By Mike DeNardo

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Today’s the day the public learns the names of the two finalists to be Philadelphia’s next schools superintendent.

And then there were two. The School Reform Commission today announces the two candidates for Philadelphia schools superintendent, narrowed down from 100 applicants.

SRC search committee chair Wendell Pritchett says the commission has been weighing whether to hire from within or look outside the district.

“We certainly had those discussions. And we, in having that discussion, were looking for the best candidate. And that’s a balance of many things, the best candidates. And the decision that we made was to put forward these two candidates. But we certainly were talking about that in the discussions, yes.”

The two finalists will face the public at two community meetings this Monday and Tuesday night at school headquarters. Pritchett says the SRC hopes to hire a new superintendent “very soon.”

Former PGW head Tom Knudsen has been the district’s acting superintendent and Chief recovery officer, in the wake of last year’s tumultuous departure of Arlene Ackerman.