Maryland's bishops have called the state's Catholic schools an The Maryland-serving bishops have released a statement, "An Outstanding Apostolate of Hope" and invited all Catholics to support initiatives like the BOAST Maryland Tax Credit that will benefit Catholic school families.

Maryland's Catholic schools educate 57,000 students annually and, together with other nonpublic schools, save taxpayers $1.5 billion each year in per pupil costs. At the same time, Catholic schools face challenges. There are a dozen fewer Catholic schools in Maryland than there were five years ago and there was a six percent drop in enrollment between the 2001-2002 and 2006-2007 school years.

One measure the bishops encourage Catholic involvement in is the passage of the BOAST Maryland Tax Credit (SB 715/HB 1259), which would grant businesses a state tax credit for donations made to scholarship organizations for Catholic and other nonpublic school students and enrichment programs for public school students. “By working with businesses, BOAST will help students from lower- and middle-income families remain in Catholic schools,” the (arch)bishops say in a recent statement. “That, in turn, will help stabilize enrollment and tuition and ensure the future of the schools that contribute so much to our communities. “

The BOAST Maryland Tax Credit passed the Senate in a 30-17 vote during the 2008 session. The 2009 legislation, SB 715/HB 1259 simply authorizes the program but does not contain funding. Click here to e-mail your lawmakers and ask them to support BOAST.