Maya Lora
@mayaklora.bsky.social
early childhood education reporter at The Baltimore Banner & weird fiction enthusiast | she/her/hers
After a contentious renewal process, Baltimore is shutting down its only all-boys charter school. Two small traditional schools were also up for closure, but the board chose to kick the can down the road - to when they'll have a new CEO in charge of recommendations. www.thebanner.com/education/k-...
After years of struggles, Baltimore’s only all-boys public school to close
The Baltimore City school board voted Wednesday to close its only all-boys public school, Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys, while putting off decisions on two other proposed school closures.
www.thebanner.com
January 15, 2026 at 5:16 PM
After a contentious renewal process, Baltimore is shutting down its only all-boys charter school. Two small traditional schools were also up for closure, but the board chose to kick the can down the road - to when they'll have a new CEO in charge of recommendations. www.thebanner.com/education/k-...
Reposted by Maya Lora
After years of struggles, Baltimore’s only all-boys public school meets its end
Baltimore City school board votes to close only all-boys charter school
The Baltimore City school board voted Wednesday to close its only all-boys public school, Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys, while putting off decisions on two other proposed school closures.
buff.ly
January 15, 2026 at 12:29 PM
After years of struggles, Baltimore’s only all-boys public school meets its end
Private schools don't have to serve kids with special needs - and many of them struggle financially to hire the staff to do so. A new Baltimore County Christian school aims to change that, while purposefully educating neurodivergent kids alongside neurotypical peers
www.thebanner.com/education/k-...
www.thebanner.com/education/k-...
This Christian school wants to catch neurodivergent students falling through the cracks
SOLL Academy aims to educate all kids in one place, regardless of their learning differences. It’ll be a financial headache.
www.thebanner.com
January 13, 2026 at 3:12 PM
Private schools don't have to serve kids with special needs - and many of them struggle financially to hire the staff to do so. A new Baltimore County Christian school aims to change that, while purposefully educating neurodivergent kids alongside neurotypical peers
www.thebanner.com/education/k-...
www.thebanner.com/education/k-...
Reposted by Maya Lora
New House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk stresses civility, finding solutions
New House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk stresses good governance, civility
Maryland’s new speaker of the House of Delegates faces a budget shortfall and thorny debates about immigration enforcement, affordability and redistricting. She says she’s ready for the challenge.
buff.ly
January 11, 2026 at 11:00 AM
New House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk stresses civility, finding solutions
Reposted by Maya Lora
Everything you need to know about getting your child vaccinated in Maryland
Everything you need to know about getting your child vaccinated in Maryland
Access and affordability are virtually unchanged.
buff.ly
January 11, 2026 at 11:00 AM
Everything you need to know about getting your child vaccinated in Maryland
Reposted by Maya Lora
The $600,000 plagiarism report the University of Maryland won’t release
The $600,000 plagiarism report the University of Maryland won’t release
The University of Maryland, College Park, will not release a report that vindicated its president, Darryll Pines, of plagiarizing parts of a 2002 paper he co-authored.
buff.ly
January 8, 2026 at 11:30 AM
The $600,000 plagiarism report the University of Maryland won’t release
Reposted by Maya Lora
what you clearly see, CLEARLY, is a driver who is spooked by the agents grabbing her door, takes steps to drive away, and is immediately shot as moves her vehicle *away* from the agents.
Forensic analysis of objective video evidence. This is how you serve readers searching for clarity.
January 8, 2026 at 1:12 PM
what you clearly see, CLEARLY, is a driver who is spooked by the agents grabbing her door, takes steps to drive away, and is immediately shot as moves her vehicle *away* from the agents.
Reposted by Maya Lora
Spoiler alert: this disproportionately impacts marginalized community members and federal workers, and experts I spoke to said that spikes in need coincide with disruptions and changes at the federal level under the Trump admin. www.thebanner.com/community/pu...
County data warns of mental health declines amid government disruption
Data, and conversations with those who work in the field, show that residents of Montgomery County are struggling mentally, and that demand for mental health services has increased.
www.thebanner.com
January 6, 2026 at 5:21 PM
Spoiler alert: this disproportionately impacts marginalized community members and federal workers, and experts I spoke to said that spikes in need coincide with disruptions and changes at the federal level under the Trump admin. www.thebanner.com/community/pu...
Reposted by Maya Lora
Over the past year covering the county, I kept seeing data that marked a concerning trend. Montgomery County is typically considered one of the healthiest in the country, but our mental health is in steep decline. I wanted to figure out what’s happening and why. www.thebanner.com/community/pu...
County data warns of mental health declines amid government disruption
Data, and conversations with those who work in the field, show that residents of Montgomery County are struggling mentally, and that demand for mental health services has increased.
www.thebanner.com
January 6, 2026 at 5:20 PM
Over the past year covering the county, I kept seeing data that marked a concerning trend. Montgomery County is typically considered one of the healthiest in the country, but our mental health is in steep decline. I wanted to figure out what’s happening and why. www.thebanner.com/community/pu...
Reposted by Maya Lora
This Baltimore housing project is trying to prove Trump wrong on homelessness
This Baltimore housing project is trying to prove Trump wrong on homelessness
As the president tries to reshape the nation’s policy toward homelessness, a new 42-unit Baltimore project, Sojourner Place at Park, is symbolic of a different approach.
buff.ly
January 5, 2026 at 10:26 AM
This Baltimore housing project is trying to prove Trump wrong on homelessness
Reposted by Maya Lora
“As the cost of college and university attendance increases, a lot of students are having to choose between a meal plan and paying their tuition and housing."
Campus pantries at schools in Maryland are giving students free food and clothing, no questions asked.
Campus pantries at schools in Maryland are giving students free food and clothing, no questions asked.
How Maryland colleges are fighting rising hunger
Campus pantries at schools like Coppin State University and UMBC give students free food and clothing, no questions asked.
buff.ly
January 5, 2026 at 6:00 PM
“As the cost of college and university attendance increases, a lot of students are having to choose between a meal plan and paying their tuition and housing."
Campus pantries at schools in Maryland are giving students free food and clothing, no questions asked.
Campus pantries at schools in Maryland are giving students free food and clothing, no questions asked.
For my first story of 2026, I dug into the numbers defining a trend that has exploded in Maryland since the pandemic: homeschooling. There's been a 50% uptick since the 2019-20 school year, holding steady as public school enrollment declines www.thebanner.com/education/k-...
Homeschooling has exploded in Maryland
A by-the-numbers look at the increase in Maryland homeschooling since COVID-19 that seems here to stay.
www.thebanner.com
January 2, 2026 at 1:51 PM
For my first story of 2026, I dug into the numbers defining a trend that has exploded in Maryland since the pandemic: homeschooling. There's been a 50% uptick since the 2019-20 school year, holding steady as public school enrollment declines www.thebanner.com/education/k-...
Reposted by Maya Lora
Boys’ Latin to open rare all-boys pre-K in 2026
Boys’ Latin to open rare all-boys pre-K in 2026
Single-sex education is often not available at the youngest grades.
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December 23, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Boys’ Latin to open rare all-boys pre-K in 2026
Reposted by Maya Lora
Maryland is keeping more foster kids with family, but there’s still a long way to go
More Maryland foster kids are staying with family
Research shows that foster kids adjust better and are more likely to be reunited with the parents when they stay under the care of loved ones.
buff.ly
December 23, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Maryland is keeping more foster kids with family, but there’s still a long way to go
Reposted by Maya Lora
The president of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore is suing a former professor for defamation and seeking $1 million after being accused of plagiarizing her 1986 dissertation. The two meet in court tomorrow, here's what you need to know:
www.thebanner.com/education/hi...
www.thebanner.com/education/hi...
University of Maryland Eastern Shore president sues ex-professor for defamation
Donna Satterlee, a former faculty member at the HCBU, accused its president, Heidi Anderson, of plagiarizing several paragraphs of her 1986 dissertation.
www.thebanner.com
December 18, 2025 at 4:07 PM
The president of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore is suing a former professor for defamation and seeking $1 million after being accused of plagiarizing her 1986 dissertation. The two meet in court tomorrow, here's what you need to know:
www.thebanner.com/education/hi...
www.thebanner.com/education/hi...
Maryland is boosting the share of foster kids living with family&loved ones, progress experts lauded, but the state still lags behind the national average. Have a story to share in Maryland foster or kinship care? I'd love to talk with you: maya.lora@thebanner.com www.thebanner.com/community/fa...
More Maryland foster kids are staying with family
Research shows that foster kids adjust better and are more likely to be reunited with the parents when they stay under the care of loved ones.
www.thebanner.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Maryland is boosting the share of foster kids living with family&loved ones, progress experts lauded, but the state still lags behind the national average. Have a story to share in Maryland foster or kinship care? I'd love to talk with you: maya.lora@thebanner.com www.thebanner.com/community/fa...
Reposted by Maya Lora
UMD President Darryll Pines cleared of plagiarism allegations
UMD President Darryll Pines cleared of plagiarism allegations
The University System of Maryland announced Friday it has cleared its College Park president of allegations that he plagiarized a paper published during his time at the university.
buff.ly
December 13, 2025 at 12:29 PM
UMD President Darryll Pines cleared of plagiarism allegations
Reposted by Maya Lora
Story with Bria Overs. Records documenting these interviews were obtained and first published by @energyandpolicy.org www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Gas industry insider sat in on Moore administration interviews for new utility regulators
An American Gas Association employee participated in the interview process for the top leadership roles at the state’s utility regulating agency.
www.thebanner.com
December 12, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Story with Bria Overs. Records documenting these interviews were obtained and first published by @energyandpolicy.org www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Reposted by Maya Lora
At Johns Hopkins, a once-robust diversity office has quietly withered, shrinking from 14 staffers to three, pausing programs for underrepresented scholars and restricting race-based initiatives on campus. The disappearing diversity programs at Hopkins:
www.thebanner.com/education/hi...
www.thebanner.com/education/hi...
The disappearing diversity programs at Johns Hopkins University
Under Donald Trump, Johns Hopkins University has changed policies and scaled back its diversity office.
www.thebanner.com
December 12, 2025 at 2:19 PM
At Johns Hopkins, a once-robust diversity office has quietly withered, shrinking from 14 staffers to three, pausing programs for underrepresented scholars and restricting race-based initiatives on campus. The disappearing diversity programs at Hopkins:
www.thebanner.com/education/hi...
www.thebanner.com/education/hi...
It's déjà vu for Maryland's only all-boys charter school, which is again fighting a closure recommendation from Baltimore City Public Schools. The district says there are major academic, financial concerns; school leaders say they're already making major strides www.thebanner.com/education/k-...
Baltimore's only all-boys public school fights to stay open. Again.
Baltimore Collegiate was the only charter school recommended for closure this year, with public school officials citing academic and financial concerns.
www.thebanner.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:03 PM
It's déjà vu for Maryland's only all-boys charter school, which is again fighting a closure recommendation from Baltimore City Public Schools. The district says there are major academic, financial concerns; school leaders say they're already making major strides www.thebanner.com/education/k-...
Reposted by Maya Lora
"When asked for a comment, Gordana Schifanelli said in an email: 'Your reporting is the dumbest thing I have read all day.'"
Read more from @lizbowie.bsky.social. (via @thebaltimorebanner.com)
Read more from @lizbowie.bsky.social. (via @thebaltimorebanner.com)
Maryland threatens to withhold funding over Somerset secret votes
This is just the latest attempt to rein in a MAGA-aligned Maryland school board that has run amok.
www.thebanner.com
December 9, 2025 at 10:46 PM
"When asked for a comment, Gordana Schifanelli said in an email: 'Your reporting is the dumbest thing I have read all day.'"
Read more from @lizbowie.bsky.social. (via @thebaltimorebanner.com)
Read more from @lizbowie.bsky.social. (via @thebaltimorebanner.com)
For over a decade, tensions have risen between charter schools and their supervising school districts over how charters are funded. The state is trying to clarify the process - but charters say the rules as written could bankrupt them. w/ @lizbowie.bsky.social
www.thebanner.com/education/k-...
www.thebanner.com/education/k-...
Can Maryland settle charter school disputes once and for all?
The Maryland state school board will vote Tuesday on a regulation they hope will bring peace between warring factions.
www.thebanner.com
December 9, 2025 at 10:01 PM
For over a decade, tensions have risen between charter schools and their supervising school districts over how charters are funded. The state is trying to clarify the process - but charters say the rules as written could bankrupt them. w/ @lizbowie.bsky.social
www.thebanner.com/education/k-...
www.thebanner.com/education/k-...
Reposted by Maya Lora
New: The chancellor of the University System of Maryland said today he fears "irrevocable damage” to the state's public colleges as Maryland faces another billion dollar deficit. Lawmakers have slashed the system's budget by $222 million in the last two years. Read:
www.thebanner.com/education/hi...
www.thebanner.com/education/hi...
University System of Maryland leaders warn lawmakers of ‘irrevocable damage’
University System of Maryland leaders warned lawmakers in Annapolis on Tuesday that layoffs are imminent if the state cuts their budget for the third year in a row.
www.thebanner.com
December 9, 2025 at 8:20 PM
New: The chancellor of the University System of Maryland said today he fears "irrevocable damage” to the state's public colleges as Maryland faces another billion dollar deficit. Lawmakers have slashed the system's budget by $222 million in the last two years. Read:
www.thebanner.com/education/hi...
www.thebanner.com/education/hi...
What appears to be the only locally owned toy store in Baltimore City has always run on the power of friendship: Its founders, BFFs Sharon and Nancy, are why "Shananigans" is spelled that way and a new(ish) dynamic duo are leading the toy store's 3rd decade
www.thebanner.com/economy/shan...
www.thebanner.com/economy/shan...
Baltimore toy store Shananigans runs on nostalgia and friendship
New owners, same wrapping paper: These Roland Park besties are keeping Shananigans Toy Shop open for the next generation.
www.thebanner.com
December 9, 2025 at 6:24 PM
What appears to be the only locally owned toy store in Baltimore City has always run on the power of friendship: Its founders, BFFs Sharon and Nancy, are why "Shananigans" is spelled that way and a new(ish) dynamic duo are leading the toy store's 3rd decade
www.thebanner.com/economy/shan...
www.thebanner.com/economy/shan...
Reposted by Maya Lora
Baltimore toy store Shananigans runs on nostalgia and generations of friendship
Baltimore toy store Shananigans runs on nostalgia and friendship
New owners, same wrapping paper: These Roland Park besties are keeping Shananigans Toy Shop open for the next generation.
buff.ly
December 9, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Baltimore toy store Shananigans runs on nostalgia and generations of friendship