In interviews with the Star Tribune, five of the nine Nashville school board members gave strong support to Johnson, one of the most sought-after superintendents in the country.
The pace of the search intensified when two of four finalists for the director of schools job pulled out of the race late Tuesday, leaving Johnson and Pedro Garcia, head of the Corona-Norco, Calif., school district. The board meets tonight, and a decision is likely.
"I would be thrilled to have a director of Johnson's caliber in Nashville, Tennessee," Board Member Chris Norris said. "We think she'd be a great fit."
Board Member Kathleen Harkey said Garcia and Johnson are both impressive, but her praise for Johnson was especially warm. "I have a very good feeling about her. Obviously, her professional credentials are impeccable. A lot of people have expressed to me that she seems like a fit."
Some Nashville leaders had considered visiting each candidate's hometown before making a decision. But the five board members interviewed said they didn't need to do that to make up their minds.
"She has a successful track record in a comparably sized system. She seems to be a consensus builder. We want a reformer, but preferably a collaborative reformer," Norris said.
Added Board Member Vern Denney: "I would hope a person would be identified [tonight]. It appeared to me a majority of the board wants to move ahead."
Johnson still would not say what her answer would be if Nashville officials offered her the job. "I think it's still speculative," she said. She added that the walk she took Tuesday night to think about her options wasn't long enough to reach a conclusion.
Catherine Shreves, chairwoman of the Minneapolis school board, continued to be optimistic.
"I'm not surprised that Carol's still there, as a finalist. I'll be surprised if she leaves us," she said.
"Carol's whole career has been about building relationships, and the work that she does is all about getting things to happen because of the long-term relationships she's developed. I'll be really surprised [if she leaves], and I hope I'm not wrong."
The fact that Johnson hasn't pulled out of the race is not necessarily a sign that she intends to leave, Shreves said. "I think it shows respect for the process that they're undertaking."
Once there were four
The two candidates who pulled out of the race were Cincinnati Superintendent Steve Adamowski and William McKinney, head of a Texas Education Service Center providing support services to school districts.
Even before the latest development, Johnson and Garcia were considered the front-runners, observers close to the Nashville school scene said.
A written statement from Adamowski said his decision wasn't a negative reflection on Nashville but a decision to continue involvement in Cincinnati school reform.
McKinney made his decision after returning to Houston this week. A statement from him said that after careful review and consideration of the Nashville opportunity, "it is apparent that the best thing for me at this time is to remain at Region IV Education Service Center."
Johnson, a native of Tennessee, graduated from Fisk University there. She began her teaching career in Minneapolis and became district superintendent in 1997.
Bill Wise, current Nashville schools director, will retire June 30. Earlier this week, Nashville school officials established a contract proposal for the new director. The salary is set at $180,000 annually in the three-year contract.
- Allie Shah is at ashah@startribune.com.
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