No more new resumes have appeared on the commissioner search web site since last night, so it looks like the final tally stands at 22 complete applications, a handful of incomplete letters of interest and a couple of public withdrawals. That's after a month-long advertised search plus a 10-day extension, which yielded just two more names.

Is that field widened enough? Or does the search continue?

Asked if the deadline has passed finally and forever, DOE spokesman Tom Butler e-mailed this reply: "At this point, PROACT has not made any recommendations to further extend the deadline for applications." Recall, the headhunters didn't propose looking further until 72 hours after the July 13 cutoff had passed. We sought comment from several Board of Education members, but none have returned the call.