YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The Youngstown Academic Distress commission will have three more candidates to consider this week when they try to narrow down the list of applicants for the city school's new CEO position.

The commission will hold two closed-door meetings at 12:45 p.m., one on Wednesday and another on Thursday to interview prospective applicants for the position of Chief Executive Officer.

The following candidates have made the cut so far:

  • Rhonda Carr of Lakewood, Ohio, academic instructional office area superintendent, Indianapolis, since August 2015; CEO (area superintendent), Chicago Public Schools, 2013-15
  • Krish Mohip of Chicago, administrator, Chicago Public Schools
  • Trent Mosely of Cleveland, academic superintendent, Cleveland Metropolitan School District
  • Tyrone Olverson, Reynoldsburg, Ohio, superintendent of Finneytown Local Schools since 2013
  • Stephen Stohla, Alliance, Ohio, interim Youngstown City Schools District superintendent since 2015; executive coach and regional vice president, Mosaica Education Inc., 2008-11
  • Andrew Tommelleo, New Castle, Pennsylvania, consultant for State Support Team Region 5 since 2014

In addition, three more people have submitted applications:

  • James Powell of Avon, Ohio, Superintendent, North Ridgeville City Schools
  • Diane Gonda, Youngstown, Ohio, White House Council on Strong Cities, Strong Communities
  • Martin J. Ashley, Republic, Ohio, Real estate broker, M.J. Ashley Realty LLC

Commission Chairman Brian Benyo says the commission will review the qualifications of the three new candidates during this week's meetings.

Powers wielded by the CEO includes the authority to replace school teachers and administrators, determine class size, and set compensation.

The state law that allowed for the creation of the CEO is the subject of a legal challenge by the school board and unions representing city school employees.