Sunday Brief: LAUSD Superintendent Sidelined, Charter Changes, and a Reseda Investigation
Los Angeles, CA – March 1, 2026 – LAUSD chief put on paid leave amid FBI probe; charter panel backs bigger City Council; homicide probe in Reseda.
Top local headlines
LAUSD leadership shaken by federal probe
Los Angeles Unified’s school board has placed Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on paid administrative leave after federal agents searched his home and district offices. The district named senior administrator Andres Chait as acting superintendent while the investigation continues. Authorities have not announced charges, and LAUSD says it is cooperating, but the move injects uncertainty into a school system serving hundreds of thousands of students and families.
Charter reform panel backs a bigger City Council
A city Charter Reform Commission has recommended expanding the Los Angeles City Council from 15 seats to 25, arguing today’s council districts are far larger than they were when the council’s size was last set in 1925. The panel also supported ranked-choice voting for city elections, with a proposed start date in 2032. These are recommendations, not automatic changes, and would still need to move through the city’s charter-amendment process before voters would see anything on a ballot.
Reseda death prompts homicide investigation
Police are investigating the death of a 12-year-old girl in Reseda as a possible homicide after she died days after an altercation at school. Family members say she was struck in the head with a water bottle and later suffered a severe brain injury. Students and community members have held gatherings calling for accountability, while the school district has offered support services.
Weather whiplash: late-winter heat after recent storms
After a bout of stormy weather earlier in the week, parts of Los Angeles saw record-chasing warmth on Friday, with temperatures well above seasonal norms in several neighborhoods. Forecasters noted that even a brief heat spike can be risky for people sensitive to heat, particularly during the warmest afternoon hours.
Sources
- https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-02-27/lausd-fbi-raid-superintendent-carvalho-paid-administrative-leave
- https://apnews.com/article/c3cef90134493a24eb818edae6890862
- https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-02-28/la-city-council-should-expand-to-25-members-charter-reform-commission-says
- https://abc7.com/post/death-of-12-year-old-girl-days-after-school-altercation-sparks-homicide-investigation-reseda/18660052/
- https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/losangeles/news/southern-california-record-breaking-heat-friday-weather/
