Congratulates Alberto M. Carvalho on being named the Next Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District
Carvalho was superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, has served as ALAS president, and is recipient of this year’s ALAS National Humanitarian Award
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 13, 2021) – The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) congratulates Alberto M. Carvalho on being named the next Superintendent of Schools of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).
Carvalho most recently was superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, has served as ALAS’ president and board member for Region 7 Southeast, and is the recipient of the 2021-22 ALAS National Humanitarian Award for his leadership and his stance in support of mandated masks for students despite political opposition.
Carvalho has served as the Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), the fourth largest school district in the country, since 2008 and is recognized by his peers as a national voice for equity in education.
“Mr. Carvalho is exactly the kind of leader we need right now in our school districts,” said ALAS Executive Director Dr. Maria Armstrong. “His life story is incredibly inspirational and not unlike that of many of the students served by large culturally diverse urban school districts like M-DCPS and LAUSD. He keeps students’ best interest at heart in everything he does and he brings passion, perspective and leadership to his role. We congratulate him on his new position.”
According to an announcement by LAUSD, Carvalho grew up in poverty in Portugal and was the first in his family to graduate from high school. He emigrated to the United States shortly after high school and supported himself through higher learning as a day laborer and busboy. After graduation, he started his career as a science teacher in Miami-Dade County, where he has also served in several roles including assistant principal and chief communications officer.
“It has been the privilege of my life to serve as Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools,” Carvalho stated in the LAUSD announcement. “For the last three decades, I have selflessly dedicated my professional career to the children of Miami’s diverse community, and I am hoping to bring that same passion, compassion and commitment to the students and families in L.A. Unified.”
According to the announcement, during Carvalho’s tenure at M-DCPS the district experienced sustained growth in student achievement as well as a commitment to equity and historically underserved students. Carvalho garnered local, state, national and international recognition for his work including Florida’s 2014 Superintendent of the Year; the 2014 National Superintendent of the Year; the 2016 winner of the Harold W. McGraw Prize in Education; the 2018 National Urban Superintendent of the Year; the 2019 National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) Superintendent of the Year Award; and the National ALAS National Humanitarian Award.
Carvalho is also founder and principal of the award-winning iPreparatory Academy that has become a model of robust 21st century learning in the age of innovation and technology.