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Alberto Carvalho leaving for job in Los Angeles

Miami-Dade public schools superintendent has been in role since 2008

MIAMI ā€“ Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has been offered the same position in Los Angeles and will enter contract negotiations to take over the second-largest school system in the country.

Carvalho, 57, who has led Miami-Dadeā€™s public school district since 2008, made the announcement that he had accepted the new job Thursday afternoon at iPrep Academy, where he is principal.

ā€œAs I open my heart to LA, I will never close my heart to Miami,ā€ said Carvalho, who was named Superintendent of the Year in 2014 by the national superintendents association.

WATCH A REPLAY OF CARVALHOā€™S ANNOUNCEMENT:

Miami-Dadeā€™s district is the fourth-largest in the country, and Carvalho has been credited with raising its academic and financial standing.

ā€œWeā€™ve pulled this district from financial bankruptcy, from academic bankruptcy, where dozens of schools were rated ā€˜Dā€™ or ā€˜F,ā€™ where graduation rates were at 58%,ā€ he said. The district says its current graduation rate is 93% and has no D or F schools.

Before looking forward to his next challenge, Carvalho spent time Thursday looking back.

ā€œI am the poor kid from Portugal whose first job in this country was as a dishwasher, second job was as a day laborer,ā€ he said. On his way to the news conference, Carvalho said he drove through a Miami neighborhood where he had been homeless 30 years ago.

ā€œMy world changed when I became a teacher,ā€ Carvalho said. ā€œI still feel this journey is a fairytale.ā€

After announcing that they approved Carvalhoā€™s selection unanimously, the Los Angeles Board of Education said it planned a vote to finalize his contract on Dec. 14.

ā€œAlberto Carvalho brings the deep experience we need as an educator and leader of a large urban district to manage L.A. Unifiedā€™s ongoing response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,ā€ Los Angeles Unified School Board President Kelly Gonez said in a statement. ā€œAs the longtime Miami-Dade Superintendent, he established a clear record of positive student outcomes and has relentlessly worked towards greater equity for historically underserved communities. I know he will continue that focus in Los Angeles, and he is ready for the challenges and opportunities ahead of us.ā€

Carvalho was close to taking over the school system in New York City in 2018 but ultimately decided to remain in South Florida.

ā€œI underestimated the emotional tug, the level of commitment, the power that crying members of the community have had on me,ā€ Carvalho said at the time. ā€œAgainst probably my personal best interest, I shall remain in Miami-Dade as your superintendent.ā€

Of Los Angeles, he said Thursday: ā€œI feel that this is a very good fit. I see the possibility.ā€

Los Angelesā€™ last full-time superintendent, Austin Beutner, was making a salary of $350,000, and over $382,000 when including benefits, records show. Carvalho was making $375,000 in Miami-Dade, with his contract set to run until June 2023.

Miami-Dade school board vice-chair Steve Gallon said they were just beginning the process of determining when Carvalho will be able to leave and the next steps for filling the position.

ā€œIt is a tremendous loss,ā€ Gallon said. ā€œThere is a process that we have to undertake, and that process is just getting started.ā€

Karla Hernandez-Mats, president of the United Teachers of Dade union, said she believes an interim superintendent will be named initially. She praised Carvalhoā€™s work in Miami-Dade, saying ā€œhis commitment to our community has elevated our schools to be a beacon of excellence.ā€

Carvalho attended Broward Community College and graduated in 1990 from Barry University with a biology degree. He became a high school science and math teacher before quickly moving up the administrative ranks, becoming a principal before moving to the district office where he was the districtā€™s spokesman and an assistant superintendent before becoming superintendent in 2008.

ā€œI count myself amongst the many people lucky to have benefitted from his leadership,ā€ said school board member Luisa Santos.

Added fellow board member Lucia Baez-Geller: ā€œWeā€™re just lucky to have had him, but weā€™re also moving forward and excited about the future possibilities.ā€


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