Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS) is facing scrutiny over its $7.5 million contract with the nonprofit Leaders of Tomorrow Youth Center (LTYC) for arts education services. This comes in light of a lawsuit filed by eight educators who allege they have not received payment for their work in city schools.
The initial contract, awarded in March 2023, was valued at $4.5 million and was intended to provide arts education programming throughout the district. In May 2025, BCPS extended the contract through June 2026 and increased its total value by $3 million, bringing it to $7.5 million.
In October, the educators filed a lawsuit against both LTYC and BCPS, claiming they are owed a total of $64,145.62 in unpaid wages. Their attorney, Howard Hoffman, indicated that there has been a lack of communication regarding payment since the lawsuit was filed.
LTYC's founder, Dermell Brunson, has acknowledged that the educators were informed of potential delays in their payments. However, Hoffman argues that such delays violate Maryland's wage and hour laws, regardless of prior agreements.
The contract stipulates that BCPS can withhold payments if services are not performed satisfactorily and can terminate the agreement if contractual obligations are not met. Additionally, BCPS has the authority to audit LTYC's finances.
Despite requests for information about whether BCPS has exercised these options, the district has not provided a response. LTYC's services include arts education during the school day, after school, and in summer programs, aimed at fostering creativity and critical thinking among students.
Details of the spending breakdown within the contract reveal that only a small portion of the total funds—approximately $298,500—has been allocated for specific programming services this school year. Key details regarding program duration and participant counts were redacted from the pricing sheet.
In response to the lawsuit, LTYC has filed a motion to dismiss, stating that their payment delays are a result of their relationships with funding partners. Both LTYC and BCPS maintain that the responsibility for the alleged payment issues lies with LTYC, not the school district, which has also filed for dismissal on the grounds of state immunity.
Hoffman noted that the situation has led to a degree of blame-shifting between LTYC and BCPS, complicating the resolution of the educators' claims.
Reported by HarborBeat based on WBFF (source).
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