PORTSMOUTH — Superintendent Ana C. Riley won’t be leaving the district just yet. 

Ms. Riley was among four finalists being considered for the job of superintendent of schools in New Bedford, but that city’s school committee Wednesday night selected Thomas Anderson for the position in a 6-1 vote, according to a report in southcoasttoday.com.

Mr. Anderson, superintendent of schools in Randolph, Mass., was appointed to the position in a 6-1 vote. The Randolph district serves 2,823 students, but Mr. Randolph has been an administrator in larger districts such as Chicago and Washington, D.C., according to the news article. New Bedford’s current enrollment is more than 12,000.

His selection is pending contract negotiations, according to southcoasttoday.com.

Ms. Riley was interviewed by the New Bedford School Committee for the job in a public session attended by about 50 people on Monday, March 26, according to the report.

She was the last candidate to be interviewed, and answered the same 12 questions posed of the other finalists, according to the story. With followup questions, the session went over 100 minutes, the report said.

In an e-mail exchange with The Portsmouth Times two weeks ago, Ms. Riley said she loved her job in Portsmouth, but that she’s always dreamed of leading an urban district. 

“I grew up in Fall River, but my father's family lived in New Bedford, so I spent quite a bit of my childhood there. It's an opportunity I just couldn't pass up,” Ms. Riley said.

Ms. Riley was hired as Portsmouth superintendent in June 2014, previously serving as superintendent in Dartmouth.