The superintendent of the nation’s second-largest school district has resigned after months of mounting scrutiny tied to a failed artificial intelligence project that cost taxpayers millions.
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho submitted his resignation Sunday, nearly four months after FBI agents raided his home, district headquarters, and a property in Florida connected to individuals involved in a controversial AI chatbot contract.
“It has been a great honor to serve you,” Carvalho wrote in a resignation letter to students, families, teachers and staff. According to the Los Angeles Times, he said he was stepping aside so schools could remain focused on students and learning “without distraction.”
The resignation caps a stunning fall for a superintendent once hailed as one of the most influential education leaders in America.
Carvalho was placed on paid administrative leave on Feb. 27, two days after federal agents executed search warrants at his home and LAUSD offices. No criminal charges have been filed against Carvalho, and federal authorities have not publicly identified the precise focus of the investigation. However, multiple reports have linked the probe to LAUSD’s failed partnership with education technology company AllHere and its AI-powered chatbot known as “Ed.”
The district paid roughly $3 million for the project before terminating the contract in 2024 after AllHere collapsed. The chatbot had been promoted as a groundbreaking AI assistant capable of helping students and parents track grades, attendance, assignments, transportation and other school services in dozens of languages.
Instead, the project became a national embarrassment.
Months after LAUSD abandoned the initiative, AllHere founder Joanna Smith-Griffin was indicted on federal fraud, wire fraud and identity theft charges unrelated to Carvalho. The company later filed for bankruptcy.
Carvalho repeatedly denied wrongdoing and argued he was not personally involved in selecting AllHere as a vendor. Earlier this year, his legal team said he “respects the rule of law and the investigative process” and maintained that no evidence had been presented showing he violated federal law.
The LAUSD Board of Education acknowledged Carvalho’s resignation and emphasized that the district’s mission remains unchanged.
“The Board remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring stability, continuity, and continued progress through strong leadership,” the board said in a statement. “Our focus remains unchanged: providing every student with a high-quality education, supporting our dedicated workforce, and maintaining the trust of the communities we serve.”
Acting Superintendent Andrés Chait will continue leading the district while board members search for a permanent replacement.
Carvalho arrived in Los Angeles in 2022 after a highly successful 14-year tenure leading Miami-Dade County Public Schools. He earned national recognition for boosting graduation rates and academic performance and was widely viewed as one of the country’s premier school administrators.
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