5 Finalists Set for State Education Interviews

JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi Board of Education will interview five candidates for state superintendent of education. Search consultant firm Ray and Associates Inc., screened and evaluated the preliminary list of 64 candidates based on administrative experience and a good academic background.

The 64 candidates also were evaluated based on the qualities and criteria determined by the Board. From those candidates, eleven semi-finalists for state superintendent were selected from several states, including Georgia, Massachusetts, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. The Board reviewed those 11 applicants and narrowed the list to five.

“I think the process has gone very well, and the Board was pleased with the candidates,” said Hal Gage, Board vice chairman and chair of the search process. “Ray and Associates brought us a strong group of candidates, and I’m looking forward to the interviews.”

The interviews are scheduled to take place Sept. 24 and a possible second-round interview process is scheduled for Sept. 25. The Board is expected to name the new superintendent in October.