Gov. Moore’s budget cuts BOOST, proposes phase-out of scholarship program

Gov. Wes Moore’s newly unveiled budget cuts $2 million from a state scholarship program that helps children from low-income families attend Catholic and other nonpublic schools in Maryland. Even more alarming to Catholic school leaders is language in the proposed budget that would effectively phase out the program.

The BOOST (Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today) Scholarship program was initiated in 2016 with bipartisan support and has benefitted approximately 20,000 students through last year.

The Maryland Catholic Conference, the Annapolis-based public policy arm of the state’s Catholic bishops, is urging lawmakers to restore funding to its $10 million level and remove language in the Democratic governor’s proposal that would allow no new students to receive scholarships, except for siblings of current recipients.

“It would be very detrimental to the program if the House of Delegates and Senate were to accept this language in the final budget,” said Garrett O’Day, deputy director of the Maryland Catholic Conference, “but the General Assembly can, in fact, restore the program.”

Dr. Donna Hargens, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, said the BOOST scholarship program has been life-changing for many Maryland students. Families are grateful for receiving the support, she said.

In the 2021-22 academic year, there were 3,268 BOOST scholarship recipients. Their average household income was $35,488 and 56 percent were from minority communities. All were eligible for free or reduced lunches.

“Scholarship recipients are in 21 of the 23 Maryland counties and Baltimore City,” Hargens said, noting that this year there are more than 700 BOOST scholarship recipients in the Archdiocese of Baltimore at archdiocesan and independent Catholic schools.

Hargens said polling has shown strong support for the program, including 74 percent support from African Americans.

As lawmakers consider the budget over the next six to eight weeks, Hargens said it will be critical for BOOST supporters to contact their representatives and urge them to restore full funding and maintain the program.

“Our parents and principals are already reaching out to their legislators,” she said, “and we will even have some students and parents testify in hearings in February because it’s so important.”

Hargens noted that Catholic school families that don’t benefit from BOOST should also consider voicing their support for the program.

“You certainly know what your child is receiving from a Catholic school, and wouldn’t you want that for other people’s children as well?” she said.

Hargens said she sees the impact of the program every day in the Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Lawmakers need to understand the importance of the program, she said, noting that principals at area Catholic schools have invited lawmakers to visit their schools to learn more.

“What we need to do is describe that to people who might not know, who might not understand that this is a really big deal for those families and for those students who benefit from this,” she said.

O’Day said the Maryland Catholic Conference is “working hard” to keep BOOST funded.

“We encourage people to join the Catholic Advocacy Network and use the alerts we provide throughout the session so they can contact their legislators,” he said. “Sign up is at mdcatholic.org.”

Email George Matysek at gmatysek@CatholicReview.org

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