Officials with the Wake County Public School System are expected to announce a new district superintendent this week.
District officials said that school leaders will meet the new superintendent at a 3:30 p.m. meeting Wednesday and a public announcement is expected to follow.
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Former Superintendent Jim Merrill announced his retirement in November and Del Burns has served as interim superintendent since February.
Burns, who formerly served as superintendent of Wake County schools from 2006 to 2010, has previously said he had no plans to resume the role permanently.
Wake County School Board Chair Monika Johnson-Hostler said they had surveyed parents, teachers and administrators to define the type of person to lead the state's largest school system.
Feedback compiled earlier this year showed that parents and staff believed educational leadership, the ability to communicate with parents and community members, fiscal management and the ability to manage a diverse staff and student body were the most important skills for a new superintendent to possess.
Commitment to high student achievement, integrity, commitment to community and a proactive attitude were among the top traits they hope to see in whoever takes the position.
"That is what I would call our guideposts, where every decision, we always referred back to the surveys – which gave us great information," Johnson-Hostler said.
"People were always honest and candid about the next superintendent they wanted to see in Wake County.”
The North Carolina School Board Association conducted a nationwide search for Wake County. More than 20 applicants fit their criteria, and a number of candidates made it through three rounds of in-person interviews, Johnson-Hostler said.
"Did we check off 100 percent? No, but we got very close to checking off the things that community said they want to see in the next superintendent,” Johnson-Hostler said. "I am extremely excited about this announcement."