In our coverage today, we offer a look at a new Department of Education plan for tech and digital equity in schools. We also highlight takeaways from Thriving, our yearlong multimedia reporting project that explores what it means for different demographic groups to "thrive" in cities across the country (including Baltimore). 

This leads me to pose a question to our Technical.ly readers in this region: What specific content would you like to see more of in this newsletter? We value your insights and are eager to tailor our coverage to your preferences. Additionally, we invite you to share your thoughts on the recent changes to the newsletter format. Your feedback is instrumental in shaping our content and ensuring it resonates with our audience.

On that note, we hope you got a chance to fill out our community survey. If you haven't yet, you have until midnight tonight to do so. But you should also know that you can always feel free to talk to us. K, cool.

— Alanah, Technical.ly lead reporter for Baltimore

Earlier this month, the federal Department of Education released its first National Educational Technology Plan (NETP) since 2016. The NETP essentially offers a way to survey the state of tech and digital literacy in the nation's schools. The latest plan goes even further on the latter aspect by offering a new, three-part framework for digital equity concerns to tackle going forward. Check out more in senior reporter Holly Quinn's piece below. 

➡️ Find out more in Holly's full report here.

"Thriving" was a yearlong storytelling project that delved into the economic lives of individuals across different US cities, shining a spotlight on Philadelphia in particular. The initiative aimed to unveil the various paths people navigate to secure their financial well-being, emphasizing the experiences of 10 key demographic groups. Through these insightful reports, a common theme emerges across diverse narratives. To get the full scoop and discover the key takeaways from the audio documentary, read these takeaways by Technical.ly's own Julie Zeglen and Danya Hennigner.

➡️ Find out more about this story in Julie and Danya's report here.

• Baltimore-area startups Backpack Healthcare and NasaClip are featured innovators in Blue Cross' Health Equity Business Accelerator.  [Blue Cross]

• Gov. Wes Moore recently unveiled the legislative agenda for the 2024 Maryland General Assembly. It includes another proposed piece of legislation named after late EcoMap Technologies cofounder Pava LaPere: The Pava LaPere Legacy of Innovation Act, which aims to provide student-led startups with early-stage capital. [Moore-Miller Administrator]

• The Maryland Film Festival is returning to celebrate its 25th anniversary, and you'll see some save-the-dates around town.  [Facebook]

• Innovation Works Baltimore is looking for the next participants in its BOOST program. [Innovation Works]

• Thrive Earlier Detection Corp., a Johns Hopkins biotech spinout that raised a $257 million Series B back in 2020, is closing down. Exact Sciences, which bought the company for $2.15 billion, told state regulators it would lay off 58 workers and close the company down. [The Baltimore Banner]

• Here are some national and international tech events you should consider attending this year. [Bizzabo]