EDGEWOOD, Md. (WBFF) — A Maryland mother says a scholarship program designed to help low-income families afford private school could make all the difference in her son’s future.
But after her application was denied, she says she’s being forced to choose between paying her bills and paying for her son’s education.
Tiara Early fully understands what the next four years will mean for her son Ryan Bell’s future.
“As parents, we want the best for our kids,” said Early. “You want them to get everything they can out of life.”
Tiara Early and her son Ryan Bell (WBFF)
Ryan is going into his freshman year at Archbishop Curley, an all-boys Catholic high school in Baltimore City, where he plans to pursue his dream.
“He wants to be an engineer, and they have an excellent robotics program,” stated Early.
ALSO READ | BOOST demand rises as Maryland awards fewer educational scholarships to families
But Early says she fears that dream may not become a reality. She’s a single mom of two who works as a nursing assistant. And she’s running out of money.
“I had to choose between paying my rent, paying everyday bills just to make sure my son is covered with his education,” Early explained.
To help pay those education bills, Early applied for a BOOST scholarship. The BOOST Program was signed into law by former Governor Larry Hogan. BOOST provides scholarships for children of low-income families to attend nonpublic schools.
“I had all of my paperwork in order. The first day,” stated Early.
“Were you hopeful?” Questioned Project Baltimore’s Chris Papst.
“I was hopeful and excited,” replied Early.
Tiara’s application was accepted. She was eligible. But in July she learned the scholarship was denied.
Ryan is going into his freshman year at Archbishop Curley, an all-boys Catholic high school in Baltimore City, where he plans to pursue his dream (WBFF)
“It was heartbreaking. I panicked a little bit,” remarked Early.
“How important would the BOOST scholarship be for your family?” Papst asked.
“This BOOST scholarship would be a financial breakthrough for my family, because it’s going to help my son in the long run with his education,” Early responded. “I really care about his education, and it’s hard for me to think about the fact that he might not get it.”
Tiara and her son are part of a growing number of Maryland families who are applying for, but not receiving, BOOST scholarships.
According to the Maryland State Department of Education, in 2022, 6,077 families applied for $10.2 million in BOOST scholarships, with 3,268 awarded scholarships. By 2026, 6,381 applications were received for an available $9.5 million in scholarships, with 2,796 being awarded.
ALSO READ | ‘It’s a mess’: Was Baltimore County’s $2.5 billion school budget legally approved?
Since 2022, the number of students receiving BOOST scholarships has decreased by 14%, while the number of BOOST applications has increased by 5%.
In 2023, in his first budget as Governor, Wes Moore cut BOOST funding by 10%. At the time, FOX45 News asked Moore about BOOST at a press conference.
“As we are thinking about what needs to happen with public dollars, public dollars do not need to be going to private schools,” Moore said.
Early says that decision to cut BOOST funding has significantly impacted families like hers. She questions why Governor Moore would do that.
Since 2022, the number of students receiving BOOST scholarships has decreased by 14%, while the number of BOOST applications has increased by 5% (WBFF)
“I was doing some background reading on the governor. His mom was a single parent, and she put him in a private school,” said Early. “So, if he could understand how important it was for him as a kid, why take it away from other kids?”
For now, Early plans to pick up extra shifts at work to fund her son’s education. But she’s still applying for BOOST. The next round of scholarships will be awarded in December.
“You’re trying to set your son up for success.” Papst said.
“Yes,” Early replied.
“Trying to give him a better future?” Asked Papst.
“Of course. Every kid deserves a good, quality education,” Early responded. “They deserve the opportunity to be able to pick and choose what schools they want to go to. I want him to be able to be the engineer that he wants to be, with an amazing future.”
FOX45 News will follow this family’s journey as they continue to apply for BOOST scholarships to help pay for Ryan’s dream of becoming an engineer. We’ll keep you posted.
Follow Project Baltimore’s Chris Papst on X and Facebook. Send news tips to cjpapst@sbgtv.com
Local Story
