Lead
One day after federal agents searched the home and district office of Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, the school board convened an emergency closed session on Thursday to consider his status. The raids — which also included a search of a Florida residence linked to a longtime associate — prompted district officials to say they are cooperating with investigators. Federal agents reportedly seized Carvalho’s work phone and other devices, and board members weighed possible interim steps as the probe continues. No charges have been announced publicly.
Key Takeaways
- Federal searches occurred on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, at Superintendent Alberto Carvalho’s residence and his Los Angeles Unified office.
- A district official said investigators seized Carvalho’s work phone and other devices; the official spoke on condition of anonymity about legal matters.
- The school board met in an emergency closed session on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, to discuss Carvalho’s status and potential administrative moves.
- The F.B.I. also searched the Florida home of Debra Kerr, a longtime friend and consultant to Carvalho who links ed‑tech vendors to school districts.
- Kerr consulted for AllHere, which received a multimillion‑dollar Los Angeles contract more than two years ago to build an A.I. chatbot; the company later collapsed and its CEO was charged with fraud.
- At least one other Kerr client, RethinkEd (a social‑emotional learning platform), has been hired by LAUSD during Carvalho’s tenure.
- Carvalho has led LAUSD since 2022 and previously spent more than 13 years as Miami‑Dade County Public Schools superintendent.
Background
Alberto Carvalho took the helm of the Los Angeles Unified School District in 2022 after a long tenure in Miami‑Dade, where he served as superintendent for more than 13 years. His profile as an education leader and public figure grew during that period, and his move to LAUSD made him one of the most prominent urban school chiefs in the country. The district is the nation’s second largest, serving hundreds of thousands of students and managing contracts with a wide array of vendors for services ranging from transportation to educational technology.
Over the past several years, school districts nationwide have expanded partnerships with ed‑tech firms for tutoring, curriculum, and student supports, creating new procurement and oversight challenges for officials. Those relationships have sometimes drawn scrutiny when companies fail financially, face allegations of misconduct, or when procurement processes are questioned. In Los Angeles, multimillion‑dollar contracts for emerging technologies have attracted attention from board members, parents, and journalists alike.
Main Event
On Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, federal agents executed searches at Carvalho’s home and at district headquarters in Los Angeles. A district official told reporters the agents took Carvalho’s work phone and other devices; that official requested anonymity because they were discussing ongoing legal matters. The district issued a brief statement acknowledging the raids and saying it would cooperate with authorities, but it offered few other details publicly.
The F.B.I. also searched the Florida residence of Debra Kerr, described in public reporting as a longtime friend and business associate of Carvalho who specializes in marketing education technology and connecting vendors with school districts. Kerr had previously worked in South Florida, where she and Carvalho were known to each other during his Miami‑Dade years. Federal agents’ presence at her Florida home signals investigators are probing relationships that cross state lines.
Board members convened an emergency closed session on Thursday afternoon, Feb. 26, 2026, to discuss the superintendent’s fate. Officials and observers said possible topics included whether Carvalho should take a leave of absence pending the investigation or whether the board should seek additional legal counsel. No public action was announced immediately after the closed session, and Carvalho did not respond to requests for comment through the publication window.
Analysis & Implications
The immediate effect is administrative uncertainty inside a district that serves as a central public institution for Los Angeles. If Carvalho steps aside temporarily or is placed on leave, the board will need to appoint interim leadership capable of managing daily operations for a system with complex service contracts and ongoing education initiatives. That transition could disrupt planning cycles for curriculum, budget execution, and vendor oversight.
Politically, the episode puts the board under pressure from multiple constituencies—parents, teachers, city officials and vendors—to show transparency and steady governance. Board members must balance the legal sensitivity of an active federal probe with demands for accountability and clarity about district contracts awarded during Carvalho’s tenure. How they handle the matter will affect trust in district procurement and oversight processes.
For vendors and the broader ed‑tech market, the searches underscore the reputational and legal risks tied to public contracts. Companies that won contracts during Carvalho’s tenure—particularly those with ties to consultants under scrutiny—may face renewed audits or contract reviews. Investors and district procurement officers will likely reexamine due diligence practices, contract clauses, and conflict‑of‑interest safeguards.
Comparison & Data
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Carvalho tenure | LAUSD superintendent since 2022; >13 years in Miami‑Dade prior |
| Raid date | Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 |
| Related parties | Debra Kerr (consultant); AllHere (A.I. vendor awarded contract >2 years ago) |
The table above summarizes the timeline and principal actors reported so far. It highlights that key events span multiple jurisdictions—Los Angeles and Florida—and that the implicated vendor relationships date back more than two years, complicating retrospective reviews of procurement decisions.
Reactions & Quotes
The district said it was “aware of the federal raids” and that it was “cooperating with the authorities.”
Los Angeles Unified School District (official statement)
That concise district statement signaled cooperation but provided no timeline for the board’s review or any indication of internal personnel decisions. The short phrasing is common when agencies respond to active federal inquiries to avoid interfering with investigative work.
“Federal agents seized his work phone and other devices,”
District official (anonymous)
An anonymous official provided that operational detail to reporters, underscoring the scope of the search while limiting attribution for legal reasons. The seizure of devices can be routine in white‑collar probes but typically prompts review of communications and documents relevant to procurement and contract management.
Unconfirmed
- Whether Alberto Carvalho will take an immediate leave of absence or be placed on paid administrative leave remains undecided and was not announced publicly after the board’s closed session.
- The precise investigative focus of the F.B.I. — including whether it centers on specific procurement decisions, vendor payments, or other matters — has not been publicly disclosed.
- Any direct charges related to AllHere’s collapse or other vendor conduct in connection with LAUSD procurement have not been filed (the company’s CEO was previously charged in a separate fraud matter, which remains unresolved).
Bottom Line
The F.B.I. searches of the superintendent’s home and office and the linked Florida search of a consultant mark a significant development for Los Angeles Unified. At stake is not only the immediate leadership of one of the nation’s largest school districts but also public confidence in how the district awards and oversees multimillion‑dollar contracts. The board’s next steps—whether to request a leave of absence, open an internal review, or await federal conclusions—will shape both governance and public trust.
Readers should expect a period of careful, slow‑moving legal and administrative developments: federal probes can take months before producing public filings. Meanwhile, the district faces pressure to maintain operational continuity for students and staff while upholding transparency in procurement and conflict‑of‑interest safeguards.