LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho Resigns After Four Months on Paid Leave During FBI Probe

Alberto Carvalho resigned Sunday night as superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, effective June 21, 2026, according to the Los Angeles Times and CBS News. He had been on paid administrative leave since late February, when FBI agents executed search warrants at his San Pedro home, LAUSD headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, and a Florida property.

Carvalho made no mention of the investigation in his resignation letter, according to the LA Times. He cited student achievement gains — improved state test scores, a record graduation rate, AP course expansion — and wrote that he was stepping down to avoid becoming a "distraction" to students and schools.

What the FBI Was After

The precise scope of the federal investigation remains under seal. A U.S. Department of Justice spokesperson confirmed court-authorized search warrants were executed February 25 but declined further comment, according to LAist. The FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office have not publicly named Carvalho as a target or suspect.

According to law enforcement sources cited by CBS News, the investigation predates the Trump administration and centers on allegations that Carvalho may have received kickbacks from a business during his tenure as superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Those are allegations, not proven facts.

The NY Post and LA Times separately report that the probe is also linked, at least in part, to LAUSD's dealings with AllHere, a company that built an AI chatbot called "Ed" for the district. LAUSD paid AllHere $3 million. The company collapsed into bankruptcy within three months of the product's launch. AllHere's founder, Joanna Smith-Griffin, was later charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, and identity theft. Carvalho was NOT named in that case.

The Florida search was executed at the home of Debra Kerr, described by the NY Post as a salesperson whose clients included AllHere.

The Money Question

Carvalho's salary was $440,000 annually, per the NY Post. CBS News notes his current contract was a four-year, $1.7 million deal. He collected that salary during roughly four months of paid leave, meaning taxpayers covered him for the period. His contract reportedly guarantees a minimum 12-month payout if the district terminates him without cause, according to the LA Times. Whether his resignation came with a negotiated settlement remains unclear as of June 22, 2026.

The LAUSD board voted 7-0 on February 27 to place him on paid leave and appointed longtime district administrator Andres Chait as acting superintendent, per LAist.

His Defense

Carvalho's legal team issued a statement in March — his only direct public response since the raids — denying any wrongdoing. "Mr. Carvalho remains confident that the evidence will ultimately demonstrate that he acted appropriately and in the best interests of students," the statement said, per CBS News. His attorneys also said they hoped the board would reinstate him.

Four months of investigation have produced zero charges. The FBI sealed its affidavit, so there is no public record of what agents were actually looking for or what they found. It is possible the investigation concludes without any criminal action. Carvalho built a credible record of academic gains at LAUSD, and the AllHere fraud case that named Smith-Griffin specifically excluded him.

What the Sources Got Wrong or Left Out

CBS News reported that the investigation "is not directly tied to the LAUSD or Carvalho's work at the district" — framing that leans on a single unnamed source and conflicts with the LA Times reporting, which says law enforcement sources connected the probe at least in part to Carvalho's interactions with the AllHere subcontractor. Neither outlet named its sources. Readers should treat both framings as unverified until investigators speak publicly.

What Comes Next

Chait remains acting superintendent, overseeing a district of nearly 400,000 students facing declining enrollment and the likelihood of thousands of layoffs, according to LAist. The LAUSD board is expected to address district leadership at a meeting this Wednesday.

The unresolved question is whether federal prosecutors move toward charges or quietly close the investigation. The sealed affidavit means the public has no visibility into the evidentiary basis for the February raids, and that won't change until prosecutors make a charging decision or formally decline to prosecute.