L.A. School Board Delays Decision on Superintendent After FBI Raids

The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education met behind closed doors for four hours Thursday but reached no decision about the future of Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, one day after the FBI raided his home and district office.

The extraordinary federal action — which also included a property in Florida — appears connected to a now-defunct education technology company, AllHere, that developed a failed AI chatbot for the district.

The board recessed its emergency meeting and announced it would reconvene the following day to continue deliberations. For now, the district says operations continue normally across schools and offices.

What Is News

The FBI raided Superintendent Alberto Carvalho’s home and LAUSD office.

The investigation appears linked to AllHere, a collapsed AI chatbot vendor

The school board met in closed session but made no immediate decision about Carvalho’s employment.

Carvalho has not publicly commented.

Federal affidavits related to the investigation remain sealed.

The board may either retain Carvalho or appoint an interim superintendent.

The AI Chatbot at the Center

The investigation appears connected to AllHere, the company behind “Ed,” an AI-powered chatbot launched by LAUSD in 2024.

The chatbot was designed to:

Answer student and parent questions.

Provide academic guidance.

Support a personalized “Individual Acceleration Plan” (IAP) for each student.

Carvalho promoted the tool as a forward-looking innovation for the district. However, Ed was quietly disconnected just three months after launch when AllHere collapsed before full deployment.

AllHere founder Joanna Smith-Griffin was charged in 2024 with securities fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. She pleaded not guilty and was released on bond. The FBI has not publicly detailed how the current probe relates to the company’s prior charges.

Law enforcement sources cited by local reporting indicate the focus of the investigation involves Carvalho personally and may relate broadly to financial matters.

What Is Analysis

A Leadership Crisis at a Sensitive Moment

The uncertainty comes just five months after the board unanimously voted to extend Carvalho’s contract for four years at an annual salary of $440,000.

Carvalho has been a nationally prominent education leader, previously serving as superintendent in Miami before taking the LAUSD post in 2022.

Under his leadership:

The district aggressively addressed chronic absenteeism following the pandemic.

Math and English scores improved for two consecutive years.

LAUSD publicly resisted immigration enforcement actions affecting students.

The FBI raid introduces sudden instability into a system already navigating complex political and social pressures.

Even if Carvalho is not charged, the optics of a federal search can weaken public trust and create governance paralysis.

The Broader EdTech Question

This episode underscores the risks associated with rapid AI adoption in public institutions.

Districts across the U.S. have rushed to experiment with AI tools promising:

Personalized instruction

Administrative automation

Parent engagement improvements

However, procurement oversight, vendor vetting, and financial transparency can lag behind technological enthusiasm.

If federal investigators determine that financial irregularities occurred in the AllHere deal, the case could become a cautionary tale about public-sector AI contracts.

It also raises a larger governance question:

Are school systems equipped to evaluate complex AI vendors responsibly?

What a “Closed Session” Signals

School boards typically hold closed sessions for personnel matters involving sensitive legal risk. The board’s decision to deliberate privately suggests serious consideration of possible employment action.

Options include:

Standing firmly behind Carvalho pending investigation.

Placing him on leave.

Appointing an interim superintendent.

Negotiating a separation.

The board’s decision to reconvene rather than conclude may indicate internal division or the need for further legal guidance.

The Political Dimension

Carvalho has emerged as a visible critic of federal immigration crackdowns affecting LAUSD families. His high profile could amplify political scrutiny around the investigation.

While federal authorities emphasize the probe is financial in nature, high-profile public officials inevitably draw national attention when subject to raids.

This adds reputational risk not only for Carvalho but for the district itself.

What Happens Next

Because court documents remain sealed, key facts are unknown:

Whether Carvalho is a target or a witness.

Whether charges are imminent.

Whether the probe will expand.

If no charges materialize, the board may ultimately reaffirm its support.

If legal action follows, LAUSD may face prolonged leadership disruption.

The Bigger Picture

The case illustrates how AI experimentation in public institutions intersects with governance, procurement ethics, and political accountability.

The chatbot itself failed quietly.

The consequences, however, are proving far louder.

As LAUSD prepares to reconvene its closed session, the future of one of the nation’s largest school districts — and one of its most prominent superintendents — remains uncertain.