The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education voted unanimously to place Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on paid administrative leave as a federal investigation continues.
Carvalho will continue to receive his annual salary of approximately $440,000, or nearly $8,500 per week, during the leave.
Andres Chait, Superintendent of Local District Northeast, has assumed temporary leadership of the district, which has an $18.8 billion budget and nearly 400,000 students. The Board may appoint an interim superintendent in the near future.
The decision follows searches by federal agents at Carvalho’s San Pedro home, LAUSD headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, and the Miami home of Debra Kerr—a former consultant linked to the tech company AllHere.
Court records remain sealed, and authorities have not released details of the allegations. Neither Carvalho nor Kerr has been charged with a crime.
The investigation is believed to be related to a contract between LAUSD and the AI company AllHere, which developed a chatbot for the district. Founder Joanna Smith-Griffin was indicted in 2024 on fraud charges. Federal prosecutors allege Smith-Griffin defrauded investors of about $10 million.
Under Carvalho, LAUSD reportedly paid nearly $3 million for services the company never provided, according to allegations in the Smith-Griffin case files.
The FBI and Department of Justice have not confirmed whether the AllHere contract is the focus of the investigation into Carvalho or if he is the primary target.
The board meeting took place in a tense atmosphere as parents expressed concerns about the district's transparency and accountability. Some called for his resignation if the investigation escalates, while others warned that instability could directly impact students, especially special education programs.
Carvalho has not made a public appearance since the searches.
