Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has been placed on paid leave following FBI searches at his home and district offices. The school board's unanimous decision comes amid a federal investigation, though authorities have not specified its nature or accused Carvalho of any crime.
The district, which is the second-largest in the nation serving over 500,000 students, is now under the temporary leadership of Chief of School Operations Andres Chait. The board stated the move was to ensure stability and continuity for students and staff.
Key Takeaways
- LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho was placed on paid leave by the school board.
- The action follows FBI search warrants served at his home, district headquarters, and a location in Florida.
- The investigation appears connected to a failed $3 million contract with education technology company AllHere.
- The founder of AllHere was previously indicted on federal fraud charges.
- Andres Chait has been appointed as the acting superintendent for the district.
Federal Investigation Prompts Swift Action from School Board
The Los Angeles Unified School District board convened for two days of closed-door meetings before announcing its decision on Friday. In a prepared statement, the board emphasized its commitment to minimizing disruption to the district's educational mission.
"Our focus remains clear: to ensure stability, continuity, and strong leadership for our students, families, and employees," acting superintendent Andres Chait said following his appointment. The district has confirmed it is cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation but has declined to provide further details.
FBI agents executed search warrants on Wednesday at three separate locations. These included Carvalho's residence in San Pedro, the LAUSD headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, and a property near Miami, Florida. Carvalho has not publicly responded to requests for comment regarding the investigation or his placement on leave.
Scrutiny Falls on Collapsed Tech Deal
While federal officials remain tight-lipped, details are emerging that connect the investigation to a controversial 2024 technology contract. The deal involved AllHere, a now-bankrupt education technology company, and its AI-powered chatbot named "Ed."
Carvalho had publicly supported the $3 million project, which was intended to help students. However, the district abruptly cancelled its contract with AllHere just three months after the initial payment was made. The company subsequently collapsed into bankruptcy.
The AllHere Connection
The situation escalated when AllHere's founder, Joanna Smith-Griffin, was indicted by federal prosecutors on charges of securities fraud, wire fraud, and identity theft. Following the indictment, Carvalho stated he had no personal involvement in the vendor selection process and announced the formation of a task force to review what went wrong. To date, no findings from that task force have been made public.
The investigation's reach extended to Florida, where the FBI searched a property belonging to Debra Kerr. Kerr is an education technology salesperson who reportedly has longstanding professional ties to Carvalho from his tenure as superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Reports from The 74, a news organization that covered the AllHere bankruptcy, indicated Kerr worked to secure the LAUSD deal and later claimed she was owed a $630,000 commission. The same reports noted that her son, an AllHere employee, was involved in pitching the technology to LAUSD leadership.
A Celebrated Career Under a Cloud
Alberto Carvalho arrived in Los Angeles in 2022 with a national reputation as a transformative school leader. His 14-year leadership of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Florida's largest district, earned him numerous accolades, including being named National Superintendent of the Year in 2014.
Carvalho's Tenure at LAUSD
- Appointed: 2022
- District Size: Over 500,000 students
- Key Focus Areas: Post-pandemic academic recovery, managing declining enrollment, and utilizing federal COVID-19 relief funds.
In Miami, he was lauded for improving academic performance and expanding Spanish-language programs, an achievement for which he was knighted by the government of Spain in 2021. He was also known for his political advocacy, often clashing with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over policies like school mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"He arrived in Los Angeles at a critical moment, as the district found itself flush with funding from state and federal COVID-19 relief money but still struggling with the impacts of the pandemic, including learning losses and declining enrollment."
Since taking the helm at LAUSD, Carvalho has been credited with steering the district through its post-pandemic recovery and focusing on academic improvements. His leadership was seen as a stabilizing force for a district facing significant challenges.
Navigating an Uncertain Future
The board's decision to place Carvalho on leave signals the seriousness of the federal probe. For parents, teachers, and students in the nation's second-largest school system, the move introduces a period of uncertainty.
The district must now navigate daily operations and long-term strategic planning without its permanent leader. Acting Superintendent Andres Chait, a veteran of the district, is tasked with maintaining stability as the investigation unfolds.
The timeline for the federal investigation remains unknown, as does the potential for any charges to be filed. The LAUSD board has not indicated how long Carvalho's leave will last, stating only that it is pending the outcome of the investigation. The focus for district leadership and the community will be on ensuring that the education of half a million students continues without interruption while the legal process runs its course.