Leadership at the nation’s second-largest school district is in flux, after the Los Angeles Unified School District placed Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on paid leave Friday, following FBI search warrants at his home and district headquarters two days earlier.
The move risks disrupting operations for more than 500,000 students and shifts immediate authority to acting superintendent Andres Chait.
The school board voted unanimously to put Carvalho on leave after two days of closed-door deliberations, saying the action was meant to minimize disruption. Chait, named acting superintendent, said the district’s priority is stability, continuity, and strong leadership for students, families, and employees. Authorities have not disclosed the focus of the federal inquiry, and no charges have been announced.
Federal agents also searched a third location near Miami, reportedly a property tied to Debra Kerr, who previously worked with AllHere, the education technology company that contracted with LAUSD before collapsing.
In 2024 Carvalho promoted AllHere’s AI chatbot, Ed, and the district paid the company $3 million before abandoning the project about three months after its unveiling. AllHere later filed for bankruptcy and founder Joanna Smith-Griffin was charged with securities and wire fraud and identity theft.
The district said it is cooperating with the investigation. Carvalho has denied personal involvement in selecting AllHere, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Miami-Dade school system said it was aware of the investigation but declined to comment.
Carvalho, who became LAUSD superintendent in 2022 after leading Miami-Dade, has been credited with academic gains and previously won national recognition, including Superintendent of the Year in 2014 and a Spanish knighthood in 2021.
For now the board’s move leaves the district under temporary leadership while federal investigators and local officials determine next steps.
