Maryland School Choice Options
Maryland’s main school choice program is the BOOST Scholarship. It helps low-income students attend participating private schools. Students must qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. For 2026-27, the state planned about $9 million for around 2,500 awards. The money goes straight to the school for tuition and required fees. Because of that, BOOST does not cover homeschooling. Families who later enroll in a participating private school may apply. Parent applications for 2026-27 were due May 8, 2026. Maryland also does not appear on the IRS list for the new federal scholarship tax credit.
Day to day, Maryland offers homeschoolers few direct benefits. Homeschoolers have no legal right to public school classes or sports. However, private schools may include homeschool athletes on their teams. In 2026, lawmakers heard two bills on homeschool sports access. A third bill would have created education savings accounts, but its sponsor withdrew it. None of these bills passed before the session ended in April. A new session begins in January 2027, and bills may return. We will update this page as new options appear. For full details on each topic, open the sections below.
BOOST (Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today) provides scholarships to students eligible for free or reduced-price meals to attend participating nonpublic schools. For 2026-27, MSDE estimated $9,000,000 plus carry-over funds and about 2,500 awards; nearly 2,800 students received awards in 2025-26. Students must be in grades K-12 and enrolled, or planning to enroll, in a participating nonpublic school. Awards are sent to the school and applied to tuition and required fees. Parent applications were due May 8, 2026 (MSDE: BOOST Program Information Guide, FY2027).
Homeschoolers: Because awards must go to a participating nonpublic school, BOOST cannot be used for homeschooling (MSDE).
Maryland has no ESA. In 2026, HB 1204 would have created an Education Savings Account Program; it had an Appropriations hearing on March 18 and was withdrawn by its sponsor (Maryland General Assembly: HB 1204).
Maryland does not appear on the IRS list of states participating in the federal scholarship tax credit as of October 22, 2026 (IRS: FSTC Participating States).
See our Maryland Homeschool Laws page for legal requirements.
- MSDE: BOOST Scholarship Program Information Guide, FY2027
- HB 1204; HB 1043; HB 1528; 2026 home schooling legislation index
- IRS: Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Participating States (as of October 22, 2026); HSLDA: Public School Access in Maryland
Last reviewed: November 7, 2026
*The information on this page is for general use only. It should not be taken as legal advice. It is believed to be accurate however state and federal laws change every year. Homeschool.net recommends joining an organization such as the Home School Legal Defense Association before your homeschooling adventure begins. HSLDA can provide complete, accurate, legal advice and services for homeschooling families.
Update History
No changes in law noted since this page was first published.