So who is Alberto Carvalho, the veteran educator the Los Angeles school board has tapped to lead the second-largest school district in the nation?
Background
Born in Portugal, he came to the United States at age 17. Carvalho learned English as a young adult and quickly worked his way up from construction and restaurant jobs as he attended Broward Community College. He later won a scholarship to Barry University.
Beginnings as a teacher, administrator
In his mid-20s, he interviewed for a teaching position at Miami Jackson Senior High. He was offered a job the same day, a Tampa Bay Times profile reported in 2019.
After four years in the classroom — teaching physics, chemistry and calculus — he became an assistant principal. The superintendent at the time was so impressed that he brought Carvalho to work downtown without his having been a principal. Carvalho oversaw federal programs and later became the district’s chief communications officer.
Administrator
He gathered further experience by overseeing grant administration and lobbying state officials. Carvalho launched several initiatives, including a Parent Academy and a School Improvement Zone, focusing on schools with low academic achievement.
He put himself at the helm of a new campus called iPrep Academy, a pre-kindergarten-to-12th-grade magnet school “designed to promote respect and responsibility among the students and staff,” its website says. All students are required to take honors classes.
Superintendent
He has led Miami-Dade County Public Schools since 2008 and is among the nation’s most experienced and admired school district leaders.
Carvalho is credited in the Miami-Dade district with providing stable leadership and improved academic performance, and creating special programs that offer more schooling choices for parents. In Los Angeles, he would immediately have to confront a school district in which many students have long struggled to achieve and were further set back — academically and emotionally — by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Further reading:
Carvalho won’t lead New York schools (NPR)
Inside his decision to stay in Miami (New York Times)
On mask mandates (CBS News)
His complicated legacy (Tampa Bay Times)
The view from Miami (Miami Herald)
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Education News Click Here
