Tales From The Beat Episode 133: Investigative Reporter Chris Papst

Fox 45 Baltimore investigative reporter Chris Papst spent years looking into questionable practices at the Baltimore public school system, discovering shocking practices such as falsifying student grades to boost graduation rates tied to funding.

We discuss the investigation, Chris's techniques, extracting data from uncooperative sources and why local TV news is vital, even as stations reduce budgets and staffing.

TTAC Creator Ed Garsten hosts "  Tales from the Beat," a podcast about the automotive and media worlds. A veteran reporter and public relations operative, Garsten worked for CNN, The Associated Press, The Detroit News, Chrysler's PR department and Franco Public Relations. He is currently a senior contributor for Forbes.

The TTAC Creators Series tells stories and amplifies creators from all corners of the car world, including culture, dealerships, collections, modified builds and more.

A transcript, cleaned up via AI and edited by a staffer, is below.

[Image: YouTube Screenshot]

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Transcript:

Ed Garsten:

Hi everyone, I’m Ed Garsten, and welcome to Episode 133 of Tales from the Beat, where we look at news and PR from both sides of the scrimmage line. Tonight’s episode is a little different.

Here’s a headline for you: Forty percent of Baltimore City high schools have zero students proficient in math.

That’s just one of the explosive findings uncovered by the person sitting next to me. He’s an award-winning, Emmy Award–winning investigative reporter, Chris Papst from Fox 45 in Baltimore. Chris, thanks for being here. How are you?

Chris Papst:

Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.

Ed Garsten:

Before we get into your investigation and how you uncovered all this information, could you give our viewers and listeners a little background on yourself and your career?

Chris Papst:

Sure. As you said, my name is Chris Papst, and I work for Fox 45 in Baltimore. I’m part of an investigative unit called Project Baltimore. We’re a team of five: two photographer-editors, two producers, and myself.

Since we launched in January 2017, we’ve focused on one topic—public education. Before coming to Baltimore, I was an investigative reporter at the ABC News affiliate in Washington, D.C.

I got a call from Sinclair Broadcast Group, which is based in Baltimore, and they pitched the idea of Project Baltimore: a long-term investigation into a single issue. No snow coverage, no breaking news—just focus on one topic. I was immediately interested. My wife and I had just had a baby, so we moved from D.C. to Baltimore, and I’ve been doing this work for about nine years now.

Ed Garsten:

That’s incredible. Being told you can focus on one thing and not worry about standing in the snow for a live shot—that’s a dream scenario for a reporter.

How did you land on Baltimore City schools as your subject? Was there a tip, or was this something Sinclair already knew about?

Chris Papst:

When we were deciding on our first topic, we leaned toward public education because, in many cities—including Baltimore—it’s the largest line item in the budget.

Back in 2017, federal data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress showed Baltimore City as one of the lowest-performing large school systems in the country. At the same time, U.S. Census data showed it was one of the highest-funded.

So the question we set out to answer was simple: how is that possible? How can a school system be both heavily funded and consistently underperforming?

That question ultimately led to my book, Failure Factory. After eight years of investigating this every day, I believe we now have the answer.

Ed Garsten:

For those who haven’t seen your reporting, what were some of the key findings, and what happened as a result of your investigation?

Chris Papst:

There’s been a lot over eight years, but I’ll highlight a few.

In 2017, we analyzed state testing data and found six Baltimore City schools where not a single student tested proficient in any subject. Hundreds of students, zero proficiency. That story went viral.

After it aired, people contacted us and said, “That’s true—but those students are still graduating.” Teachers told us administrators were changing failing grades to passing.

That led us to file a public records request for documents related to grade changes. The school system refused, so we sued. In 2019, a judge ruled Baltimore City Schools knowingly and willfully violated the Maryland Public Information Act, likely to conceal wrongdoing.

After we obtained the records, the state inspector general found more than 12,500 improper grade changes over four years. At some schools, up to 10 percent of graduates should not have graduated.

We also found data manipulation tied to suspensions, arrests, and enrollment numbers—all connected to funding.

Ed Garsten:

From the outside, it’s hard to understand why schools would do this. What’s the incentive?

Chris Papst:

It comes down to funding.

When I started Project Baltimore, people warned me that public education was no longer prioritizing educating kids—it was prioritizing acquiring funding and expanding bureaucracy.

My father was a public school teacher for 35 years. I went to public school. I didn’t believe it at first. But after years of reporting, lawsuits, and reviewing the data, it became clear.

The focus is not learning. It’s passing. And passing drives funding.

Ed Garsten:

After all this reporting and the release of your book, did anything positive happen?

Chris Papst:

Yes—several things.

Our lawsuit set a legal precedent in Maryland for how public records requests to school systems must be handled. The judge forced the district to pay nearly $200,000 in legal fees, which sent shockwaves statewide.

The school system also revamped how grades are entered and changed, requiring documentation and oversight.

Legislation has been introduced and passed as a result of our reporting. These are policy and legal changes that matter.

The social contract is simple: taxpayers fund schools, and in return, schools educate kids. What we found is that the money is there—but the education isn’t.

Ed Garsten:

You’ve dealt with PR and communications professionals throughout your career. How does investigative reporting differ from everyday beat reporting?

Chris Papst:

The biggest difference is expertise. When you spend years on one topic, it’s very hard for anyone to spin you.

Communications teams don’t like us. They attack us regularly. But they rarely dispute the facts.

For example, we reported on a student who missed 120 days of his senior year and still graduated. After that story aired, the school system sent a memo attacking me—but never refuted the reporting. Instead, they focused on finding the leak.

That’s the pattern: discredit the reporter, not the facts.

Ed Garsten:

That sounds familiar across many industries.

Let’s zoom out. Local news is in trouble—newsrooms are shrinking, and investigative reporting is disappearing. Why does local journalism still matter?

Chris Papst:

Because local journalists live in the communities they cover. Our kids go to these schools. Our tax dollars fund these systems.

Local investigative journalism improves quality of life. It informs voters. It holds power accountable.

At the same time school funding exploded over the last 20 years, local beat reporters disappeared. Fewer journalists were sitting in school board meetings watching how money was spent.

That absence matters.

We’re trying to prove that local journalism still has value—by making it must-watch, must-see reporting.

Ed Garsten:

Before we wrap up, what advice would you give to young journalists trying to get information that isn’t easy to obtain?

Chris Papst:

Don’t stop. Find a way.

If public information officers block you, go around them. Call sources. Call lawyers. Take calculated risks.

We sued knowing we could lose hundreds of thousands of dollars—but we trusted our instincts, and we were right.

You have to love the hunt. For me, the thrill isn’t getting the document—it’s figuring out how to get it.

Ed Garsten:

Chris, thank you for your work and for joining us. Before we go, remind us of the book’s title and where people can find it.

Chris Papst:

The book is Failure Factory: How Baltimore City Public Schools Deprive Taxpayers and Students of a Future. It’s available wherever books are sold—Amazon, Barnes & Noble, independent bookstores.

What’s happening in Baltimore is happening across the country. I hope the book helps people understand what’s really going on in public education.

Ed Garsten:

Thanks again, Chris. And thank you all for listening and watching. This has been Tales from the Beat. I’m Ed Garsten, and I’ll be back soon with more tales.