Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho resigned on Sunday in the wake of a federal raid on his home and district headquarters in February.
In a statement announcing Carvalho’s resignation, the school board said it remains committed to “progress through strong leadership.”
“Our focus remains unchanged: providing every student with a high-quality education, supporting our dedicated workforce, and maintaining the trust of the communities we serve,” the statement reads.
Carvalho’s nearly four-and-a-half-year term comes to an end with few details about the investigation itself. Immediately following the raids, media reports linked them to a $6 million contract the district awarded to a start-up company, AllHere, to create a virtual assistant for students in 2024. The chatbot, called Ed, failed during the pilot stage and AllHere later folded amid a fraud investigation.
However, sources told CBS News that the FBI also raided a Florida residence linked to Carvalho for reasons unknown, and law enforcement confirmed that the underlying affidavit remained under seal. Although Carvalho has not been charged with any crimes, law enforcement told the news outlet that the investigations in both states are directly related to Carvalho.
Others have claimed the investigation is politically motivated because of the former superintendent’s opposition to ICE enforcement in and around LA schools.
According to CBS News, a source with direct knowledge of the case said the investigation predates the Trump administration, “and is a probe into allegations that Carvalho may have received kickbacks from a business” during his time leading Miami-Dade County Public Schools, CBS News’ Matthew Rodriguez reports.
“Mr. Carvalho remains confident that the evidence will ultimately demonstrate that he acted appropriately and in the best interests of students,” read a statement from Carvalho’s attorneys shortly after the search warrants were executed. “We hope the School Board reinstates him promptly to his position as Superintendent.”
Andrés Chait, who’s been serving as LAUSD’s acting superintendent, will remain in the position until a permanent decision is made.
In past interviews with District Administration, Carvalho shared advice for superintendents about leading in a “new age” of the superintendency. His strategy: “Be so bold in your approach to work that you actually invite termination for being so passionate.”
“You’re not going to have 10 years,” he said. “I’m an anomaly. You’re not going to last 10 years if you cannot prove compelling results within the first year and then augment them within the second and third years.”
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