor Villaraigosa and Maria Elena Durazo, head of the LA County Federation of Labor.

Previous posts: Anderson To Run Against Zimmer, Board Candidates Trickling In, LAUSD Board Filing Period Opens Monday

*Note: A previous version of this post said Annamarie Montañez was Cindy’s sister.