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Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today (BOOST) Scholarship Program

Purpose

The Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today (BOOST) Scholarship Program provides scholarship awards for some students who are eligible for the free or reduced–price school meals program (FARMs) to attend eligible nonpublic schools. Priority will be granted to students who qualify for FARMs and received a BOOST scholarship award last school year, as well as their siblings.


When and where will the BOOST Advisory Board meet?

The Board convened on Monday, July 31, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m in the State Board Room on the 7th floor of MSDE headquarters (200 W. Baltimore St. Baltimore, MD 21201). For details and a recording of the meeting, visit the BOOST Advisory Board meeting webpage.


When will the application be open?

Thursday, May 11, 2023


Application Submission Date

Friday, June 30, 2023 no later than 11:59 p.m. EST


Application Timeline

​Date

​Milestone

May 11, 2023
BOOST Scholarship application opens
May 16 & May 24, 2023
Customer service sessions for parents/guardians
​June 30, 2023
BOOST Scholarship application closes​
​July 31, 2023
BOOST Advisory Board convened to discuss award priorities and values
August 2023
Parents/Guardians will be notified of results of the income and application review.
​September 1, 2023
​Some parents received an award offer email. They must respond by the deadline in the email to accept or decline the award.
​August 22 & September 7, 2023
​Customer service sessions for Nonpublic Schools
​September 21, 2023
​Schools must confirm enrollment of students at their school who accepted a BOOST award (soft deadline for the first batch of checks)
​October 12, 2023
​Schools must confirm enrollment of students at their school who accepted a BOOST award (firm final deadline)
​October – December 2023
​MSDE sends out scholarship awards to schools. Parents must endorse the back of the check.
December 15, 2023
No new awards will be offered after this date.


For Nonpublic Schools

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Only nonpublic schools who were approved to participate in the Nonpublic Textbook Program were eligible to apply to participate in the BOOST Scholarship Program. Visit the Nonpublic Textbook Program webpage to see a list of schools that were approved to participate in that program.

This funding opportunity is designed for nonpublic schools registered to operate in the state of Maryland. To be eligible to participate, a nonpublic school must: 

  • Hold a certificate of approval from or be registered with the State Board of Education; 

  • Be approved to participate in the Nonpublic Textbook Program;

  • Provide more than only prekindergarten and kindergarten programs;

  • Complete an application to the BOOST Scholarship Program;

  • Comply with all reporting requirements by the specified date.


A list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and answers is posted on the left-hand side of this page. Please check there first to see if your question has been asked before. MSDE will also be offering customer service support sessions for schools.


Nonpublic Schools Customer Service Support Sessions

MSDE personnel will review program requirements and walk through the application. To attend a session, click on a date below:

BOOST Scholarship Program: Overview for Nonpublic Schools

    Thursday, September 7, 2023


    For Parents/Guardians

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    To be eligible, a student must:

    • Qualify for free and reduced price meals (FARMs);
    • Be enrolled or accepted at a participating nonpublic school for the 2023-2024 school year; and
    • Be entering grade kindergarten – 12th grade for the 2023-2024 school year

    Due to limited funding, the BOOST Program is unable to provide scholarships to all qualified applicants. Priority is given to students who were recipients of a BOOST award in the previous year.

    As part of the application, parents will be asked to upload their Federal 1040 tax returns so that their annual income and household size can be verified. For a breakdown of household income cut-offs for FARMs, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture webpage.

    How do I apply for the 2023-2024 school year? Parents must complete the online BOOST Scholarship application no later than June 30, 2023 for any children they wish to be considered for a BOOST Scholarship award.

    A list of Frequently Asked Questions and answers will be posted here and updated as needed. MSDE will also be offering customer service support sessions. Details coming soon!

    Contact Robert Wancowicz
    Email: boost.msde@maryland.gov
    Phone: (410) 767-0443

    A list of nonpublic schools participating in the BOOST Scholarship Program can be found on the left-hand side of this page. The BOOST scholarship may only be used at a school that has chosen to participate in the program.

    The amount awarded is contingent upon household income, the academic level of the student, and any financial assistance that the educational institution may extend to the student. The BOOST Advisory Board met in Summer 2023 to determine the award amounts:

    ​Category

    ​Award

    For students who qualify for free meals and entered the Program from a public school
    a base award of $4,750
    For students who qualify for reduced meals and entered the Program from a public school
    		a base award of $3,750
    ​For students who qualify for free meals and entered the Program from a nonpublic school
    		a base award of $1,600
    ​For students who qualify for reduced meals and entered the Program from a nonpublic school
    		a base award of $1,200
    ​For all students in grades 9-12
    		​an additional award of $3,000
    For students with special needs due to a disability
    		an additional award equal to the base award

    The check is sent to the school, and you (the parent/guardian) must come to the school to sign the back of the check. The BOOST scholarship award may be reduced if it exceeds the tuition owed to the school.

    For example:
    • The school’s annual tuition is $10,000 and the school offers the student a discount of $4,000. The parent is only responsible for paying $6,000 to the school.
    • $10,000 - $4,000 = $6,000
    • If the BOOST award value comes out to be $7,750, it will be reduced to $6,000 because it can’t be higher than the amount owed to the school. The school will receive a check for $6,000 to credit the student’s tuition. If the parent already made tuition payments over the summer, then the school will owe the parent a refund.



    Parents/Guardians Customer Service Support Sessions

    MSDE personnel will review program requirements and walk through the application. To attend a session, click on a date below:

    Only nonpublic schools who were approved to participate in the Nonpublic Textbook Program were eligible to apply to participate in the BOOST Scholarship Program. Visit the Nonpublic Textbook Program webpage to see a list of schools that were approved to participate in that program.



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    Contact:

    Robert Wancowicz
    Office: (410) 767-0443
    boost.msde@maryland.gov