Detroit School Board Chooses Dr. Nikolai Vitti As New District's First Superintendent

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) -- The Detroit Public Schools Community District school board voted Tuesday night on their choice for the district's first superintendent.

Dr. Nikolai Vitti won the unanimous endorsement of the board, beating out River Rouge superintendent Derrick Coleman. Vitti, a native of Dearborn Heights, currently lives in Florida and is the superintendent at Duval County Public Schools in Jacksonville.

Some board members supported retaining interim superintendent Alycia Meriweather, who did not make the final cut. School board president Dr. Iris Taylor spoke about the decision at the Frederick Douglass Academy for Young Men.

"Detroit Public Schools Community District board has thoroughly vetted the individuals and are confident that as we consider children first that we've made the best decision for our children at this time," Taylor said.

Vitti is expected to fill the position sometime this summer.

The seven-member board was formed in November after the city's schools were under state control for seven years.

The 46,000-student district was created by the state Legislature as part of a bailout of the Detroit Public Schools. In June, with the district on the brink of financial collapse, the Legislature passed a $617 million financial rescue package.

Several governor-appointed emergency managers began controlling the district in 2009.