Detroit Public Schools Community District and the original Detroit Public Schools district (that existed before a 2016 reorganization) has been headed by a superintendent position that was first filled in 1856.
History of the office
The first superintendent of Detroit Public Schools was appointed in 1856 by the Detroit Board of Education. The superintendent co-managed responsibility for the administration of the district alongside the elected members of the board. When legislation was passed in 1873 to allow the board to appoint a secretary and treasurer, the legislation permitted for superintendents to also serve simultaneously as board secretary so long as they did not receive additional compensation for doing so.
In 1881, legislation was passed reorganizing the school board. This legislation made the superintendent the school district's executive officer. By 1900, the superintendent position had acquired substantial authority in the operations of schools, but the mayor of Detroit and Detroit City Council also effectively held significant control over how the school district was run. The school board was again reorganized in 1916 by legislation which also increased the power of the office of superintendent.
From 1999 through 2005, the school district operated under state control, with the superintendent position becoming a state-appointed CEO role.
From 2009 until the district's reorganization in 2016, much of the district's administration was overseen by state-appointed emergency managers. After the reorganization, some administration was overseen by Steven Rhodes as transition manager.
List of superintendents Name Tenure Citation John F. Nichols 1856 Divie Bethune Duffield 1857 John M. B. Sill 1863 Duane Doty 1864–1875 John M. B. Sill 1875–September 1, 1886 Multiple sources: William E. Robinson September 1, 1886 – 1897 Wales C. Martindale 1897–1912 Charles E. Chadsey 1912–1919 Multiple sources: Frank Cody 1919–1942 Warren E. Bow 1942–1945 Arthur Dondineau 1945–1956 Samuel Miller Brownell 1956–1966 Multiple sources: Norman Drachler 1966–1971 Charles J. Wolfe 1971–1975 Arthur Jefferson 1975–1989( John W. Porter 1989–1991 Deborah McGriff 1991–1993 David Snead December 1993–October 1997 Multiple sources: Eddie L. Green April 1997–May 1999 David Adamy May 1999 – 2000 (CEO) Kenneth S. Burnley 2000– June 30, 2005 (CEO) The Detroit Free Press, July 3, 2010, Page 9ANew York Times – Detroit's Embattled School District to Be Shepherded by One of Its Graduates William F. Coleman III July 2005–June 30, 2007 Connie Calloway July 1, 2007 – December 15, 2008 Multiple sources: Teresa Gueyser December 15, 2008 – July 1, 2010 Multiple sources: Karen Ridgeway 2011–15 Alycia Meriweather (interim) 2016–17 Nikolai Vitti 2017–present
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