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Talia Richman

Talia

Talia Richman is the Montgomery County education reporter at The Banner. She previously covered schools for The Dallas Morning News, where she wrote about shoddy teacher preparation programs, discipline disparities and the lingering impact of COVID-19 on children. The Education Writers Association has recognized Talia as among the best education beat reporters in the nation. Prior to her time in Texas, she covered schools and City Hall for The Baltimore Sun. Talia is a Dallas native who made her way to the East Coast to study journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park.

The latest from Talia Richman

Montgomery County schools to reopen on Tuesday — with a delay
Montgomery County students will return to school on Tuesday after more than a week of school closures as the district dealt with snow and ice.
Natasha Tynes and her 8-year-old son Gabriel prepare to go sledding in Rockville. They're looking for creative ways to pass the time, with school still closed.
‘Your frustrations are valid’: Why Montgomery County schools didn’t reopen
While district officials cleared campuses, the roads in Montgomery County still need work.
An ice-covered crosswalk in Rockville shows the road conditions that Montgomery County Public Schools are evaluating before deciding to open campuses
Montgomery County Public Schools to remain closed Monday
Students missed a week of classes after the winter storm.
Updated Feb 1, 2026
Snow piles up on Thayer Avenue, just south of downtown Silver Spring, on Sunday morning.
Bonnie Cullison announces retirement, creating an opportunity in District 19
A familiar candidate emerges in District 19 to replace Bonnie Cullison, Reardon Sullivan enters District 1 council race and CAIR calls for Palestinian education.
Jan 31, 2026
Del. Bonnie Cullison, a Montgomery County Democrat, announced her retirement this week.
School in July? An experiment with a longer school year could come to an end
Montgomery County Public Schools leaders say a Silver Spring school’s longer academic year hasn’t paid off and are recommending reverting it to a traditional calendar year, which could save the district more than $1.4 million.
Jan 30, 2026
Angel Johnson and her daughter love the longer school year at Arcola, crediting it for the fourth-graders academic success. Photo taken at Arcola Elementary in Silver Spring.
Montgomery County Public Schools will be closed Friday
Students will miss an entire week of school because of icy conditions.
Jan 29, 2026
Children sled down a hill on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, during a snowstorm in Silver Spring, Md. at Pinecrest Park.
Montgomery County public schools will be closed Wednesday and Thursday
MCPS announced Tuesday that schools will be closed Wednesday and Thursday. School officials will announce on Thursday whether they will close on Friday.
Updated Jan 27, 2026
Cynthia Ferguson, left, and Joni Kayne sled down a hill on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, during a snowstorm in Silver Spring, Md. at Pinecrest Park.
Watch: Superintendent’s snow day rap gets clicks and a few clucks
Somewhere at the intersection of creative and cringe lies Superintendent Thomas Taylor’s rap video announcing an MCPS snow day.
Jan 26, 2026
MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor becomes Super Snowy/Doctor T when he decides to close schools.
A months-old charter school faces closure. Did it stand a chance?
Some people will undoubtedly view the upcoming vote as a statement on whether charter schools are welcome in Maryland’s largest school district.
Jan 23, 2026
MECCA Business Learning Institute parents talk with school board member Rita Montoya about their desire to keep the charter school open on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026.
Reward grows for information on Islamophobic, anti-Palestinian graffiti at Whitman High
The Victims’ Rights Foundation donated $2,000 for information leading to the arrest of those responsible. The Muslim Public Affairs Council contributed another $3,000.
Jan 20, 2026
A neighbor driving by photographed anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian graffiti being cleaned off a wall at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda on Friday.
Maryland is rethinking how it pays for special education — and it could cost a lot more
What is the true cost of teaching children with disabilities in Maryland? And how should that money be distributed?
Jan 19, 2026
Classroom
Leaders condemn graffiti at high school targeting Muslims and Palestinians
The Montgomery County Police Department is investigating the incident.
Updated Jan 16, 2026
A neighbor driving by photographed anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian graffiti being cleaned off a wall at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda on Friday.
‘Crisis level’: How Montgomery County schools are responding to the immigration crackdown
County school leaders say they are trying to give children from immigrant families the help they need, but lack the resources to meet the growing demand.
Jan 12, 2026
Montgomery County Public Schools have fewer staffers who focus on immigrant children than they did two years ago.
These are the books families opted out of after Supreme Court fight
Montgomery County Public Schools recently finished its first semester since the U.S. Supreme Court sided with a group of parents who sought the right to opt-out of lessons with LGBTQIA+ themes.
Updated Jan 8, 2026
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 22: Protesters in support of LGBTQ+ rights and against book bans demonstrate outside of the U.S. Supreme Court Building on April 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. U.S. Supreme Court Justices heard arguments for the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor where a coalition of parents from Montgomery County, Maryland, say that a school requiring their children to participate in classes that include LGBTQ themes violates their religious beliefs and thus their First Amendment right to freely exercise their religion.
What’s the cost of transparency in Montgomery County’s public schools?
Officials say public records requests have not only increased in number but in complexity.
Jan 7, 2026
The Montgomery County Public Schools headquarters on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Rockville.
Snow squall? Blaring weather alert wakes Marylanders hours into 2026
The early-morning phone blare was an unwelcome surprise to families who had toasted the new year just a few hours prior.
Updated Jan 1, 2026
FRIDAY DECEMBER 5, 2025 - Light snow in Suitland, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC, on Friday.
These 5 charts help explain Maryland schools’ enrollment decline
Maryland public schools shrunk this year – and state leaders are trying to understand why the decline was so steep.
Dec 29, 2025
Books in Mrs. Park’s classroom at Lamont Elementary School in New Carrollton, Md. on April 25, 2024.
A store with no price tags gives Montgomery College students the gear they need
Montgomery County’s relative wealth can mask the financial struggles faced by many of the young people enrolled at its community college.
Dec 25, 2025
Student Sophia Dizon tries on a jacket as she peruses items with other students in the SPIFFY Closet at Montgomery College in Rockville.
Montgomery County schools still struggle to get students to show up to class
Already this year, roughly 15% of Montgomery County students are considered chronically absent.
Dec 24, 2025
Already this year, roughly 15% of Montgomery County students were considered chronically absent.
5 things to know about the proposed Montgomery County schools budget
Superintendent Thomas Taylor said tough economic conditions and declining enrollment will keep spending tight.
Dec 18, 2025
Thomas Taylor, superintendent of schools, during a Montgomery County Board of Education work session in September.
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