LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho placed on leave following FBI raid

Alberto Carvalho placed on leave

Effective immediately, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has been placed on paid administrative leave following this week's FBI raids at his home and office. 

LOS ANGELES - During a private meeting Friday, the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education voted to place Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on leave just days after the FBI raided his home and office. 

What we know:

His paid administrative leave goes into effect immediately,

"The Board’s action was taken to ensure the District’s leadership remains focused on the mission of providing world-class teaching and learning in the classroom. While we understand the need for information, we cannot discuss the specifics of this matter pending investigation," LAUSD wrote in a statement. 

The board, depending on the outcome of the investigation, could either reinstate Carvalho or fire him. 

His contract as superintendent was recently renewed in September 2025, and he has about four more years on his contract. 

What's next:

Andres Chait, who currently serves as Chief of School Operations, has been named as Acting Superintendent. Chait has been with the district for over 22 years, and was principal at several schools.

The backstory:

On Wednesday morning, federal agents executed simultaneous search warrants at his San Pedro home and his office inside LAUSD's downtown LA headquarters. 

A third location in Southwest Ranches, Florida—near where Carvalho previously served as superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools—was also searched, according to FBI Miami.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: FBI raids LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho's home, office

The U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed law enforcement served ‘judicially approved search warrants.' The supporting affidavits are currently sealed by the court. While there is still no official confirmation on what the raid was connected to, sources say it could be tied to a company the district hired in 2024 to develop an AI chatbot, which was never fully implemented.

In 2023, Carvalho announced LAUSD's $3 million deal with AllHear, the company behind a chatbot named ‘Ed’. But Ed never made it to LAUSD classrooms after the company shut down. 

It's founder, Joanna Smith Griffin, has been charged by federal authorities with fraud and identity theft. 

Who is Alberto Carvalho

Dig deeper:

Carvalho has led the nation’s second-largest school district since 2022 and was recently re-appointed in 2025. 

His district biography lists an extensive array of honors, including being named the 2014 National Superintendent of the Year and the 2018 National Urban Superintendent of the Year.

He is a prominent figure in national education, known for his personal story as a formerly undocumented immigrant and his vocal opposition to aggressive federal immigration enforcement near schools.