Frequently Asked Questions
How much would BOAST cost the state?
The 2010 BOAST legislation (HB 946/SB 385) only authorizes the program, but does not contain funding.
Is BOAST a voucher program?
No. BOAST is a tax credit program. Vouchers give individual students public dollars to attend the school of their choice. The BOAST bill simply increases an existing tax incentive (a charitable deduction) to a tax credit to encourage businesses to donate to programs that benefit students in both nonpublic and public schools.
Is BOAST a tuition tax credit?
No. Tuition tax credits directly benefit families who pay tuition by giving them a personal tax credit for their tuition expenses. The BOAST tax credit benefits business donors who contribute to organizations that provide scholarships to non public school students or enrichment programs to public school students.
Does BOAST take money from public schools?
No. In fact, BOAST gives more money to public school students than they would otherwise have because businesses can receive the tax credits for donations to innovative enrichment programs. The funding for BOAST would come from the state’s tax revenues – not from dollars already dedicated to public schools.
Will this program benefit only students from wealthy families?
No. In fact, HB 946/SB 385 requires that priority for nonpublic school scholarships be given to children who qualify for the federal free or reduced-price lunch program. The misconception that BOAST only benefits wealthy families may be based on confusing the BOAST tax credit with a tuition tax credit. Tuition tax credits might benefit families with higher incomes since they can afford to pay tuition in the first place. The BOAST tax credit benefits families who cannot afford tuition by increasing scholarship funds for needy students.
How many Maryland students attend nonpublic schools?
More than 127,000 Maryland children attend nonpublic schools. That is roughly the same number as are enrolled in the Montgomery County public school system, the largest in the state. Based on the state’s average per-pupil cost of education of $12,508 in the 2007-2008 school year, nonpublic students save taxpayers more than $1.5 billion annually.
Which nonpublic schools can scholarship recipients attend?
To be approved by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), scholarship organizations must provide scholarships to students attending at least four different schools. When a scholarship organization issues a scholarship to a student, he or she can use the scholarship dollars to pay tuition at any of the four or more schools associated with that scholarship organization. Of course, scholarship recipients still are required to follow the application and registration process at their chosen schools.
Why should BOAST benefit nonpublic schools if they can be selective in their admissions?
While nonpublic schools do not have to accept all students, BOAST scholarships would made available to all students, with priority given to those from low-income families.
Are nonpublic schools held to the same standards as public schools?
Most nonpublic schools already voluntarily participate in standardized testing, on which their students consistently perform well. There is no evidence that students in nonpublic schools are less prepared than students in public school for college or the workplace. Moreover, nonpublic schools are held accountable to the parents who pay tuition to send their children to the school. Finally, a business would be unlikely to make a scholarship donation to a student to attend a school that was not performing well.
Do nonpublic schools accommodate children with disabilities?
Many nonpublic schools already offer a variety of services to students with special needs and all want to do more. Since students lose their right to special education funding when they leave the public school system, it is difficult for nonpublic schools to provide special education services without passing the extra costs on to families. The BOAST program can be used to grant scholarships to students with special needs.