We filed 2 public records requests. LAUSD did not respond to either. Here is what we know anyway.
California law requires public agencies to respond to records requests within 10 business days. Non-response is not a policy — it is a violation of the California Public Records Act.
LAUSD approves billions in contracts at board meetings where dozens of items pass simultaneously, often without discussion. A $500 million bond authorization to settle sexual abuse claims was approved without comment, without public presentation, and without a hearing. Board members were briefed in small groups beforehand.
This is what governance looks like when accountability is optional.
In 2023, LAUSD awarded a $6.2 million no-bid contract to a startup called AllHere to build an AI chatbot called Ed. The company’s founder had a personal relationship with the superintendent. The contract went through without competitive bidding.
AllHere collapsed within a year. Its founder was indicted for fraud — accused of misrepresenting the company’s finances to investors. The chatbot no longer exists.
In February 2026, the FBI raided Superintendent Carvalho’s home and office. He was placed on paid leave. He has denied wrongdoing.
Investigators found that AllHere had arranged a meeting with LAUSD leaders months before landing the contract through a consultant with a personal relationship with the superintendent. The meeting was not disclosed in the contract record.
Nobody was watching.
“There always seems to be money for these contracts. It seems there really hasn’t been a lot of oversight.”
— UTLA Vice President Julie Van Winkle, NBC Los Angeles, March 2026