Los Angeles School Board to Hold Emergency Meeting After FBI Raids Superintendent's Home
The governing board of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation's second-largest school system, will convene in a closed session on Thursday to discuss Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. This emergency meeting follows a dramatic day in which FBI agents executed search warrants at the superintendent's private residence, the district's central headquarters, and a third location near Miami, Florida.
Federal Investigation Targets District Leadership
Federal authorities have not disclosed the precise nature or scope of the investigation. The district issued a brief statement confirming its cooperation with the probe but offered no further details. The Board of Education's calendar lists a special afternoon meeting specifically to discuss the superintendent's status, signaling the gravity of the situation.
The FBI's search in Southwest Ranches, Broward County, Florida, adds a complex layer to the case. This location is reportedly connected to Debra Kerr, a former employee of AllHere, an education technology company that previously held a contract with Los Angeles schools. AllHere's collapse and the subsequent criminal indictment of its founder for fraud now appear central to the federal inquiry.
Controversial AI Chatbot Deal Under Scrutiny
The investigation seems to focus, at least in part, on the district's short-lived partnership with AllHere. In 2024, Superintendent Carvalho enthusiastically championed a deal with the company to deploy an AI chatbot named "Ed," designed to assist students. He publicly hailed the technology as "a game changer" for the district.
However, the arrangement unravelled rapidly. The district paid AllHere approximately $3 million but terminated the contract just three months after the chatbot's unveiling. The company soon filed for bankruptcy. Months later, AllHere founder Joanna Smith-Griffin was charged with multiple federal crimes, including securities fraud, wire fraud, and identity theft.
Carvalho has publicly denied any personal involvement in selecting AllHere for the contract. Following Smith-Griffin's indictment, he pledged to appoint a task force to investigate the failed project, though no subsequent public announcements or findings from such a group have been made.
A Superintendent's Contrasting Legacy
Alberto Carvalho's tenure in Los Angeles, spanning the past five years, has been marked by both acclaim and controversy. He has received significant praise for overseeing measurable improvements in the district's academic performance during a challenging period. He arrived in California as the district was navigating the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, managing an influx of state and federal relief funds while confronting severe learning loss and declining student enrollment.
His career before Los Angeles was decorated. As the leader of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Florida's largest district, he was named National Superintendent of the Year in 2014. In 2021, Spain knighted the Portugal-born administrator in recognition of his work expanding Spanish-language programs in Miami.
Carvalho has also been a vocal political figure. He clashed sharply with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over pandemic-era mask mandates in schools. After moving to Los Angeles, he became a prominent critic of the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement actions, particularly following raids in the city last year.
The Miami-Dade school district, Carvalho's former employer, acknowledged awareness of the investigation but declined to comment. The FBI's Miami office confirmed the execution of the search warrant in Florida but provided no additional information regarding the targets or aims of their investigation.
