Jessica Calefati

Baltimore

Education Investigative Reporter at The Baltimore Banner

Education investigative reporter for The Baltimore Banner. Politico, Inquirer, CalMatters, Mercury News, Star-Ledger alum. Proud NJ native. Yoga teacher.

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Articles

For Anne Arundel’s top teacher, immigrant students are assets, not burdens

1 week ago | thebaltimorebanner.com | Jessica Calefati

Bingo night is always popular at Belle Grove Elementary in Brooklyn Park, but this year, attendance was way down. Jacqueline Sanderson thought she knew why. The English language development teacher feared the school had lost immigrant families’ trust amid a nationwide crackdown. So she got creative. Sanderson helped assemble dozens of activity kits for families stuffed with crafts and snacks parents could enjoy with their children at home.
Megachurch expels two pastors accused of sexual abuse and misconduct

1 month ago | thebaltimorebanner.com | Jessica Calefati

Megachurch Greater Grace World Outreach has revoked the ordination certificates of two pastors accused of sexual misconduct, telling one man he was “required Biblically” to resign immediately, records reviewed by The Banner show. Only men ordained by the Baltimore-based church with offshoots around the world may preach to its followers. Ghanaian pastor Henry Nkrumah and a pastor from suburban Baltimore were two of them.
Sex abuse survivor files lawsuit against Greater Grace church and its youth pastor

1 month ago | thebaltimorebanner.com | Jessica Calefati

A former member of evangelical megachurch Greater Grace World Outreach has filed a lawsuit against the organization and its youth pastor, alleging he suffered years of sexual assault and emotional torment in an environment where religious faith was used to silence abuse victims.
Maryland passes bill to boost child abuse deaths transparency

2 months ago | thebaltimorebanner.com | Jessica Calefati

The Maryland Senate passed a bill that would require the state to be more transparent aboutdeaths from alleged child abuse or neglect. It will soon go to Gov. Wes Moore for his signature. The legislation, approved late Friday and already endorsed by the House of Delegates, would require officials to promptly release requested information about children in foster care who die from suspected maltreatment. Compared to other states, Maryland stands apart in its lack of transparency after these deaths.
Maryland schools will change the way they teach math

2 months ago | thebaltimorebanner.com | Jessica Calefati |Liz Bowie

Maryland is about to overhaul the way kids learn math. The Maryland State Board of Education passed a sweeping new math policy Tuesday that changes the sequence and content of middle and high school math classes and requires elementary schools to offer accelerated math from third grade on. The plan also requires schools to focus on the basics, like students memorizing math facts — addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Trump administration criticizes Baltimore schools for low math scores

2 months ago | 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.
Harryman House restaurant in Reisterstown is shutting down

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.
Fewer Maryland children are dying from abuse or neglect than originally reported

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.
Child deaths from abuse and neglect in Maryland have flown under the radar, until now

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
Maryland child welfare agency backs bill to boost transparency on abuse deaths

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.