List of superintendents of Detroit Public Schools

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. ^[1]

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. ^[1]

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. ^[2]

List of superintendents

Name		Tenure	Citation
	John F. Nichols	1856	[3]
	Divie Bethune Duffield	1857	[3]
	John M. B. Sill	1863	[4]
	Duane Doty	1864—1875	[5]
	John M. B. Sill	1875–September 1, 1886	[6] [7]
	William E. Robinson	September 1, 1886–1897	[7] [8]
	Wales C. Martindale Sr.	1897–1912	[9]
	Charles E. Chadsey	1912–1919	[10]
	Frank Cody	1919–1942
	Warren E. Bow	1942–1945	[11]
	Arthur Dondineau	1945–1956	[12]
	Samuel Miller Brownell	1956–1966	[13]
	Norman Drachler	1966–1971	[14]
	Charles J. Wolfe	1971–1975
	Arthur Jefferson	1975–1989 (interim general superintendent Jul. 1–Nov. 4, 1975; permanent general superintendent Nov. 4, 1975–1989)	[15] [16]
	John W. Porter	1989–1991	[17] [18]
	Deborah McGriff	1991–1993	[15] [19]
	David Snead	December 1993–October 1997	[17] [20]
	Eddie L. Green	April 1997–May 1999 (interim superintendent Apr. 1997–Apr. 1998; acting superintendent Apr. 1998–Nov. 1998; permanent superintendent Nov. 1998–Mar. 1999; acting CEO Mar. 1999–May 1999)	[21]
	David Adamy	May 1999–2000 (CEO)	[22] [23]
	Kenneth S. Burnley	2000– June 30, 2005 (CEO)	[24] [25] [26]
	William F. Coleman III	July 2005–June 30, 2007 (CEO July 2005–Jan. 2006; interim superintendent Jan.–Mar. 2006; permenant superintendent Mar. 2006– Jun. 2007)	[27] [28]
	Connie Calloway	July 1, 2007–December 15, 2008	[29] [30]
	Teresa Gueyser	December 15, 2008–July 1, 2010 (acting/interim superintendent December 15, 2008–August 14, 2009; permanent superintendent August 14, 2009–July 1, 2010)	[30] [31]
	Karen Ridgeway	2011–15	[15] [32]
	Alycia Meriweather (interim)	2016–17	[32]
	Nikolai Vitti	2017–present	[32]

References

1. "A History of the Relationship Between the Detroit Board of Education and the City of Detroit" (PDF). Citizens Research Council of Michigan (report prepared at request of New Detroit, Inc.). July 1990. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
2. "Steven Rhodes". Detroit Regional Chamber. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
3. "Detroit Schools, 19th century". Detroit Historical Society. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
4. "Crossed Death's Threshold". Detroit Free Press . 7 April 1901. pp. B11. Retrieved 5 May 2024– via Newspapers.com.
5. "Duane Doty Died In Pullman | Ann Arbor District Library". aadl.org. Ann Arbor Argus-Democrat. 1902. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
6. Multiple sources:
   • "Michigan News" . Newspapers.com. he Times Herald (Port Huron, Michigan). 27 Feb 1875.
   • "Prof. Sill's New Field" . Newspapers.com. Detroit Free Press. 23 Jul 1886. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
7. Education, Detroit (Mich ) Board of (1886). Report of the Superintendent of Schools.
   • "THE HARRIETTE AND HELEN BISHOP COLLECTION Papers, 1866 - 1945 (Predominantly, 1888 - 1940) 2.5 linear feet Accession Number 367 L.C. Number" (PDF). Wayne State University. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
8. "William E. Robinson papers, 1886-1897". researchworks.oclc.org. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
9. "Attorney Dies in Car Crash". August 16, 1949. Retrieved 19 March 2025– via Find A Grave.
10. Multiple sources:
    • "Charles E. Chadsey, of Denver, Chosen Head of Detroit School System" . Newspapers.com. The Detroit Times. August 10, 1912. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
    • Counts, George S. (1928). School and Society in Chicago. New York: Harcourt, Brace & Co. pp. 68 and 69. ISBN   040503704X.
11. "Past Presidents". Wayne State University. 23 February 2023.
12. "Educator Arthur Dondineau, 83, Dies". Detroit Free Press. 16 November 1968. p. 3.
13. Multiple sources:
    • "Samuel Brownell, 90, Ex-Education Official, Dies (Published 1990)". The New York Times. 14 October 1990. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
    • "Samuel Miller Brownell and Esther Delzell Brownell papers, 1900-2003 - University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library - University of Michigan Finding Aids". findingaids.lib.umich.edu. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
14. Archives, L. A. Times (26 May 2000). "Norman Drachler; Detroit Schools Chief in '60s". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
15. Baker, Natasha S. (2017). "The Detroit Public School District: A Case Study Into Superintendents' Leadership From 1975 to 2015 (dissertation)" (PDF). University of Michigan–Dearborn. p. 57. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
16. "Jefferson's Decade of Excellence". The Sphynx (Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity). 1 July 1986 – via Issuu.
17. "History of the DFT". dft231.mi.aft.org. Detroit Federation of Teachers. 24 July 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
18. • "Remembering John Porter". Eastern Michigan University. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
    • "John Porter Obituary (2012)". Ann Arbor News. June 29, 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2025– via Legacy.com.
19. Bradley, Ann (20 October 1993). "Detroit Superintendent To Join Edison Project". Education Week. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
20. Multiple sources:
    • Begin, Sherri (13 December 2006). "DPS Superintendent Asks For Community Support". Crain's Detroit Business. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
    • Talley, Scott (August 27, 2022). "Former Detroit Central High School football Coach Still Thinks About Plays Every Day". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
    • Keller, Bess (5 November 1997). "With Board Opposition Mounting, Snead Resigns As Detroit Superintendent". Education Week. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
21. "Eddie L. Green, Ed.D." Cranbrook Schools. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
22. Lessenberry, Jack (June 16, 2016). "Legislators show little interest in saving Detroit schools". The Blade. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
23. White, Kerry A. (19 May 1999). "Detroit Board Names Interim Schools Chief". Education Week. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
24. The Detroit Free Press, July 3, 2010, Page 9A
25. New York Times – Detroit's Embattled School District to Be Shepherded by One of Its Graduates
26. Bradley, Ann (13 April 2005). "Superintendent of Detroit Schools Announces June Resignation". Education Week. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
27. "Detroit Settles Lawsuit Brought by Former Superintendent William Coleman". American School & University. 10 March 2009. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
28. "Coleman, William F., III | Encyclopedia.com". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
29. Multiple sources:
    • "FBI Investigates DPS Over Funds". The Detroit News. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
    • "Detroit School Board Settles Lawsuit to Former Superintendent". The Detroit News. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
    • Svoboda, Sandra (June 18, 2008). "Discovering Connie Calloway". Detroit Metro Times. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
    • "Detroit School District Taps Normandy Superintendent For Top Job". STLPR. 9 March 2007.
    • Erb, Robin (December 30, 2008). "Calloway Appeals to Get Her Job Back". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 20 March 2025– via PressReader.com.
30. Oosting, Jonathan (14 August 2009). "Detroit Public Schools Board Names Teresa Gueyser Superintendent". mlive. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
31. Multiple sources:
    • "Former Detroit superintendent receives $650,000 from district to settle lawsuit". American School & University. The Detroit News. 14 October 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
    • "Ex-Detroit Schools Official To Stand Trial". CBS News. The Associated Press. 30 July 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
    • Svoboda, Sandra (October 7, 2009). "Forgotten Election". Detroit Metro Times. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
    • Lessenberry, Jack (October 19, 2011). "DPS: FUBAR Planet". Detroit Metro Times. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
    • "Detroit Settles Fondling Case". UPI. October 14, 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
    • "Letter dated December 23, 2008" (PDF). Michigan.gov. December 23, 2008. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
    • "DPS Board Ousts Calloway". Mackinac Center. Michigan Education Digest. December 16, 2008. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
    • "Bobb v. Detroit School Board: Round?20439580". The Thomas B. Fordham Institute. July 1, 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
32. "Detroit Public Schools Community District, Michigan". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 20 March 2025.