Catholic Schools

Maryland's bishops have called the state's Catholic schools an "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 18 fewer Catholic schools in Maryland than there were six 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, which would grant businesses a state tax credit for their donations to groups that provide:
• Need-based scholarships to Catholic and other nonpublic school students
• Grants to Catholic, other nonpublic, and public school teachers for continuing education
• Enrichment programs for public school students