Deputy Among 3 Finalists for L.A. Superintendent's Job

The search for a new superintendent in Los Angeles picked up steam last week as the school board named three finalists and decided to let parents and teachers question them at open meetings.

The finalists for running the nation's second-largest district are: Ruben Zacarias, the current deputy superintendent; William E.B. Siart, the former chief executive officer of First Interstate Bancorp in Los Angeles; and Daniel A. Domenech, the superintendent of a regional board that oversees 18 Suffolk County, N.Y., districts.

Some Hispanic activists view the unprecedented public forums as a dig at their favorite son, Mr. Zacarias, who has worked in the 667,000-student district since 1966 and was passed over for the top job in 1992. He would be the district's first superintendent...