Detroit Schools Superintendent Begins Job With $295K Salary

DETROIT (WWJ) - It's the first day at work for new Detroit Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti — after his five-year contract was finalized Monday.

While his starting pay of $295,000 per year has raised a few eyebrows in the struggling district, Vitti said it's not that much compared to similar positions.

"Part of the negotiation with the school board was recognizing what I was making, which was $275,000, and then looking at large urban school districts in similar size to Detroit and how much those superintendents were making," Vitti told WWJ City Beat Report Vickie  Thomas.

"And I actually negotiated a contract that was actually a bit less than even those superintendents because I was respectful of the economic situation that the school system has gone through."

The 40-year-old Vitti will begin day one by visiting schools, meeting teachers and parents, and holding listening sessions with those stakeholders.

"We will begin to inform what will eventually be our strategic plan moving forward," Vitti said.

One issue that's top of mind, Vitti said he has concerns about U.S. Education Secretary Betsy Devos, of Grand Rapids, and her love for school choice and voucher programs.

"When you only look at what has happened in Michigan in the past due to choice without any accountability, which is exactly what has happened in Michigan, many times driven by Devos-led initiatives," he said, "I would be concerned and I am concerned with what could possibly happen at the federal level with her serving as Secretary of Education."

DPS is Michigan's largest school district.