John Covington bailed on his position as the Chancellor of the Education Achievement Authority, Gov. Rick Snyder’s failed experiment on Detroit school kids, in June of 2014. He cashed out with a hefty severance package and then went job hunting. He was passed over for a superintendent position with the Richland One School District in South Carolina. Then he was denied a position with the Metro Nashville Public Schools, as well.
His third attempt was with the Youngstown City Schools’ Academic Distress Commission in Ohio. The Commission was set up as a state takeover of Youngstown schools, very much like Emergency Managers do in Michigan. They are currently looking for a CEO for the commission, someone who will have the power to replace school teachers and administrators, determine class size, and set compensation levels for staff. John Covington, not surprisingly, threw his hat into the ring with 16 others.
He didn’t even make the first cut.
It’s good to know that the commission did their homework.