Portland Public Schools has picked Atlanta Public Schools' chief academic and schools officer as its top choice to lead Oregon's largest school district, provided a visit to Atlanta and contract negotiations go well.

Portland would be Donyall Dickey's debut as superintendent. A successful principal for many years, he worked as a top administrator in Philadelphia for two years before being recruited for the chief of schools position in Atlanta nearly two years ago.

The Portland school board conducted a confidential search in hopes that secrecy would make highly experienced candidates feel comfortable applying without jeopardizing their current jobs. Out of the 32 educators who sought the post, 13 were superintendents.

The closed process was contentious, with board members penning opposing editorials in The Oregonian after a 4-3 vote not to announce finalists. The editorials ran the weekend the board brought in its first set of hopefuls for interviews.

Dickey, 43, has been at his post at Atlanta since fall 2015. Before that, he spent a year as one of Philadelphia's regional superintendents, then was promoted to chief academic officer, according to a copy of his application obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Some Portland school board members and perhaps other district-watchers will visit Atlanta to make certain they think Dickey has the right skills and experience to lead Oregon's largest district.

Portland would be a significant shift in culture and responsibility for Dickey.

Atlanta Public Schools, which is a tad larger than Portland with 51,000 students, is very different from Portland Public Schools. Three-fourths of its students are black. Just 15 percent are white. And nearly 80 percent of students are low-income.

Charter schools, including schools run by large charter management organizations, are big players on the Atlanta education scene. Georgia's Republican governor, whose office is just blocks from the school district headquarters, keeps a close eye on the district's problems and successes.

The district's performance is mixed, with some of its schools excelling compared to others in Georgia that serve similar students and others with profound and chronic achievement deficits. Overall, the district's test scores hover just above the level that the Georgia Department Education deems a failure.

In Atlanta, Dickey reports directly to the superintendent. Being at the helm of Portland Public Schools would require him to be a quick study in school board politics and district finances, areas where he is relatively untested. This year could bring new school board members, harsh budget cuts and a $790 million construction bond.

It's a precarious moment for Portland Public Schools. The catalyst for a new superintendent was scandal. The district's longtime superintendent Carole Smith resigned in July after the district bungled a lead in drinking water crisis. The controversy cast a harsh light on the district's decision to defer maintenance for years, leaving Portland's old school buildings in dangerous disrepair. Although many schools around the country -- including Atlanta -- have grappled with lead, it was the revelations of a cover up, officials who downplayed parents' concerns and an utter lack of systems and accountability that caused the uproar.

"I'm no stranger to coming into organizations where there has been significant progress to be made regarding trust, collaboration and support for the team" Dickey said. "I think it's important just to show folks respect. Respect doesn't cost you anything. It's free."

Dickey has an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin in journalism and public relations, a master's degree from Loyola University in Maryland and a doctorate in educational leadership from George Washington University.

He got his start as an educator in 1997 in Maryland as a third grade teacher in Baltimore City Public Schools. He spent four years in the classroom before becoming an assistant principal in the same district.

In 2006, he climbed the ranks again, beginning a seven-year run as a successful principal.

David Bruzga, director of secondary school administration in Howard County Public Schools and Dickey's former supervisor, wrote Dickey a glowing recommendation letter.

"Driving Dr. Dickey is his belief that all students can achieve academically and develop socially, when provided an environment tailored to fit their needs by a team of competent and caring

adults," Bruzga wrote. "As a leader in our district, he demonstrated this belief by transforming a low performing middle school into a model of school improvement in a very short period of time."

In Howard County, the superintendent tapped Dickey, then a principal, to share his strategies with 18 elementary and middle schools, which Bruzga credited as helping "lead the nearly two-dozen schools to significant gains in both reading and mathematics in schools with stalled progress."

"His energy, flexibility, and generosity were limitless," Bruzga wrote.

In Atlanta, Dickey has absorbed more responsibility than the district initially intended. He was hired to be the chief schools officer -- then a new position -- at that same time another person was hired as the chief academic officer, according to The Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

But this school year Dickey began doing both jobs. Olivine Roberts, who was hired to be the chief academic officer from Sacramento schools, became his deputy, according to the Atlanta Public Schools organizational chart.

So why Portland?

Dickey has wanted to be a superintendent since he became a teacher, even though he admits he probably didn't fully grasp what that entailed back then.

"I enjoyed being a teacher and, in many ways, I remain a teacher. Superintendent is like the chief teacher of the district," Dickey said. "The goal is to have an even bigger classroom as superintendent."

Dickey says he's heartened by the strong community support for Portland schools he's heard about. He cited recent polling that showed 60 percent of those surveyed would support the largest school bond in state history.

Dickey's been in three districts in five years, but says he's no nomad. Instead, over and over, he was given more responsibilities and leadership opportunities, he said.

It's his intent to stay in Portland, "for as long as Portland would have me as their superintendent."

He would be the third African American superintendent in Portland, the whitest major city in America.

Dickey would also be the second Portland superintendent hired from Atlanta Public Schools. Ben Canada, hired by Portland in 1998 after serving as Atlanta's superintendent for four years, was widely seen as a disappointment and was paid $260,000 to leave after just three years.

Dickey was one of three finalists the board flew to Portland for interviews by the board and by a large panel of district stakeholders, including parents, principals and the district's No. 2 leader. The school board insists the identities of the other finalists and the feedback about the finalists it received from the community panel be kept secret.

-- Bethany Barnes

Got a tip about Portland Public Schools? Email Bethany: bbarnes@oregonian.com