(AP) — Officials say 20 people want to become Nebraska’s next commissioner of education.

The applications were officially submitted by Tuesday. An Illinois firm leading the national search has been reaching out to possible candidates ahead of the deadline. They will now continue to interview and vet candidates before presenting the most qualified to the State Board of Education Search Committee.

The committee will dwindle down the list to at least four finalists by early December. Public interviews are tentatively scheduled for a two-day period beginning Dec. 11.

Nebraska’s last Education Commissioner Roger Breed retired this summer.