Carvalho ‘unsatisfactory’ as head of Los Angeles schools, district letter says

Education admin August 6, 2026 0 Comments

Carvalho ‘unsatisfactory’ as head of Los Angeles schools, district letter says

The Los Angeles Unified School District found former Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho’s performance to be “unprofessional” and “unsatisfactory,” according to a letter sent to him before his resignation.

The letter alleges Carvalho repeatedly “failed to disclose all sources of income and gifts,” as required by state law and district policy.

Carvalho led Miami-Dade public schools for 14 years before joining Los Angeles Unified School District in February 2022.

The letter, first obtained and reported by the Los Angeles Times, was sent to Carvalho on June 8. He resigned as superintendent of Los Angeles schools on June 21 as the FBI investigated a multimillion-dollar contract awarded to the failed AI-focused education company AllHere.

As part of that investigation, the FBI searched Carvalho’s Los Angeles home and office. Agents also raided the Broward County home of a lobbyist connected to the contract.

MORE: Former Miami-Dade superintendent Alberto Carvalho resigns from LA role

The district’s letter outlines several alleged ethics violations, including Carvalho’s failure to report gifts. Among them were a dinner paid for by McGraw-Hill at a restaurant in the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort in 2022 and tickets to a Los Angeles Dodgers game provided by the vice president of School and Community Development at California Credit Union.

The letter also alleges Carvalho repeatedly failed to disclose consulting work that paid between $500 and $600 an hour for firms including AlphaSights, Tyton Partners, Tegus and Third Bridge.

District officials further alleged that AllHere paid $4,633.37 for Carvalho’s travel and lodging in Washington, D.C., in January 2024, where he participated in a conference at the White House. The letter also accuses Carvalho of circumventing district hiring procedures by directing staff to hire his personal assistant from Florida without following required employment protocols.

The district also alleged Carvalho communicated with a Florida lobbyist regarding two district procurements, creating what it described as “an appearance of impropriety.”

MORE: Why a consultant with Carvalho ties got her Broward home raided by the FBI

“Based on your actions and failure to act as described above, you have proven to be unfit to continue serving in this role by engaging in unprofessional conduct and unethical behavior,” the letter states.

The Los Angeles Times also reported Carvalho’s attorneys’ response to the allegations. Attorneys argued the investigation was politically motivated, opening their letter by noting Carvalho “stood up to ICE last spring to protect school children from intimidation and terror.”

“You have ignored the results of your prior inquiries into the AllHere matter, which cleared Mr. Carvalho of any misconduct,” his attorneys wrote.

Carvalho’s attorneys also argued he never intentionally concealed income or gifts on his required Form 700 financial disclosure filings.

“Moreover, the events and travel referenced in the allegations were entirely consistent with Mr. Carvalho’s duties as leader of the nation’s second-largest school district,” his attorneys wrote.

Carvalho’s attorneys also argued he was singled out for alleged deficiencies in his Form 700 financial disclosures. They said that other district officials who made similar filing errors were allowed to quietly amend their disclosures or pay minor fines, but Carvalho was never given the same opportunity. Instead, they wrote, the district compiled years of his filings into a case for termination and gave him just eight days to respond.

They also defended his relationship with textbook publisher McGraw-Hill, arguing it has long been public knowledge. The attorneys also argued the district omitted key context from its allegation that McGraw-Hill paid for Carvalho’s dinner in October 2022, saying he attended the meal with LAUSD’s general counsel and other senior district officials.

Carvalho’s attorneys also pushed back on the district’s allegations involving tickets to Dodgers events, arguing he attended the ceremonies as part of his official duties to recognize teachers. They noted the California Credit Union/LAUSD Rookie of the Year awards were publicly promoted by the district and its partners.

Carvalho’s attorneys also defended his January 2024 trip to Washington, D.C., involving AllHere, arguing it was as part of his official responsibilities. They said Carvalho traveled to the White House to join the U.S. Secretary of Education and other national leaders for discussions on digital equity, an event that was publicly reported.

“To the extent the Superintendent accepted payment for any travel, lodging, or meals, he did so to save the District funds and advance the ongoing success of the District,” his attorneys wrote of the D.C. trip. If there were concerns about how the trip was reported, the attorneys argued, the district had multiple opportunities to raise them and allow Carvalho to correct any deficiencies but never did.