Dr. Justin Robertson, deputy superintendent for the Hamilton County Schools, and four others are finalists for superintendent.
Others are Natalie Elder McClarty, former director of Curriculum & Development for the Stamford, Connecticut Schools, Dr. Christopher Bernier, chief of staff of schools in Clark County, Nevada; Dr. Jim McIntyre, director of the Center for Educational Leadership at UT Knoxville, and Dr. John Tucker, superintendent of Camden County Schools in Georgia.
They were chosen from nine applicants. The deadline was Friday.
School Board members rated the applicants based on information they submitted, and Dr. Robertson had the highest score (43). Dr. McClarty had 28.5, Dr. McIntyre 28, Dr. Bernier 26 and Dr. Tucker 26.
The board will get a report on the finalists from Buffkin Baker consultants - the same group that was involved in the last search in which Dr. Bryan Johnson was chosen. Dr. Johnson announced prior to this school year that he was going into private business with a local trucking firm.
The board will meet on Nov. 8 to trim the five finalists to three.
The three finalists will travel to Chattanooga for in-person visits.
The board plans to make a selection on Dec. 9.
Board Chairman Tucker McClendon said the search firm has been paid $2,000 thus far. He said the cost will be $2,000 each for analysis of the five finalists. The only other cost is for travel for the finalists, it was stated.