This episode, Josh Kurtz takes a deep dive into the Blueprint for Maryland's Future — the state's roughly $4 billion, 10-year education reform plan — now about halfway through its run, with a formal progress report due out by the end of the year. Drawing on interviews with eight educators and political leaders, Josh traces the Blueprint's roots back to a 1990s ACLU lawsuit over underfunded Baltimore City schools, through the Thornton and Kirwan Commissions, Governor Hogan's 2020 veto and the legislature's override, and into where the plan stands today — including a look at what's working, what isn't, and the funding fight that's about to define its next chapter.
In this episode:
- How Maryland's decline in national education ratings alarmed policymakers and educators and prompted bold but complicated action
- The five "pillars" of the Blueprint, and why the law also created an unusual new oversight agency, the Accountability and Implementation Board
- All 24 Maryland school districts have now hit $60,000 starting teacher salaries — but neighboring states are catching up fast, and some districts had to sacrifice other priorities to get there
- Why a court ruling striking down Maryland's digital advertising tax has frozen over $535 million earmarked for the Blueprint
- The push from advocacy groups and the teachers' union for progressive revenue measures — and the pushback from counties already stretched thin
- A candid, skeptical take from a former Baltimore City school board member on whether the Blueprint tried to do too much, too fast
- A powerful official's case for staying the course, told through two sports metaphors — a college athletic program still waiting to win games, and a swimmer who covers 26 miles without ever completing the crossing
- (00:00) - Welcome and Setup
- (00:44) - Why the Blueprint Matters
- (04:15) - New School Year Stakes
- (07:18) - Blueprint Goals and Players
- (08:31) - Early Results and Patience
- (10:01) - Origins Thornton to Kirwan
- (14:08) - Passing the Blueprint
- (16:17) - Accountability Board Explained
- (23:30) - Teacher Pay and Tradeoffs
- (30:43) - Other Pillars PreK Careers
- (33:33) - Funding Fights State and Local
- (39:42) - Worcester County Case Study
- (41:18) - Inflation and Bigger Questions
- (42:45) - Will Leaders Stay Committed
- (45:49) - Wrap Up and Credits
What is Maryland Now?
Maryland Now is a podcast that goes beyond the headlines to explore the forces shaping Maryland’s politics, policy, and public life. Hosted by Dori Henry, Josh Kurtz, and David Nitkin — three veteran journalists and public‑affairs leaders with more than 60 years of combined experience — the show brings depth, context, and historical perspective to the issues facing Maryland today.
Each episode blends reporting, interviews, and insider knowledge. You’ll hear directly from the people driving decisions in Annapolis and across the state: agency heads, lawmakers, advocates, strategists, and longtime policy experts. The hosts draw on their decades covering and working in Maryland government to connect past decisions to current debates — revealing how we got here, what’s been tried before, and what’s at stake now.
Season One follows the 2026 General Assembly session and election cycle, with deep dives into housing, energy, the state budget, public health, and more. The conversations are smart, candid, and grounded in real reporting — not hot takes.
If you want to understand Maryland — its politics, its communities, and its future — Maryland Now is for YOU