AMHERST — To get the best possible candidates and not rush a process that was already on a tight schedule, the Amherst-Pelham Regional and Union 26 school committees are postponing the search for a new superintendent to the fall.

Committee members last week put the search on hold after learning from Human Resources Director Kathryn Mazur that the search company hired, Ray and Associates Executive Leadership Search, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, had violated provisions of state law in asking candidates about their criminal background. At a joint meeting Tuesday, the committees unanimously agreed, by 9-0 and 5-0 votes, to abandon the current search.

“I think it’s not the world’s worst thing to put off the search to fall,” said Eric Nakajima, an Amherst representative and chairman of the regional committee for the district that includes Leverett and Shutesbury.

“One thing we know about our communities is they don’t like big decisions to be rushed,” said Phoebe Hazzard, an Amherst representative.

Amherst representative Katharine Appy said pushing the search back would honor the objective of having the largest qualified pool as possible, and bringing forward the best candidates.