FRC Approves DPSCD Superintendent Contract

The Detroit Financial Review Commission had it’s chance Monday to weigh in on Detroit’s choice for superintendent. 

The board of the Detroit Public Schools Community District unanimously chose Duval County Florida Superintendent Nikolai Vitti to take the reigns of the newly formed school system. But the legislation that created the district gives the Detroit Financial Review Commission final approval.

State Treasurer Nick Khouri chairs the commission. He said the school board makes educational and management decisions, not the FRC.

So, what we’re talking about today is not whether this is the right superintendent,” Khouri said. “The only thing we’re focused on as FRC is — is this supportable within the existing budget. That’s statutorily our scope.” 

The district’s Special Council Floyd Allen said the terms of the five year contract will hold Vitti accountable.

“It is a contract that is performance-based — meaning that the new superintendent will have to get an effective rating for that contract to continue,” Allen said. “The first two years is $295,000 a year. And then in year 3, year 4, year 5 there is a three percent increase in that particular contract.”

Vitti will also receive a $20,000 annuity and $25,000 to over the cost of moving to Detroit.

Education activist Helen Moore told Financial Review Commission members she had hoped the community could add clauses to the contract that reflect some of their concerns.

“That he would meet with us like Jefferson did, like Sneed did, like all the superintendents I’ve been involved with,” Moore told the commission. “They would meet with us. Not the board, but actually the community to talk about what’s happening in our schools so there would be no gap.”

Vitti has said he will start working as early as Tuesday – more than a month earlier than his official July 1 start date.