First day of class for the man tapped to turn around failing schools

DETROIT (WXYZ) - Greeted by Detroit Public Schools Emergency Manager Roy Roberts, the new Emergency Achievement Authority Chancellor, John Covington began his first day on the job today.

The Education Achievement Authority will be a state-wide program run by John Covington.

Covington says, "It's a system of schools that will serve the entire state, particularly the schools that have gone underserved. We're talking about the lowest performing schools in the state."

Today, Covington toured the top rated Horace Mann Elementary and several others to get an idea of the direction he would like to take failing schools.

"He's going to open charter schools. He's going to close some schools.” says Roberts, “And other schools… he's going to do everything he can to elevate the performance of those schools."

There are thirty eight schools in Detroit that could possibly fit the new system and ninety others across Michigan. A decision as to which ones will be taken over by the state has not been made yet.

The new chancellor admits, changes won’t happen overnight, "Any time you talk about changes to that magnitude we're talking about… building a system from the ground up… it's going to take some time."

Covington comes from Kansas City, Missouri where he led the school system.

When asked about any rumors or talk as to how he left his previous job, he says his record speaks for itself. Roberts says about Covington, "Every school he's raised and elevated the performance of students… that's why he was hired."

Covington says, “I could go on and on with the progress we made in Kansas City…I think the community would too.”