BATON ROUGE — The last finalist remaining in the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board's quest to select a new superintendent dropped out of the running Thursday, just hours before the panel was scheduled to meet and perhaps pick a new leader. 

Andrea Zayas' withdrawal letter said that the possibility of success was "near non-existent," given the tumult in Louisiana's second-largest school district. Another finalist, LSU Laboratory School Director Kevin George, dropped out Monday, and a third, Krish Mohip of the Youngstown, Ohio, school system, withdrew on Jan. 6. Mohip spent most of his career in Chicago.

Zayas was most recently the chief academic officer of the Boston school system.

"Given procedural anomalies and delays, my purpose-fueled drive to equitably serve the children of EBR is misaligned with the current focus of the board," Zayas wrote to the consulting firm that had compiled a list of 17 potential superintendents. "What should matter most is creating a district culture that drives life-changing, equitable outcomes for the city's children. Tragically, that is not the current focus."

The full letter can be read here. 

Zayas' announcement came hours before a Thursday meeting intended to select the superintendent after a similar meeting last week resulted in a stagnant vote and no chosen superintendent.

She included in her withdrawal letter the results from a survey conducted among parents, teachers, business leaders and members of the public that showed her outpolling George across the board — her ability to improve morale, raise test scores, inspire others, implement change, engage in the community and communicate effectively.

Christel Slaughter, the chief executive of the consulting firm the board hired to develop a list of candidates, said 55 people took part in the survey.

Since the school board's inconclusive vote last week, parents and teachers have filed petitions to remove five school board members from their positions, as they've also called for interim superintendent Adam Smith to stay in the post beyond a six-month temporary term that ends Tuesday.

The board will still meet Thursday, including for its regular agenda. Slaughter said the board could look again at the 13 candidates who weren't selected as finalists, including two semifinalists, or consider anyone not on the list.

"I think there's a pool of infinite candidates," said Slaughter, of SSA Consultants. "There are people who, if they (the board) put their thinking cap on, are around."

Smith's candidacy may have deterred others from applying, Slaughter said, and the board's rejection of Smith this month be a factor moving forward.

"I think there were people who didn't apply because there was an internal candidate," she said. "They may apply now."

Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome gave the following statement about the current school board situation:

"Quality education is important for the betterment of our children, their long-term educational outcomes, and the progress of our community as a whole. The current superintendent search process at EBR Schools has drawn the attention of many who are concerned about the direction of our school system. As Mayor-President, I have a vested interest in the success of our children who are educated in EBR Schools. As the beginning of the school year is rapidly approaching, we owe it to our children, our teachers, and parents to provide some stability for the upcoming school year. I understand political factions and differing opinions, but it is paramount that we remember the impact on our students and teachers. It is time for us to unify with all expedience to select a leader and bring stability and calm to our school system and community. I urge the school board members to put their differences aside and put our children’s education first."