MIAMI (WSVN) - Alberto Carvalho will not be the superintendent for Miami-Dade County Public Schools for much longer.
Carvalho spoke at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday to announce that he will be entering “a phase of contract negotiations” to accept the position of superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District.
“I am blessed and happy to report that the Los Angeles Unified School System has offered me the position of superintendent. In fact, they just wrapped up a meeting where they unanimously have made this decision,” he said.
The move will take Carvalho from being the head of the fourth-largest public school system in the country to the head of the second largest.
“I know that you’ve put your hearts and minds into the selection process, and we’ll drive student achievement, enrollment and the health and safety of kids under your new leadership, Mr. Carvalho,” said one attendee during a Los Angeles Unified School District meeting.
This is not the first time Carvalho has been considered for a leadership position in a different school system. In 2018, Carvalho was offered the position of New York City’s schools chancellor.
However, after hours of comments from parents, students and other M-DCPS employees, Carvalho turned down that job.
Carvalho thanked the members of the school board and the Miami-Dade community.
“With a degree of heartbreak for the community I’m leaving, but the happiness in my heart also for the community that I will work tirelessly to earn their love and respect, I want to say thank you,” said Carvalho.
Carvalho has led the Miami-Dade School District since 2008.
His accolades include National Superintendent of the Year and 2018 National Urban Superintendent of the Year.
“I will always love you,” said Carvalho. “I have a love affair with this community.”
During his time as superintendent, the Miami-Dade County Public Schools District has become one of the nation’s highest-performing urban school systems.
“I’m grateful for the service that he’s rendered and the foundation that he’s made for nearly 14 years as superintendent,” said Miami-Dade School Board District One Vice Chair Dr. Steve Gallon III. “We will come together, embrace the process and make the decision that’s in the best interest of our school system, our schools, our employees and most importantly, our students.”
“He’s left us a great foundation for us to continue to build upon,” said school board member Lucia Baez-Geller.
“It won’t be an easy feat to lead the fourth largest school district in the nation, but I’m excited for the opportunity that we have in this moment,” said school board member Luisa Santos.
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