Liz Bowie

Liz Bowie has been an education reporter for The Baltimore Sun for more than 20 years, covering every aspect of education. Since joining The Sun in 1986, she has also covered environment, business and state government. A Baltimore native, she was a Spencer Fellow in Education Reporting at Columbia University.

Maryland public schools are expecting to open the school year with about 14,000 students — or just 1.5% of statewide enrollment — taking classes online, according to data compiled by the Maryland State Department of Education and presented at a state board of education meeting Tuesday.

By Liz Bowie

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July 27, 2021

Maryland schools expecting only a small fraction of students will take classes online this fall

Maryland’s health and education departments are encouraging schools to expand COVID-19 testing programs in the fall and offering to help pay — a total of $182 million from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

By Liz Bowie and Meredith Cohn

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July 21, 2021

State agencies encourage Maryland school systems to set up COVID-19 testing in the fall

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises students who are not vaccinated to wear masks in school, but some Baltimore-area districts say they plan to leave the choice to parents.

By Liz Bowie and Meredith Cohn

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July 19, 2021

Some Baltimore-area school districts are not planning to require masks this fall, leaving choice to parents

Maryland's new state school superintendent is a school transformation specialist and says he took the job, in part, because the state has committed $4 billion to reshape schools over the next decade.

By Liz Bowie

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July 01, 2021

Maryland’s new state superintendent reshaped San Antonio schools. Now he’s ready to lead a $4 billion overhaul here.

Students and staff will no longer have to wear masks in schools and district offices beginning Thursday, but masks will still be required on buses.

By Liz Bowie

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June 30, 2021

Baltimore County schools will no longer require masks in school buildings

Long after most school systems in the state had installed air conditioning in all their buildings, Baltimore City and Baltimore County still had dozens of buildings where the temperatures rise above comfortable levels.

By Liz Bowie

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June 21, 2021

Baltimore-area schools are still struggling with lack of air conditioning. How close are they to fixing the issue?

Baltimore-area school systems are greatly expanding summer school programs to offset the disruption to learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but officials caution it could take years to fully counter the long term impact on students.

By Liz Bowie and Lillian Reed

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June 04, 2021

‘Step one of our recovery efforts’: Baltimore-area systems look to summer school to begin repairing academic losses from pandemic

Maryland’s newly chosen state school superintendent, Mohammed Choudhury, will earn $310,000 a year, significantly more than the current superintendent but in line with most large district superintendents in the state.

By Liz Bowie

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June 01, 2021

Mohammed Choudhury, new state schools superintendent, to earn significantly more than predecessor

He is currently serving as associate superintendent and chief strategy, talent and innovation officer for the San Antonio Independent School District.

By Liz Bowie

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May 27, 2021

Maryland state school board chooses San Antonio administrator as next superintendent

Baltimore school leaders will not hold back tens of thousands of students failing classes this year, in favor of giving them additional time and customized instruction plans to make up the gaps in learning created by a once-in-a-century pandemic.

By Liz Bowie

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May 25, 2021