Three men, one woman. Two urban superintendents, two rural ones. All from Nebraska.

Meet the four candidates for the next Nebraska commissioner of education.

“All four finalists have strong communication skills as well as extensive experience in educational leadership,” said State Board of Education President Fred Meyer Friday in announcing the finalists.

The board is replacing Doug Christensen, who retired in July after 14 years as commissioner.

The four finalists are:

* Roger Breed, superintendent of Elkhorn Public Schools;

* Virginia Moon, superintendent of Ralston Public Schools;

* Dan Hoesing, shared superintendent of Laurel-Concord, Coleridge, Newcastle and Wynot public school districts;

* Larry Ramaekers, superintendent of Aurora Public Schools.

A four-member board committee interviewed six semi-finalists earlier this week before narrowing the list to the four finalists.

A total of 12 applicants had sought the job.

The full eight-member board will interview the four finalists Sept. 22 in public meetings. The board plans to announce the new commissioner at its Oct. 3 meeting.

The next education commissioner will succeed one who fought with state and federal officials for years to keep testing and assessments district-based.

Christensen lost the struggle this spring after the Legislature did away with the STARS assessment system, which allowed school districts to develop their own tests on state and federal standards.

The Legislature replaced STARS with statewide tests for reading and math.

State Sen. Ron Raikes of Lincoln, chairman of the education committee, tangled with Christensen on the issue.

He said Friday that all four commissioner finalists are qualified, and all have represented other school districts before the Legislature.

Breed and Moon represented districts on issues related to legislation that forced Omaha metropolitan schools to work together and share their tax base.

Raikes said he served with Hoesing — whom he described as an innovator in distance education — on a legislative distance education task force.

Ramaekers has dealt with the Legislature on school finance and home school issues, Raikes said.

“I have very high regard for all of them,” he said. “I happen to know all of them. I think they’re all very able people.”

Hoesing has spent the past 13 years as a superintendent, starting with Laurel-Concord Public Schools before taking on shared superintendent duties for Coleridge, Newcastle and Wynot public school districts.

In an essay to the state board, Hoesing said the next education commissioner needs to possess knowledge of various assessment practices across the state and have an eye for innovation.

“I am ready to lead this change and believe the students and teachers in Nebraska deserve this chance to experience a world-class public education system,” he wrote.

Breed, who has spent the past 17 years as superintendent in Elkhorn, said he looks forward to the opportunity to serve Nebraska students and educators.

“I feel I happen to have the capability and the experience and the interest to positively impact all Nebraska students, teachers and school districts,” he said.

Ramaekers, who has spent the last 11 years as superintendent of Aurora Public Schools, said he would bring strong communication skills to the job, as well as an ability to work with those outside the Department of Education.

“All of those things I think need to be a high priority to the commissioner,” he said.

Virginia Moon, who spent the past decade as superintendent of Ralston Public Schools, said she would bring a wealth of diverse experience to the job.

“The Nebraska Commissioner’s job would allow me to use my experiences in small and large schools with poverty and English Language Learners to continue to make a difference for every student in Nebraska,” she said.

Reach Kevin Abourezk at 473-7225 or kabourezk@journalstar.com.