Maryland BOOST Scholarship: What Homeschool Families Need to Know

Most Maryland families pulling their children out of the public school system assume the state offers them nothing in return. That assumption is mostly correct — but not entirely. Maryland's BOOST program (Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today) provides assistance for eligible students enrolled in participating nonpublic schools. Homeschooled students are categorically ineligible, so choosing to homeschool through an umbrella does not itself create BOOST eligibility.

What the BOOST Program Actually Is

BOOST is Maryland's education scholarship program, funded through the state budget and administered by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). It was created to help eligible lower-income students attend participating nonpublic schools that they otherwise might not be able to afford.

The scholarship is funded annually through the state legislature. Award amounts depend on current program rules, household income, academic level, school assistance, and available funds; check the current MSDE guidance rather than relying on an older award figure or assuming that an application is first-come, first-served.

A critical distinction: BOOST is not a universal school choice voucher. Maryland has not passed the kind of broad Education Savings Account (ESA) legislation seen in states like Arizona or Arkansas. BOOST is income-restricted and limited in scope. Income eligibility uses the current free- or reduced-price-meals (FARMS) guidelines, which should be checked for the applicable school year.

Who Qualifies — and the Homeschool Complication

Here is where homeschool families need to read carefully. BOOST scholarship funds can only be used at a participating nonpublic school that meets MSDE program requirements, including the applicable Nonpublic Textbook Program requirement. The scholarship is paid to the school — it does not fund a home-based homeschool program.

This means homeschooled students, whether operating under Option 1 county supervision or Option 2 umbrella supervision, are categorically ineligible for BOOST. You cannot use BOOST funds to purchase curriculum, pay tutors, or cover operational costs for a home-based program you run yourself.

Choosing Option 2 supervision through a registered nonpublic umbrella entity does not change that categorical ineligibility. A child would need to leave home instruction and enroll in an eligible participating nonpublic school, subject to that school's and the program's requirements.

If a family is considering a participating nonpublic school rather than homeschooling, verify directly with that school and the current MSDE list before enrolling; an umbrella or supervision arrangement alone is not enough.

The Maryland Homeschool Funding Gap

If BOOST does not apply to your situation, you are not entirely out of options. Federal law now allows families to use 529 college savings plan funds for K-12 qualified education expenses. Under H.R. 1, effective July 2025, qualified K-12 expenses expanded to include curriculum materials, books, online educational subscriptions, standardized testing fees, and tutoring by licensed teachers or subject matter experts. Beginning in 2026, families can withdraw up to $20,000 annually per student for these purposes.

Maryland enhances this by offering a state income tax deduction on contributions to the Maryland College Investment Plan: up to $2,500 per beneficiary per year, with a 10-year carryforward provision. This is not free money — it is a tax efficiency tool — but for families paying out-of-pocket for curriculum and enrichment, routing those expenses through a 529 can effectively recover several hundred dollars in state taxes annually.

What Happens During the Withdrawal Process

If you are in the process of pulling your child out of a Maryland public school and weighing your funding options, the sequence matters. Maryland requires a 15-day Notice of Intent filed with the local superintendent before home instruction begins. The school system may not condition the home-instruction process on curriculum approval, but the 15-day start rule still applies and its mid-year attendance effect is contested. Under COMAR 13A.10.01, homeschooling is a notification process, not an approval process.

You must decide at the time of filing whether you are operating under Option 1 (county portfolio reviews) or Option 2 (umbrella supervision). That choice does not make a homeschooled student eligible for BOOST; eligibility requires enrollment in an approved participating nonpublic school.

For families who are homeschooling, state scholarship funds are not available regardless of supervision pathway. The focus shifts entirely to compliant execution of the withdrawal and building the regular, thorough home-instruction program required by COMAR.

The Most Common Mistake with State Funding Research

Parents in the middle of a stressful withdrawal frequently spend hours researching Maryland school funding programs before completing the basic legal steps. The BOOST scholarship, while real, requires enrollment in an eligible participating nonpublic school rather than a home instruction program.

The more pressing legal task is ensuring the 15-day notice is filed correctly, the withdrawal letter is sent as a separate school notice, and the Option 1 vs. Option 2 decision is made with a clear understanding of what each pathway requires long-term. Certified Mail with Return Receipt Requested is a recommended record, not a guarantee of legal compliance or a particular truancy outcome.

Getting the foundational legal paperwork right helps document the transition but cannot guarantee that a truancy inquiry, DSS contact, or administrative conflict will not occur. That step comes before funding research — not after.

If you are beginning this process and want a clear, step-by-step walkthrough of Maryland's withdrawal requirements — including ready-to-use letter templates, an explanation of COMAR obligations, and a curated breakdown of umbrella organizations — the Maryland Legal Withdrawal Blueprint covers all of it in one document built specifically for this state's regulations.

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