The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has signed its first-ever Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Portugal based Camões Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua to introduce Portuguese language education in public schools across the district.
The five-year agreement was signed on July 9, 2025, and marks a significant step toward cultural and linguistic enrichment in California’s largest school district.
The initiative was led by LAUSD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho, a long-time advocate of multilingual education. Under Carvalho’s leadership, LAUSD has expanded world language offerings to reflect the district’s global vision.
“Portuguese is a bridge to the cultures of four continents,” Carvalho stated. “This partnership opens new doors for our students and deepens our ties to one of the most widely spoken languages in the world,” he said.
The MoU was the result of over three years of diplomatic and educational collaboration between LAUSD and Portuguese authorities. The effort was coordinated by the Camões Institute and the Coordination Office for the Teaching of Portuguese in the United States (CEPE-USA), with strong support from the Consulate General of Portugal in San Francisco. Together, they laid the foundation for this long-term commitment to support Portuguese language and culture in American classrooms.
Portuguese is now officially part of LAUSD’s “World Languages & Cultures” curriculum, joining a selection of global languages such as Spanish, 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.
Since 2023, Portuguese language programs have been implemented at two LAUSD schools: STEM Magnet Academy and Daniel Pearl Magnet High School. With the new agreement in place, 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 is fluent in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. His connection to the Portuguese language and culture remains strong, influencing both his personal identity and professional philosophy.
Alberto M. Carvalho, Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), was born in 1965 in Lisbon. At the age of 17, Carvalho immigrated alone to the United States. Speaking limited English, he worked a series of low-wage jobs—including construction and dishwashing—and experienced homelessness. Nevertheless, he earned a scholarship to attend Broward College and later graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Barry University in 1990. He became the first in his family to complete high school, setting the foundation for a lifelong commitment to education.
Carvalho has consistently championed opportunity and equity in public schools. His Portuguese heritage has played a significant role in shaping his global perspective, particularly his support for world language programs, including the recent effort to introduce Portuguese in LAUSD through a formal partnership with Portugal’s Camões Institute. His life story continues to inspire students and educators alike across the United States.
He has received many awards and distinctions. In 2012, he was honored with the “Ordem de Mérito Civil” by the President of Portugal, Aníbal Cavaco Silva. The “Ordem de Mérito Civil “is the equivalent of the Presidential Medal of Honor in the United States.
In 2014, he was honored by President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan at a White House ceremony during the National Teacher of the Year announcement.
Other honors include the Hispanic Heritage Education Award and the 2013 National Child Labor Committee Ron H. Brown Award; he has been acknowledged as Visionary Leader of the Year by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and South Florida’s Ultimate CEO; and he has been recognized for Leadership in Government by the Miami Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. He is a member of Florida’s Council of 100 and the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels. Mexico awarded him with the “Othli Award,” the highest award for a civilian living outside of Mexico. More @ Portuguese American Journal
Carolina Matos/Editor
