The leader of the nation’s second-largest public school district has spoken publicly for the first time since federal agents searched his home and workplace last month. Through his legal team, the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District said Tuesday that he has done nothing wrong and intends to return to his position once the situation is resolved.

Alberto Carvalho, who has served as superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District since 2022, was placed on paid administrative leave by the district’s board after federal agents conducted searches at his residence and his office in late February. The warrants connected to the searches remain sealed, and federal authorities have not publicly explained the purpose of the investigation.

The statement released Tuesday marked Carvalho’s first public response since the searches were carried out on February 25. His attorneys emphasized that he remains committed to serving the district’s students and families and that he has always acted within the law.

According to the statement issued by representatives of the law firm Holland & Knight, Carvalho respects the legal process and believes that the investigation will ultimately confirm that he has not violated any federal statutes. His legal team said prosecutors have not presented evidence showing that he engaged in unlawful activity.

Carvalho’s lawyers also expressed hope that the district’s governing board will reinstate him as superintendent in the near future.

While authorities have not formally described the focus of the federal inquiry, officials within the school district familiar with the matter indicated that the investigation may be connected to an earlier criminal probe involving the education technology start-up AllHere.

The company had previously secured a contract worth approximately $6 million from the district to develop an artificial intelligence chatbot designed to support communication between schools and families. However, the start-up later collapsed amid allegations of fraud, drawing the attention of federal investigators.

On the same day agents searched Carvalho’s home and office, federal authorities also executed a search at the Florida residence of Debra Kerr. Kerr worked as a consultant who helped connect educational technology vendors with school districts. She had a long-standing professional relationship with Carvalho dating back to his tenure leading the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system, where he served for more than a decade before moving to Los Angeles.

The former chief executive of AllHere, Joanna Smith‑Griffin, has already been charged in connection with the alleged fraud involving the company. Court records indicate that the case has not yet gone to trial, as both prosecutors and defense attorneys have delayed proceedings while discussing the possibility of a negotiated resolution. Legal observers believe the discussions may involve a potential plea agreement.

Despite the ongoing investigation, no criminal charges have been filed against Carvalho. Members of the Los Angeles school board said when placing him on leave that their goal was to ensure stability within the district while federal authorities continue their work.

The search of Carvalho’s residence surprised neighbors living near the Port of Los Angeles, where the superintendent resides in a modest three-bedroom bungalow located just a short distance from the Pacific Ocean. Residents described an unusual scene early that morning as a convoy of federal vehicles arrived on their normally quiet street.

Neighbors said the agents remained at the property for several hours, moving in and out of the house and carrying boxes of materials from the front door. The activity disrupted the calm of the neighborhood, with vehicles blocking driveways and agents asking onlookers to keep their distance.

Some residents expressed concern but also said they hoped the investigation would ultimately clear the superintendent.

Julie Sherman, who cares for a disabled neighbor nearby, said many people in the area were shocked by the sudden appearance of federal agents. She added that residents simply hope nothing improper occurred.

The controversy surrounding Carvalho comes at a time when the Los Angeles Unified School District is already facing several significant challenges. Among them are financial pressures within the district’s budget and growing tensions with labor unions representing teachers and other school employees.

Those tensions were visible Tuesday when union members filled the district’s board chamber during a scheduled meeting. Although the investigation involving the superintendent was not formally addressed during the session, his absence was widely noted.

Union representatives used the meeting to express frustration over ongoing negotiations related to wages and working conditions. Labor leaders argued that while educators and staff members are seeking better compensation to keep pace with the rising cost of living in Los Angeles, the district has spent substantial amounts of money on technology initiatives and external contracts.

Alex Orozco, a representative of the teachers’ union, told board members that the district must prioritize fair pay for educators who live and work in one of the most expensive metropolitan areas in the United States. He argued that some technology contracts approved during Carvalho’s tenure had diverted funding that could have supported classroom staff.

Another union representative, Maria Nichols, who speaks for a labor organization representing school principals and administrative staff, addressed the board during the same meeting. She acknowledged the efforts of acting superintendent Andres Chait, a longtime district employee who stepped into the leadership role after Carvalho was placed on leave.

Nichols said Chait had quickly opened communication with union leaders, which she described as a constructive step during a period of uncertainty for the district.

She emphasized that while unions prefer to resolve disputes through negotiation, the possibility of a strike remains if agreements cannot be reached. At the same time, she warned that additional instability would only worsen the challenges facing the school system.

Nichols said educators and administrators alike are seeking contracts that provide fair compensation and equitable working conditions, especially during a period when the district is already under public scrutiny.

As union members left the board chamber chanting slogans, Chait told reporters that he plans to continue discussions with labor representatives. He described teachers and school staff as the foundation of the district and said maintaining open dialogue with them will remain a priority as the investigation and labor negotiations move forward.

For now, the future of the district’s leadership remains uncertain. Carvalho’s legal team insists that the investigation will ultimately show he acted lawfully, while the school board maintains its position that placing him on leave was necessary to preserve stability within one of the largest public education systems in the United States.