In the 2021-22 school year, only one in three fourth graders in the United States was reading at grade level, only one in four eighth graders was proficient in math, and rates of chronic absence had skyrocketed.

Everyone agrees that teens need more sleep. So why does school start so early? This report from the Abell Foudation examines the research on school start times and the implications for students in Baltimore City.

Racial bias in home appraising can harm individuals by making home purchases more expensive or refinancing unattainable, but when compounded on the community level, it can have profound impacts on minority communities’ ability to build wealth. Using newly available federal data, this report finds evidence of systemic appraisal bias that undervalues homes in predominantly Black communities in Baltimore City and the surrounding counties.

2025 is a big year for long-time Baltimore resident Chrissy Thornton. She’s turning 50, and the organization she’s led for more than two years turns 40.