Andres Chait pledges continuity as he takes LAUSD helm after FBI raids

The investigation that led to last week’s FBI raid at the home and office of schools Supt. Alberto Carvalho stemmed from a referral more than a year ago from New York prosecutors working a criminal fraud case involving a technology company with a Los Angeles Unified School District contract that went bust, according to sources familiar with the inquiry.

It was not until last week that the extent of the inquiry became public. The sources said grand jury subpoenas have been issued to individuals in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, where Carvalho served as superintendent before coming to L.A. in 2022. The subpoenas seek records from the district’s inspector general and the former Foundation for New Education Initiatives, according to a source familiar with the case.

The foundation was a nonprofit organization overeseen by Carvalho while serving in Miami. It is now called the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Foundation. In 2020 the Miami-Dade schools inspector general concluded a $1.57- million donation Carvalho helped secure for the foundation — by a firm with a pending district contract — did not violate state or district ethics policies, but created an appearance of impropriety.

Neither the Miami-Dade County School District nor foundation leadership immediately responded to requests for comment.

Federal authorities have not identified the target of the investigation, nor accused anyone of wrongdoing. But sources told The Times last week that it is connected to AllHere, the firm that developed a chatbot for the nation’s second-largest school system.

At least one person associated with the transactions of the defunct tech company AllHere is cooperating with federal prosecutors, according to two sources familiar with the investigation.

Joanna Smith-Griffin, the founder and former chief executive of AllHere, was arrested in 2024 and charged with securities fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

By then, the envisioned L.A. Unified School District chatbot — known as “Ed” — had been withdrawn from service. Ed was an artificial intelligence AI tool billed by Carvalho in August 2024 as revolutionary for students’ education and the interaction between LAUSD and the families it serves. The tool was never fully deployed.

Sources say prosecutors involved in the AllHere case obtained evidence related to Carvalho that they passed along to California prosecutors.

Along with Carvalho’s San Pedro home and LAUSD headquarters office in downtown Los Angeles, the FBI searched the Florida home of Debra Kerr, a salesperson whose clients included AllHere. Kerr had longtime ties to Carvalho when he led Miami-Dade schools.

Attempts to reach Kerr and Carvalho were unsuccessful. They have not made any public statements.

Kerr has claimed in court documents that the company owes her $630,000.

Prosecutors allege Smith-Griffin fraudulently obtained nearly $10 million from AllHere’s investors. She is accused of using some of those funds to put a $150,000 down payment on a house in North Carolina and to pay for her wedding expenses.

Smith-Griffin pleaded not guilty to charges of securities fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Her lawyers did not respond to a request for comment.

The Los Angeles Unified school board has held three closed-door meetings since the raid as it grapples with the stunning developments that have ensnared Carvalho, among the most prominent K-12 education leaders in the nation. On Friday the board voted 7 to 0 to put Carvalho on indefinite leave and named senior administrator Andres Chait acting superintendent.

Chait on Monday promised continuity and a focus on students in brief remarks before the school board went into closed session to deal with labor negotiations and the fallout from last week’s FBI raid of of Carvalho’s home and office.

Board members left the door open for Carvalho’s return by terming Chait an “acting superintendent,” to fill in temporarily. The board avoided using the term “interim superintendent.” They apparently did not want to imply that Chait is serving while a process is underway to choose a successor for Carvalho.

After the roll call Monday, Chait spoke briefly.

Acting L.A. Unified Supt. Andres Chait.

(Los Angeles Unified)

“I want to begin by expressing my deep respect for our extraordinary educators and employees,” said Chait, who has worked 27 years for L.A. Unified. “That respect comes from serving this community for nearly three decades as an educator, administrator and leader.”

Chait said he intends no shift in policy in his caretaker role.

“As acting superintendent,” Chait said, “my top priority is to keep Los Angeles Unified steady and focused on our core mission: educating, supporting and caring for the students of Los Angeles.”

He added: “Our schools will remain places of safety, consistency and opportunity. Teaching and learning will continue uninterrupted, and our plans and priorities will move forward. We remain committed to academic excellence and student well-being. Our core values remain unchanged.”

Chait did not mention Carvalho, but alluded to the difficult situation at hand.

“I know transitions can create uncertainty, but our district is strong. We have dedicated leaders at every level and together, we will ensure stability and continuity. During this time, I will focus on supporting our schools and keeping students at the center of every decision.”

Ten parent activists signed up to speak during public comment. A few commended Chait personally but said he had fallen short in managing school safety issues — which were under his jurisdiction in his immediate previous role as chief of operations.

These parents were largely supporters of school police — and want them returned to on-campus duties. In June 2020 the school board made cuts to the school police force and ended their on-campus presence in most situations.

Chait, a district parent, has served as an elementary school principal and regional administrator, among other roles.

He has regularly presented at board meetings.

Overall, Chait’s selection has been well received.

“We believe Andres Chait has the experience and commitment necessary to keep the district moving forward,” according to a statement from GPSN, a local education advocacy group. “At a time of uncertainty, maintaining continuity in strategy and prioritizing improved student outcomes must remain the district’s top priority.”