The Los Angeles Unified school board’s unanimous decision to place Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on paid administrative leave prompted relief from some quarters and fresh questions Friday, as leaders weighed what the move could mean for stability in the nation’s second-largest school district.
The school board voted to place Carvalho on leave pending the investigation after nearly seven hours of closed-door deliberations spanning two days. The board simultaneously appointed Chief of School Operations Andres Chait as acting superintendent, effective immediately. The action followed federal agents’ search of Carvalho’s San Pedro home and his office at district headquarters earlier this week.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed the focus of the investigation, but multiple media outlets have reported that it may involve Carvalho’s role in the district’s past contract with AllHere, the now-defunct education technology company behind LAUSD’s AI chatbot initiative. Federal authorities have not confirmed that connection.
Nicolle Fefferman, co-founder of Parents Supporting Teachers, a parent advocacy group with more than 30,000 members, said Friday that she was “grateful” the board deliberated and decided to appoint an interim superintendent while Carvallo undergoes due process.
Earlier this week, the group called on the district to temporarily remove Carvalho while the investigation unfolds.
“I think it’s important that we have an acting superintendent who can stay focused on the very urgent issues that our schools are facing,” said Fefferman, who is both a parent and teacher in the district, citing budget development, labor negotiations and concerns about federal immigration enforcement actions affecting school communities. “ I am relieved that the school board made this decision today,” she added.
Fefferman said Chait’s appointment provides stability during a period of uncertainty.
“It just means that there is someone in place who is deeply familiar with our schools and our school district and will be able to lead in a time of uncertainty,” she said.
Others, however, said the decision should prompt deeper scrutiny of the district’s leadership and spending practices.
United Teachers Los Angeles, the union representing more than 35,000 educators in the district, said the board’s vote should be followed by changes in governance.
“Moving forward, we expect the Board to exercise greater independence and stronger oversight,” United Teachers Los Angeles President Cecily Myart-Cruz said in a statement. She pointed to what the union says is $6.7 billion in new private outside contracts since 2022, including $1.6 billion for education technology vendors that provide digital learning platforms and software.
“Whatever the specifics of this investigation turn out to be, it remains a grave issue,” Myart-Cruz said. “This is money that can and should be redirected to classrooms and student support where it is most needed.”
She added that the union remains “steadfast” in its commitment to students and schools and said it hopes the moment gives LAUSD the opportunity to “reassess its priorities and put students and educators first.”
Yolie Flores, a former LAUSD Board member who served from 2007 to 2011, said the outcome did not come as a surprise and reflected the board’s responsibility to act during moments of uncertainty.
“Situations like this require action from a board,” Flores said Friday. “ I appreciated that they took the time. … I think they were weighing all of the circumstances, and it’s probably the best decision to have somebody step in.”
She said placing Carvalho on leave creates space for facts to emerge while maintaining continuity in leadership. She acknowledged frustration over the lack of public details but cautioned against rushing to judgment in what she described as a politically charged environment.
Flores said it’s unclear whether the investigation is politically motivated but noted that leaders who speak in support of immigrant families have faced heightened scrutiny nationally. “This superintendent did that,” she said, in reference to Carvalho’s public statements defending immigrant students and families.
While the past two days have been unsettling, Flores said she does not believe the district has been destabilized.
“Now that a decision is made, people will, if they were distracted, get back to the work,” she said. “We don’t need any more distractions for the children of L.A.”
Federal agents executed searches Wednesday at Carvalho’s home and office pursuant to a court-ordered warrant. The affidavit remains under seal, and authorities have not confirmed the focus of the investigation.
The board’s vote also comes as LAUSD confronts a projected $877 million structural deficit for the 2026–27 school year. Earlier this month, the board voted 4-3 to authorize preliminary layoff notices affecting roughly 2,600 contract management employees and certificated administrators and to eliminate more than 650 central office and centrally funded classified positions. The district is also in active labor negotiations with its employee unions, and members of United Teachers Los Angeles last month authorized a potential strike.
In a statement following Friday’s vote, the district said the action was taken “to ensure the District’s leadership remains focused on the mission of providing world-class teaching and learning in the classroom.”
Board President Scott M. Schmerelson said the move was aimed at “fulfilling our promise to students and families to provide an excellent public education without distraction.”
Chait, a 27-year LAUSD District veteran, previously served as superintendent of Local District Northeast before becoming chief of school operations, overseeing the district’s non-instructional functions, including safety, emergency management, athletics and campus operations. He is also a parent in the district.
Chait said he was “humbled” by the board’s confidence.
“Our focus remains clear: to ensure stability, continuity, and strong leadership for our students, families, and employees,” he said.
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