Fund for Educational Excellence

10/14/2026

On 9/30, following the transit rally, The Fund's Program Director of Analysis & Engagement, Kwane Wyatt, brought the student perspective directly to the MDOT Consolidated Transportation Plan hearing.

In his testimony, Kwane highlighted the realities many Baltimore students face getting to and from school and called for a transportation system that works for everyone. He urged state leaders to invest in equitable transit solutions by moving forward with the Red Line and implementing Baltimore's Regional Transit Plan (BMORE BUS).

Reliable transportation impacts far more than a student's commute. It affects school attendance, safety, access to jobs, extracurricular activities, and opportunities throughout the city.

Thank you to Charm TV Baltimore for capturing this important testimony.

10/09/2026

Need to make it to class by 7:30am? You might have to wake up at 5:00am if you're taking transit. Kwane Wyatt works with Baltimore students who rely on MTA every day. More frequent and reliable service would help.

10/07/2026

City Schools offers CTE programs in fields like Healthcare, IT, Construction, and Arts, plus AP, IB, Dual Enrollment, and P-TECH programs!

High school students can earn tuition-free college credits and industry certifications while planning their college and career path.

Discover high school graduation requirements, weighted grading scales, and CTE pathways in the City Schools 2026–27 Family Guide: https://www.baltimorecityschools.org/page/families

10/06/2026

Thank you to these students for sharing their experiences and making their voices heard. Their stories underscore why reliable, accessible public transportation is essential for Baltimore City students and families. Special thanks to our STAC students for helping lead this important conversation.

10/02/2026

Visit our new Community Impact page to see how listening to our community helps drive meaningful solutions and create lasting impact for Baltimore's students and schools: https://thefundbalt.org/community-impact/

10/01/2026

This The Baltimore Banner story spotlights Maryland’s proposed transportation budget cuts and the impact it could have on Baltimore transit riders, including students who rely on public transit every day.

Recent analysis from Central Maryland Transportation Alliance and Bikemore has raised concerns about reductions in transit funding, the lack of funding for key projects like the Red Line and BMORE Bus Plan, and what those decisions could mean for the region's future. Students, advocates, and community members rallied outside City Hall yesterday morning ahead of the Baltimore City MDOT Capital Budget Presentation to call for investments in a transportation system that connects Baltimore residents to school, work, and opportunity.

Read the article here:

Baltimore’s public transit network isn’t expanding anytime soon.

09/30/2026

A new The Baltimore Banner story highlights today's transit rally outside Baltimore City Hall, where Baltimore City Public Schools students called on Governor Wes Moore to invest more in Baltimore's public transit system and reverse proposed transportation budget cuts.

The story features student perspectives on why reliable transportation matters to students and how transit impacts their ability to get to school, participate in extracurricular activities, access jobs, and take advantage of opportunities across the city.

We're grateful to Izma Sheikh, Justice LeGrand, and Jeremiah Carter, members of The Fund's Student Transit Advocacy Cohort (STAC), as well as the dozens of City Schools students who attended the rally, for sharing their experiences and advocating for a transportation system that better serves Baltimore’s young people.

Read the full story: https://www.thebanner.com/education/k-12-schools/baltimore-school-students-transit-buses-rally-CMQOZCXEXVGVPFTOUYB4PCUWMM/
Read

Dozens of students joined other city residents at a rally outside of City Hall seeking better public transit.

09/30/2026

Students came together outside Baltimore City Hall this morning alongside Mayor Brandon Scott, City Council President Zeke Cohen, Central Maryland Transportation Alliance, Bikemore and other advocates to demand fair transit funding for the Baltimore region. Members of The Fund’s Student Transit Advocacy Cohort (STAC) joined dozens of Baltimore City Public School students in speaking out against the proposed transportation budget cuts and sharing the critical role public transportation plays in their lives.

A special thank you to our STAC student speakers:
🔹 Izma Sheikh, a City Schools freshman, for sharing why reliable public transportation matters to students and how service disruptions affect their daily lives.
🔹 Justice LeGrand, a City Schools senior, for highlighting the importance of student transit advocacy and the changes needed to better serve young riders.
🔹 Jeremiah Carter, a City Schools freshman, for speaking about why transportation matters to Baltimore students and the importance of equitable transit investment.

For students, reliable transit means more than getting to and from school. It affects attendance, safety, access to jobs and extracurricular activities, and the ability to take advantage of opportunities across the city. That's why students are calling for transportation investments that meet the needs of Baltimore's young people and communities.

Thank you to the students and community who showed up, shared their experiences, and advocated for a transportation system that works for everyone.

09/30/2026

Students showed up and spoke out! We're proud of Izma Sheikh, a City Schools freshman and member of The Fund's Student Transit Advocacy Cohort (STAC), for sharing the real impact public transportation has on students' lives and why protecting transportation funding matters. Thank you to everyone who joined today's rally and made their voices heard in support of reversing transportation budget cuts.

Rally for fair transit funding in front of City Hall this morning, with Zeke Cohen, Fund for Educational Excellence, Bikemore, and other organizations. Izma, who attends Baltimore City Public Schools (Poly) says that the system is so poorly funded --and so unreliable--that she can't rely on it to get to and from school.

09/29/2026

Earlier this year, City Schools students traveled to Annapolis to share how unreliable transportation affects their education and daily lives. Through The Fund's Student Transit Advocacy Cohort (STAC), they continue to organize and advocate for a transit system that works for everyone.

Tomorrow, ahead of the Baltimore City MDOT Capital Budget Presentation, Baltimore City Public Schools students, transit riders, and advocacy organizations will gather outside City Hall to call on the Governor to reverse the proposed transportation budget cuts and invest in reliable, accessible transit for Baltimore communities.

📍 Baltimore City Hall
📅 September 30
⏰ 9-10 a.m.
Sign up to attend here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rally-to-reverse-transportation-budget-cuts-in-front-of-city-hall-tickets-2002241992699?fbclid=IwY2xjawUo0ytleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mAXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5FM1HnvKnVkoy65VzVJuUxJsM8MnY0xYUJie38F04BAbKFb4xzx3GZu8FRfw_aem_5VnHVvjW5rx8Xoaeow8U7Q

Special thanks to STAC member Justice LeGrand for capturing the energy, urgency, and power of student and community voices in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJUu61-s2ss

In February 2026, nearly 200 students and advocates gathered outsid...