Project Baltimore

Project Baltimore is an investigative reporting initiative, which was launched in March 2017

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

Share your story with us: For six years, Project Baltimore has been committed to telling your stories and holding leaders in Maryland schools accountable.

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

🚀 Maryland’s Child Care Scholarship Program has seen a drastic funding increase, rising from $132 million in 2022 to $560 million in 2026. That’s more than a 300% jump in annual funding for the program.

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

💸 As Maryland’s Child Care Scholarship Program grew rapidly, did oversight keep up? MSDE officials said the state lacked systems to track and correct overpayments.

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

Maryland voters, in less than two weeks, will head to the polls. In Baltimore County, voters will be deciding on the next elected school board members – in what will be a crucial election for the future of the school system.

This next school board will have some tough decisions to make, including how to address budget concerns, a decline in enrollment, safety and how to handle artificial intelligence in the classroom.

Full story linked here: https://t.co/ym57i37qn6

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

An explosive FOX45 News investigation has uncovered internal audits from the Maryland State Department of Education that show, between 2023 and 2025, more than $66 million in overpayments were sent to childcare providers statewide. That money should have been returned to the state.

But Project Baltimore found the state mismanaged the process and failed to recoup your tax dollars.

Full story linked here: https://t.co/SooFjht8Pk

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Chris Papst @chrispapst]

'FREE money"

Maryland’s Child Care Scholarship Program has grown from $132M in 2022 to $560M in 2026.

But internal audits (obtained by Fox45) show the state overpaid childcare providers $66.5M b/c proper programs were NOT in place to track YOUR $$$.

Full report in comments.

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

Did board members know about Mujahid Muhammad’s involvement with KEYS Development when they voted to approve a contract that included the organization?

Baltimore City Public Schools did not directly answer Project Baltimore’s question. Former board member Anirban Basu criticized the situation, saying money should benefit students.

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

KEYS Development, Mujahid Muhammad’s nonprofit, was included in a $21 million Baltimore City school system contract while Muhammad served on the board. He recused himself from the vote, but former board member Anirban Basu called the situation “such an obviously bad idea.”

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

Questions remain about a $21 million Baltimore City school board contract that included KEYS Development. Mujahid Muhammad recused himself from the vote without explaining why. He resigned last month after the FBI searched KEYS headquarters.

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

In 2025, Baltimore City’s school board in an 8-0 vote, approved a three-year, $21 million contract for student mental health services. 🔎

Among the 11 vendors: KEYS Development, whose resident agent is listed in state records as Mujahid Muhammad. At the time, Muhammad was also a sitting school board member.

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

Two Baltimore City school board members who promised transparency are now refusing to answer questions about a $21 million school contract they approved. A contract that included a fellow board member’s company.

Kwame Kenyatta-Bey and Ashley Esposito are up for reelection in a few weeks, but it seems they’re not living up to their campaign promise from four years ago.

Full story linked here: https://t.co/Lced3Vfi89

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

A potential conflict of interest involving Baltimore City’s school board is raising serious questions about oversight and accountability. This comes after a company founded by a then-sitting school board commissioner was included in a $21 million contract approved by the board in 2025.

Now, Project Baltimore is investigating whether other school board members knew about the connection before handing out your money.

Full story linked here: https://t.co/49HZ4g17WP

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Patrick Hauf @PatrickHauf]

And there's more. @Project_Bmore takes a closer look at whether the school board members knew about this conflict of interest. https://t.co/7T99wKaD4x

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

In July, Maryland’s new Inspector General for Education told Project Baltimore she expected to release reports before the election.

Now, with less than four weeks to go, taxpayers have the first one. It found no wrongdoing. 🔎

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

A nonprofit where Baltimore City school board members are the only listed officers, reported more than $3 million in assets and $243,000 in revenue in 2025.

📺Its stated mission: enhancing education sources of Baltimore City Public Schools by installing cable television and related equipment.

Full story at the link in bio.

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

A Baltimore nonprofit reported more than $427,000 in salaries and wages. Yet, that same nonprofit lists zero employees in its IRS filing.

🔎Project Baltimore takes a closer look at KEYS Empowers

Link in bio for more.

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

Maryland taxpayers will spend nearly $16 billion on public schools this year. A record amount.

But the state’s new education watchdog has not released a single investigative report in six months that found misuse of your tax dollars – which is raising concerns.

Full story linked here: https://t.co/nClHuq3s31

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Chris Papst @chrispapst]

BREAKING:

The Maryland State Department of Education is "investigating a cybersecurity incident."

MSDE's website was taken offline as a precaution. A streamlined version of the website was published.

MSDE: "The investigation is ongoing in coordination with cybersecurity experts to determine the full scope and impact. At this time, the Maryland Department of Information Technology is highly confident that this disruption will not affect other state agencies, communities or partners."

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

🔎Maryland taxpayers deserve to know where their money is going, according to Torrey Snow.

Snow is reacting after Mujahid Muhammad resigned from the Baltimore City school board following an FBI raid at his nonprofit, KEYS Empowers.

Link in bio for more.

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

A federal investigation is raising serious questions about taxpayer money and who’s watching over it. The questions follow an FBI raid at the Baltimore City nonprofit KEYS Empowers, and the sudden resignation of a Baltimore City school board member.

Full story linked here: https://t.co/ZHC5drPDBz

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore

[Project Baltimore @Project_Bmore]

The percentage of chronically absent Maryland students improved for a fourth consecutive year. But the state failed to reach its goal, despite billions of additional tax dollars going to public education.

Dr. Joshua Michael is the President of the Maryland State Board of Education. On Tuesday, he spoke with Project Baltimore about numbers just released by the state regarding chronic absenteeism.

Full story linked here: https://t.co/f0XsUwOWhW

@chrispapst @FOXBaltimore