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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 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​
August 2023
Parents/Guardians will be notified of results​
August 15 & September 7, 2023
Customer service sessions for Nonpublic Schools

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.


Customer Service Support Sessions

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

Customer Service Support Session I

Wednesday, March 1, 2023
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
BOOST Scholarship Program: Overview for Nonpublic Schools

View the recording from the March 1st, 2023 Customer Service Support Session

Customer Service Support Session II

Friday, June 9, 2023
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. (Click here to join.)


For Parents/Guardians

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Customer Service Support Sessions

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

Customer Service Support Session I

Tuesday, May 16, 2023
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

View the recording from the May 16th, 2023 Customer Service Support Session

Customer Service Support Session II

Wednesday, May 24, 2023
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

View the recording from the May 24th, 2023 Customer Service Support Session


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.

    Unfortunately, there may not be funding available for every student that applies. Eligible students are ranked in order, with the lowest-income families at the top of the list. Students are placed on a waitlist, and we offer a scholarship to the next student on the list. We aren’t able to offer a scholarship to every student who is eligible.

    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.

    We don’t know yet. The award amounts will be determined after the online application has closed and the BOOST Advisory Board has met. This usually takes place in July or August. When the award amounts have been determined, we’ll post them on this webpage.

    The check isn’t sent to the parents, it’s sent to the school. Once the school year starts, schools must first confirm that the student is enrolled at their school. Then, we can send out the scholarship check to the school. We anticipate the first checks to be sent out in October.

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    Contact:

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