Jessica Calefati

Mar 20, 2025 | thebaltimorebanner.com | Jessica Calefati

The Trump administration on Thursday used low academic achievement in some Baltimore high schools to justify plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. A fact sheet circulated by the White House says 13 city high schools had no students who were proficient on a state math test. Baltimore was the only school system singled out. Although that statistic is accurate, a spokesperson for the school district said it doesn’t provide a complete picture of achievement among city students.

Mar 8, 2025 | thebaltimorebanner.com | Jessica Calefati

For four decades, The Grill at Harryman House in Reisterstown has been a place Baltimore-area families gathered to celebrate, connect or unwind. But after dinner service on Sunday, the large family-owned restaurant will close for the last time. Longtime proprietor John Worthington made the announcement Friday on social media, inviting the establishment’s many loyal customers to stop by this weekend, reminisce and say goodbye.

Mar 5, 2025 | thebaltimorebanner.com | Zona Byrd |Jessica Calefati

The Department of Human Services last week released corrected data showing that far fewer Maryland children have died from abuse or neglect in recent years than the state previously reported. The number of such deaths in each of the past five years is dozens lower than what the agency submitted to the federal government, human services staff discovered, though the death rate still exceeds the national average.

Feb 24, 2025 | wypr.org | Sheilah Kast |Jessica Calefati

Scores of children in Maryland have died from abuse and neglect in recent years -- one of the worst records in any state. We hear from Baltimore Banner investigative reporter Jessica Calefati why that news is just now reaching the public, and what’s being done. Links to Calefati's reporting can be found here. US Dept. of Health and Human Services Children's Bureau 2023 Child Maltreatment report can be found here. On The Record On the RecordWYPR ProgramsChild Abuse

Feb 22, 2025 | thebaltimorebanner.com | Jessica Calefati

Amid state lawmakers’ growing concerns about the accuracy of child welfare data, the Department of Human Services for the first time endorsed a bill that would boost transparency following some deaths from alleged abuse or neglect. House Bill 1209, authored by Dels. Susan McComas and Robin Grammer Jr., would require officials to promptly release requested information about children in foster care who die from suspected maltreatment.