Andres Chait appointed the new LAUSD superintendent following the resignation of Alberto Carvalho

Andres Chait was named superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District three days after the resignation of Alberto Carvalho in a lightning-quick turnaround that elevated the most popular student to the top of the nation’s second-largest school system.

The Board of Education announced its unanimous decision Wednesday, which was issued during the board’s last scheduled meeting before August.

Chait has been serving as acting superintendent since Feb. 27, two days after the FBI raided the home and office of his predecessor, Carvalho. Legal sources have confirmed that the ongoing investigation includes a review of Carvalho’s actions related to the company hired to create the wrong AI chatbot. Carvalho has not been charged and maintains his innocence of wrongdoing.

Chait’s style and background is very different from that of Carvalho, who had 14 years of experience leading one of the largest school programs in Miami.

Carvalho carefully cultivated his visibility – before and during his tenure in LA he maintained a high national profile as a sought-after voice in education. In 2018, he accepted a job leading a school system in New York City before changing his mind and settling in Miami. He was a regular at national conferences on education and among world leaders. He took office in LA in February 2022.

Chait is a district parent who started as a kindergarten teacher at Queen Anne Place Elementary School and gradually rose through the ranks. He has never worked in another school system, although his experience at LA Unified included a variety of roles, including elementary school principal and district superintendent. Most recently he served as director of activities – a non-academic role – for the entire school system.

Chait was not among the top officials who sat behind the school board in the loft during board meetings. Instead, Chait was stationed in the back near the audiovisual equipment, where he did not operate the camera and often joked and interacted with other district employees and members of the public. Sometimes he dealt directly with a member of the public or an employee who raised a personal problem or issue during the public hearing part of the board meeting.

Over the past two years, Chait has presented periodically at board meetings, including on issues such as school safety.

The decision to give the job to Chait didn’t come as a complete surprise because he had already performed important duties usually performed by a long-term superintendent. This includes finalizing the four-year strategy and electing managers to fill key senior positions.

The Board of Education approved a four-year strategic plan Tuesday that includes academic goals and measures for college, career and social readiness.

Chait also got good marks from board members and union leaders during the trial and labor dispute that came within hours of a three-union strike that would have shut down the school system.

Chait was instrumental in reaching the agreement, along with Mayor Karen Bass.

“It’s been great to have the cooperation from the district leadership, from the superintendent, from the school board, from the entire school board, all of that makes a difference,” Bass said at a news conference at City Hall, referring to Chait, after the night.

Three union leaders each praised Chait at the time.

“I want to thank you, Supt. Chait, for showing humanity. Humanity. Humanity for seeing us, seeing the staff, and believing that you can cross the line,” said Cecily Myart-Cruz, outgoing president of United Teachers Los Angeles.

Last week, Myart-Cruz said in an interview that Carvalho needed to be replaced and that Chait appeared to have the necessary skills to take over – although he said he would prefer a formal selection process that included input from labor leaders and others.

Max Arias, executive director of Service Employees International Union Local 99, also praised Chait after the contract was terminated.

“I want to thank you … for stepping into a very difficult situation and stepping in and showing leadership,” Arias said. “We are ready, our members are ready, to give the opportunity to build a relationship or partnership.”

In an interview last week, Arias said Chait should have been offered the job directly — that a search process was unnecessary.

Also praising Chait at that April gathering at City Hall was Maria Nichols, president of the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles, which represents principals and assistant principals, among others.

“Thank you very much for listening,” said Nichols. “I know the style of the acting superintendent – collaborative, and listening. He takes action. He’s personable, and he wants the best for our students, because he’s a parent and he has students in LAUSD.”

The deals accepted by Chait also have critics, who say they are more than the district can afford.

The $20.6 billion spending plan approved Tuesday includes layoffs of up to a few hundred workers with due process rights and possibly a thousand more without job protections. Over the next three years, officials made thousands more layoffs.

The spending plan for the 2026-27 school year is nearly $2 billion more than last year’s figure of $18.8 billion. The county’s projected revenue is $18.6 billion, although that number could rise based on promising federal tax revenue.

In the meantime, the district will pay the shortfall from the reserve fund, which may or may not expire in the next two to three years. The increase in money results in significant wage increases, maintaining health benefits amid rising costs and increasing the number of part-time workers eligible for benefits.

Other pressures on the budget have been the expiration of COVID-19 aid funds, inflation outpacing federal funding increases and declining enrollment. LA Unified, which has about 390,000 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, is nearly as large as it was in the early 2000s.

Chait’s salary as acting superintendent was $395,867. He also received $250 per month for expenses and the use of a state car and driver for work-related duties. In his previous job as school operations manager, which he held for about 20 months, Chait earned $278,205.

Carvalho’s salary was $440,000 a year with an additional $50,000 paid annually in retirement. District officials declined to say whether Carvalho received a severance package.

Carvalho’s predecessor as permanent superintendent, Austin Beutner, was paid $350,000 a year.