In between protecting his students from immigration agents entering their schools and campaigning against raids in Los Angeles, the city’s schools superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho has negotiated Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD’s) first-ever memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Camões Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua to introduce Portuguese as a world language option across the district.
Under Carvalho’s leadership, LAUSD has expanded its world language options while boosting its bilingual and dual language programs. “Portuguese is a bridge to the cultures of four continents,” Carvalho explained, adding, “This partnership opens new doors for our students and
deepens our ties to one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.”
The five-year deal means that Portuguese is now officially part of LAUSD’s world languages and cultures curriculum, joining other languages like Spanish, Chinese, Korean, French, Japanese,
Arabic, and American Sign Language. The district’s multilingual strategy aims to equip students with the tools needed to thrive in a globalized world while celebrating the cultural heritage of its diverse population.
Portuguese language programs are already available at two LAUSD schools. Now, plans are underway to expand Portuguese offerings to additional magnet and multilingual campuses, increase the number of certified Portuguese language teachers, and raise awareness about the
program within the district and the broader Portuguese-American community.
Carvalho, a long-time advocate of bilingual education and a champion of immigrant rights, was born in Lisbon and moved alone to the US at the age of 17. With only limited English, he worked at menial jobs and spent some time homeless, earning a scholarship to Broward College
and graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Barry University. Carvalho began
his career in education as a physics, chemistry, and calculus teacher at Miami Jackson Senior
High, later becoming an assistant principal at the school. He went on through the ranks
before being appointed superintendent of the Miami-Dade County Public School district in 2008, where he overcame a massive budget deficit without firing a single teacher.
Fluent in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, Carvalho served as president of the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents in 2012. His popularity has soared in Los Angeles since he has strongly condemned the presence of immigration enforcement near schools, stating it creates fear and disrupts learning. He has emphasized the district’s commitment to
protecting students and families, regardless of immigration status, and has stated that
schools are safe spaces for education and inspiration, not fear and intimidation.