Albuquerque will have to wait until next week to find out who will be running its public schools.

The board’s executive session lasted more than 10 hours on Wednesday before a vote to table the decision. A candidate needs at least four votes from the seven-member board before moving forward to discussing an employment contract, which would then be approved at a later meeting, according to a spokesperson for Albuquerque Public Schools.

According to an APS press release, board members decided they needed more time to perform due diligence. The board will reconvene at 8 a.m. Monday.

Finalists Dr. Thomas Ahart and Dr. Gabriella Durán Blakey were chosen after a months-long process that included a national search, a community survey that elicited more than 7,000 responses from the public, listening sessions and several interviews with the board.

McPherson & Jacobson, a Nebraska-based executive recruitment firm, was brought in to assist with the search, which netted 24 applicants.

Durán Blakey and Ahart concluded their auditions Wednesday with final interviews before the board. They also attended three forums Tuesday, where they responded to questions from students, district employees and the general public.

Ahart, of Des Moines, Iowa, was superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools and is now a consultant with the Council of the Great City Schools. Durán Blakey, a native of Albuquerque, is chief operations officer at APS and previously served as one of the district’s associate superintendents.

Durán Blakey, a graduate of Highland High School, has taught English-language learners in APS, been a middle school principal, and was assistant superintendent for curriculum and professional development with Santa Fe Public Schools. She said that she has reached the point in her career at which she can become a superintendent and hopes to do it here.

Ahart has also been a classroom teacher, middle school principal and associate superintendent. He said during the forums that the Des Moines district is similar to APS, with students from more than 100 countries and a poverty rate near 80 percent.

During the forums, the candidates touted their experience and discussed issues such as accountability, school safety, relationships with unions, staff retention and possible extracurricular offerings. The school board encouraged those attending to provide feedback that could help members make their choice.

Superintendent Scott Elder is leaving APS when his contract expires June 30.

APS includes 68,000 students, 12,000 employees, and more than 140 schools.