Carvalho cited protecting the district from distraction, but federal investigators looking into alleged kickbacks from his time in Miami have made no indication they are finished.
Alberto Carvalho resigned Sunday night as superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, ending a nearly four-year tenure at the nation’s second-largest public school system while a federal investigation into his conduct continues.
The LAUSD Board of Education acknowledged receipt of a letter of resignation from Carvalho, effective June 21, 2026. Carvalho’s legal team confirmed he sent the resignation letter to LAUSD and to individual members of the Board of Education.
In the letter, Carvalho cited the need to protect the district from distraction. “Placing students first has always guided my work,” he wrote. “Because I believe our schools must remain focused on students and learning without distraction, I am resigning as Superintendent of LAUSD effective today, June 21, 2026.”
The resignation comes nearly four months after the FBI served search warrants at his home and LAUSD headquarters as part of an ongoing investigation. Authorities have not charged Carvalho with any crimes.
The FBI also raided a Florida residence linked to Carvalho. The reason for the warrants is unknown, as the FBI confirmed the underlying affidavit remained under seal. Law enforcement sources told CBS News that the investigations in both states are directly related to Carvalho, though it is not clear what, if any, wrongdoing he is accused of.
A source with direct knowledge of the matter said the investigation predates the Trump administration and centers on allegations that Carvalho may have received kickbacks from a business while he was still superintendent of the Miami-Dade school district. The source added that the investigation is not directly tied to the LAUSD or his work there.
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 founder was indicted for fraud.
In 2024, Carvalho heavily promoted a deal with AllHere for an AI chatbot named “Ed” designed to help students. About three months after unveiling the technology and paying the company $3 million, the district dropped its dealings with AllHere, which collapsed into bankruptcy. AllHere founder Joanna Smith-Griffin was subsequently charged with securities and wire fraud, along with identity theft. Carvalho is not named in that case.
Kerr said she was never paid her $630,000 commission for her work closing the AllHere deal with the LA district. The 74, a news organization that covered the company’s bankruptcy hearings, reported that Kerr had longstanding ties to Carvalho from his time overseeing the Miami-Dade district, and that her son, who worked for AllHere, pitched the technology to LA school leaders after Carvalho took the helm there.
The board placed Carvalho on paid administrative leave two days after the FBI raid, on Feb. 27, and appointed veteran district administrator Andrés Chait as acting superintendent. In March, Carvalho broke his silence and denied any wrongdoing. Through a statement released via a spokesperson, he maintained his innocence, saying he “remains confident that the evidence will ultimately demonstrate that he acted appropriately and in the best interests of students.” He also said at the time that he wanted to return to work.
It is not clear whether Carvalho’s departure comes with a negotiated settlement. His contract sets a minimum of a 12-month payout were the district to terminate his employment without cause.
Carvalho arrived at LAUSD in February 2022 as a nationally recognized superintendent after leading Miami-Dade County Public Schools for 14 years, hired on a four-year contract at a salary of $440,000. Under his leadership, the school system received significant state and national recognition for improved test scores, and Gov. Gavin Newsom praised him as a national education leader.
In response to the resignation, the LAUSD Board of Education said it remains committed to stability and continuity. Chait will remain as acting superintendent until a permanent decision is made. The board did not indicate when that process would begin.
