Los Angeles schools superintendent resigns after FBI search warrants

The superintendent of Los Angeles public schools has resigned five months after the FBI served search warrants at his home and the LA Unified school district headquarters.Alberto Carvalho had been put on leave after news of the federal investigation. He denied any wrongdoing earlier this year and had asked to be reinstated as head of the nation’s second-largest district.Authorities have not provided details of the nature of the investigation involving the district, which serves more than 500,000 students, nor have they accused Carvalho of any crimes.“The Board remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring stability, continuity, and continued 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 city’s board of education said in the statement.The statement said that Andrés Chait, who has been acting superintendent, will remain in that position until a permanent decision is made.At the time of the raids in LA in February, the FBI also searched a third location near Miami. The Miami Herald reported the Florida property belonged to Debra Kerr, who previously worked with AllHere, an education technology company that had a contract with Los Angeles schools before it collapsed and its leader was indicted for fraud.In 2024, Carvalho heavily touted a deal with AllHere for an AI chatbot named “Ed” designed to help students. But about three months after unveiling the technology and paying the company $3m, the district dropped its dealings with AllHere, which collapsed into bankruptcy. Months later, founder Joanna Smith-Griffin was charged with securities and wire fraud, along with identity theft.At the time, Carvalho denied personal involvement in the selection of AllHere, according to the Los Angeles Times.“Mr. Carvalho respects the rule of law and the investigative process and has always acted in the best interests of students and within the bounds of the law,” a statement provided by Holland + Knight, the law firm representing him, had said. “While the government’s investigation remains ongoing, no evidence has been presented by prosecutors supporting any allegation that Mr. Carvalho violated federal law.”An email seeking comment was sent to the law firm Monday.Following the search of school headquarters, LA Unified said it was cooperating with investigators and had no further information.Carvalho became superintendent for LA in 2022. He previously led the public schools in Miami.